Calls for proposals totalling NOK 1.5 billion in funding have resulted in over 1 000 grant applications. The largest funding amount was announced by the Programme for Global Health and Vaccination Research (GLOBVAC).
A total of 1 053 grant applications were submitted to the Research Council of Norway by the deadline at 13.00 CET on Wednesday 4 September, representing a 36 per cent increase compared to submissions for the September 2012 deadline.
Getting funding out to researchers
While several of the calls encompassed sizeable amounts, the call issued by the Programme for Global Health and Vaccination Research (GLOBVAC) was by far the largest. The GLOBVAC programme is primarily funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), but also receives some funding from the Ministry of Health and Care Services.
The call offering NOK 244 million (EUR 30.8 million) in funding comprises the GLOBVAC programme's budget for two years.
"Since the new programme period is just beginning, it is important to get the funding out to the researchers," states acting programme coordinator, Åse Marit Kristiansen. "We want to open the door to large-scale, preferably international research projects, but without excluding smaller knowledge-building projects."
Improving health among the poor
The GLOBVAC programme, now in its second programme period, will run until 2020. Whereas the programme previously focused mostly on vaccination research, the current objectives have been expanded to cover a wider scope.
"In short, we are funding research targeted towards improving health among poor people, with special focus on infectious diseases, maternal and child health and family planning," Ms Kristiansen explains. "The programme has a broad range, covering everything from basic medical research, vaccination research and large clinical studies to research on health systems, as well as economics, technology and other structural prerequisites for health care services."
Regular calls targeting industry
Grant proposals have primarily been submitted by universities, the hospital sector, and the independent research institutes, and the programme would like to see a rise in the number of projects from trade and industry.
"We know that the industry-related expertise we are looking for is out there," Ms Kristiansen says. "It could be that the funding opportunities under the GLOBVAC programme are not widely enough known. So we will be issuing more regular calls for proposals directed towards industry and making better use of the Research Council's network of regional representatives.
