Utlysninger - Felles forskningsutvalg - St. Olavs hospital og MH - Kunnskapsbasen
Utlysninger - Felles forskningsutvalg - St. Olavs hospital og MH
Call for proposals for 2026
Please note that this year, applications must be written in English.
Oppdatering 18.06.2025 (for neste års utlysning): "Head of department" er instituttleder ved MH-fakultetet. "Head of clinic" er klinikksjef ved St. Olav.
Oppdatering 09.06.2025: Prosjektbeskrivelsen må skrives på engelsk, men du kan velge å levere andre dokumenter på norsk. Du velger også om du bruker norsk eller engelsk språk i utfylling av eSøknad. Her legger vi oss på samme linje som Samarbeidsorganet.
Announcement text approved in FFU 31.03.2025.
Text uppdated 15.05.2025.
The Joint Research Committee (FFU) is a collaboration between St. Olavs Hospital HF and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, which manages research funds from Helse Midt-Norge RHF. The main goal of FFU is to strengthen research activity, quality, and collaboration between the two institutions and promote a culture of research at the integrated university hospital.
1. Call for proposals for 2026
Content:
- 1. Call for proposals
- 2. Who can apply?
- 3. Application categories
- 4. About the application categories
- 5. Formal requirements for the application
- 6. Requirements for project description and attachments
- 7. Submitting applications
- 8. Allocation of funds
- 9. Questions about the call for proposals
2. Who can apply?
Applications can be submitted by permanent employees at St. Olavs Hospital HF in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, or by permanent employees at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU in collaboration with St. Olavs Hospital HF. Temporary employees can apply for a 50% research position but must have a guarantee of funding from the institute/clinic for the entire application period.
Employees at NTNU Ålesund and NTNU Gjøvik are not entitled to apply.
We encourage academic environments that need strengthening within the research area to apply. It is recommended to have strong environments as partners in the project application. If strengthening the academic environment is the purpose of the application, this should be stated both in the application text and in the management commitment form from the clinic and institute.
3. For 2026 FFU calls for proposals within the following application categories:
- Two-year research projects (up to 1.500.000 kroner)
- Researcher position 50% (up to 3 years)
The research projects must be strategically relevant to the health sector, cf. current research- and innovation strategies for Helse Midt-Norge RHF, St. Olavs Hospital HF and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU.
4. About the application categories.
4.1. Two-year research projects:
Within this category, you may apply for a total of up to NOK 1.500.000,- to cover operation costs and/or salary for among other things:
- Technical/administrative research personnel (research nurses, etc.).
- Use of research infrastructure at St. Olavs Hospital or the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
- Completion of a Ph.D. project where the candidate has not previously received three years of doctoral funding.
- Research projects with innovation potential.
- Replacement for applicants in clinical positions who intend to carry out research work.
The funds can be used for up to two years. There is no upper or lower limit for the annual amount, but the total amount for the entire period cannot exceed NOK 1.500.000,-
When allocating funds, emphasis will be placed on the use of established local research infrastructure at St. Olavs Hospital or the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
4.2. Researcher position 50%
Within this category you may apply for a 50% researcher position for up to 3 years. The researcher should contribute to strengthening research at the integrated university hospital and actively contribute to collaboration between the institute and the clinic. The collaboration between the institute and the clinic must be clearly described in the project description. A plan for employment must exist before the application is submitted.
The following requirements must be met:
- Applicants who are employed in a clinical position at St. Olavs Hospital HF at the time of application, must be employed in a 50% researcher position at a department at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, or applicants who are employed in a scientific position at a department at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU at the time of application, must be employed in a 50% researcher position at a clinic at St. Olavs Hospital HF.
- Temporary employees can apply for a 50% researcher position, but they must have a guarantee of funding from the institute/clinic for the entire application period.
- The applicant’s doctoral thesis must have been submitted for review within 31 December application year. PhD degree must be obtained before employment.
The grant is awarded as a lump sum in accordance with The Liaison Committee for Education, Research and Innovation in Central Norway (Samarbeidsorganet) rates for research positions, duties is not included and applicants may be called for an interview.
5. Formal requirements for the applications.
- Template for project description and requirements for attachments for application for project funds from FFU must be followed.
- Current regulations for regional research funding from the Central Norway Regional Health Authority (text in Norwegian) must be followed.
- When allocating funds, emphasis will be placed on the use of established local research infrastructure at St. Olav’s Hospital or the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
- Documented research collaboration between St. Olavs Hospital HF and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU Trondheim is a requirement. The project description must include a specification of the collaboration, and active participation from both institutions is required. This requirement is considered fulfilled when all relevant collaborating partners from both institutions have affirmed their project participation through eSøknad.
- Documented management commitment at both clinic and institute is a requirement.
All applications must be approved by the head of the given clinic at St. Olavs Hospital HF and the head of the given department at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU. Management approval means that leaders from both institutions support the project application and that they perceive the project as feasible at the given institution. The head of clinic commits through eSøknad while the head of department must complete the management commitment form, which must be included as an attachment to the application. When applying for the researcher position 50 %, a completed management commitment form, signed by both the head of the given clinic and the head of the given department must follow as an attachment to the application. Projects that entail cooperation between several clinics and/or institutes may be committed at a higher level of management.
Applications that do not fulfill the formal requirements will be rejected.
6. Requirements for project description and attachments for applications
Applications that do not meet the requirements for content, format, and attachments will not be considered.
Format requirements:
- The project description must be a maximum of 10 A4 pages and must be written in English. The page limit includes figures, tables, and the reference list.
- Font and font size: Use Arial 11 point, Times New Roman 12 point or equivalent. Use single line spacing and minimum 2 cm margins. You may use 9 point for the reference list and any text in figures.
General tip:
The applications will be assessed by a committee of external and independent reviewers. Therefore, it is important that the project description is clear and structured, and avoids unnecessary use of abbreviations and technical terminology.
6.1. Template for project description
- Project title
The title must reflect the project content. It must consist of a maximum of 150 characters.
- Introduction
The introduction must provide a brief description of the project background and the key knowledge challenges within the discipline.- Background
Provide a description of:- The current status of knowledge within the discipline.
- The greatest knowledge challenges within the discipline, both nationally and internationally.
- Project background.
- What significance the project has to its field of research.
- The project’s originality.
- Patient treatment utility value
The application form (eSøknad), must include an account of the project’s significance/utility value regarding short- and long-term patient treatment and/or disease prevention and/or the organizational structuring and quality of the health services. Describe specifically for whom the research will be beneficial and how the results of your project may be utilized. You may elaborate in further detail in the project description.
- Skills development
Explain whether the project contributes to the following:- Strengthening of the discipline’s field of research
- Necessary skills enhancement in the health services
- Methodology- and/or technique development
- Background
- Research questions and goals
The primary and secondary goals of the project should be clearly defined, concrete and verifiable. Research questions and/or hypotheses must be presented clearly and in relation to these goals.
Provide a description of:- Research questions and/or hypotheses
- Short- and long-term goals
- What results you expect to achieve during the project period
- Plan for project accomplishment
- Study design, choice of methods and analyses.
Give an account of the scientific methods of choice. Explain how and why these methods are suitable for addressing the project’s research questions and/or hypotheses. A calculation of statistical power should be carried out to answer the research question where applicable.
- Organization and collaboration.
The project description must include an overview of the project’s organization and collaborative constellations. All active partners in the project must be listed in the application form (eSøknad).
Provide a description of:- The project’s organizational structure and, if applicable, its position within the research group.
- The expertise, infrastructure and other resources of the research group which are significant for accomplishing the project.
- How comprehensive the external/regional/national/international collaboration in the project is.
- Specify how the project will contribute to strengthen the collaboration between the clinic and the institute in the Integrated University Hospital.
- For applications for a 50% research position: Describe how the research position itself will contribute to increased integration between the clinic and the institute.
- Budget
A detailed budget must be set up in eSøknad and therefore does not need to be included in the project description. The budget should provide a good overview of the cost framework and correspond with the project's goals and content. Expenses that are sought covered by the current call for applications should be listed with “Application amount (Applications to Samarbeidsorganet and FFU must be applied for in separate applications)” as the funding source. You may register other project expenses which e.g. are covered by money granted from other sources if deemed necessary.
- Activity plan/plan of progress.
The project’s activity plan is to be filled out directly in the eSøknad application form. If considered necessary to describe the budget and activity plan in more detail, provide this in a separate attachment to the application.
- Plan for results- implementation and dissemination.
Provide a description of:- The plan for implementing the results from the research project.
- The dissemination plan: e.g. publications, articles, websites, lectures, popular science disseminations.
- Plan for the accessibility of research data or metadata in relation to the principles of open science and FAIR sharing of research data, or why such a plan is not necessary.
- Study design, choice of methods and analyses.
- User involvement
Give an account of how you fulfill the requirement for user involvement in your project. Users are mainly patients and next of kin. User involvement should give added value to research. Note that user involvement in research means to involve users in the research work, not as study objects, but as advisers, collaborators, fellow researchers or as representatives/observers in research groups or other organs that make decisions for- and/or facilitate research.
- Give an account of how user involvement can make your research project better.
- Describe how users are involved- or planned to be involved in planning and carrying-through of the project. Note! Do not provide names and/or diagnoses of your user participants.
- If user participation is not regarded as relevant to the project, the reasons for this must be provided.
- How to recruit user representatives
- Nasjonal veileder for brukermedvirkning i helseforskning i spesialisthelsetjeneste (National guidelines for user involvement in health research in the specialist health services. Text only in Norwegian)
- Ethics
Explain potential ethical issues in connection to the research project and describe how these issues will be handled during the research work. If no ethical issues are identified in connection to the research project, provide an explanation why.
- Potential for innovation - optional
If your project has innovation potential, you must state this in eSøknad in the “classification”-section: Innovation potential: “Potential for innovation, see project description” and include a brief description of this potential in the project description. Do not include such a description if your project has no potential for innovation. The Central Norway RHA wishes to identify research and development projects that has a potential for innovation and may offer follow-up to projects that fit within this category.
- Sustainability - optional
Please explain how sustainability goals are addressed in project implementation, and how the results are expected to contribute to a sustainable healthcare service (How to address sustainability in your research project).
- References
The references included should support the academic content of the project with up to date and relevant literature within the discipline.
6.2. Required attachments
It is only possible to upload two attachments with the application in eSøknad, where one is the project description. All other attachments, required and optional, must be assembled into one single PDF-document and uploaded under “Other attachments”. The “Other attachment” must not exceed 30 pages and should only contain attachments relevant to the application. Take notice that the two application categories have different sets of requirements.
6.2.1. Required attachments for application for a Two-year research projects
- The project description is to be uploaded as an attachment in eSøknad as a single PDF-file.
- The following attachments are required and must be uploaded as a single PDF-file under «Other attachments»:
- The applicant’s CV, with a recommended length of 2 pages.
- The applicant’s list of relevant publications spanning the last five years (relevant publications by the research group may be included). Be sure to distinguish research papers from other kinds of publications.
- Completed and signed Management commitment form, part 1 and 2.
- If the research group is under development and the list of publications therefore is short, A plan on how the funds may contribute in the development of the research group is required as an attachment.
- Optional attachments:
- Detailed plan of progress/activity plan
- A budget which specifies activity- and investment costs in further detail.
- Confirmation of completed eLearning course Introduction to personal data in health research projects.
- Other attachments relevant to the application.
- The applicant’s CV, with a recommended length of 2 pages.
6.2.2. Required attachments for application for a Researcher position 50%
- The project description is to be uploaded as an attachment in eSøknad as a single PDF-file.
- The project description is to be uploaded as an attachment in eSøknad as a single PDF-file:
- The applicant’s CV, with a recommended length of 2 pages.
- The applicant’s list of relevant publications spanning the last five years (relevant publications by the research group may be included). Be sure to distinguish research papers from other kinds of publications.
- Completed and signed Management commitment form, part 1 and 3.
- Temporary employees can apply for a research position at 50%, but must provide a guarantee of funding from the department/clinic for the entire application period.
- If the research group is under development and the list of publications therefore is short; A plan on how the funds may contribute in the development of the research group is required as an attachment.
- Dependent on the applicant’s current Ph.D.-status, the following attachments are required:
- Doctorate achieved at an institution in Norway, have received diploma. Obligatorisk vedlegg | Required attachment:
- Diploma [all pages]
- Doctorate achieved abroad, have received diploma. Required attachments:
- Diploma [all pages]
- Certificate of accreditation of doctorate achieved abroad. Apply for certificate of accreditation through NOKUT’s webpages.
- Thesis has been defended and approved, have not received diploma. Required attachment:
- Signed documentation from the Student and Academic Section at your faculty or institute, which confirms that your thesis is approved.
- Thesis has been submitted. Required attachment:
- Signed documentation from the Student and Academic Section at your faculty or institute, which confirms that your thesis has been submitted.
- Thesis has not been submitted. Required attachment:
- Signed statement from main supervisor which describes the candidate’s progression, and which confirms that the thesis will be submitted within December 31 of the application year.
- Signed statement from main supervisor which describes the candidate’s progression, and which confirms that the thesis will be submitted within December 31 of the application year.
- Doctorate achieved at an institution in Norway, have received diploma. Obligatorisk vedlegg | Required attachment:
- Optional attachments:
- Detailed plan of progress/activity plan.
- A budget which specifies activity- and investment costs in further detail.
- Confirmation of completed eLearning course Introduction to personal data in health research projects.
- Other attachments relevant to the application.
- The applicant’s CV, with a recommended length of 2 pages.
Templates:
7. Submitting applications
Applications are submitted through the health authorities’ electronic application system, eSøknad. Select “Helse Midt-Norge» and «Felles Forskningsutvalg» on the front page and follow the instructions integrated in the eSøknad-system.
The deadline for applications is June 12, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.
It is not possible to edit your application after it has been submitted, or to submit an application after the submission deadline!
8. Allocation of funds
The Liaison Committee for Education, Research and Innovation in Central Norway (Samarbeidsorganet) approves allocation of the research funds on behalf of FFU in November 2025. The allocation of funds will be published on the FFU website.
The projects that are granted funds may start the earliest 01.01.2026 and latest 01.10.2026.
9. Questions about the call for proposals can be adressed to
The secretariat of The Joint Research Committee (FFU): ffu@mh.ntnu.no