New programme for interdisciplinary data-driven research

VILLUM FONDEN announces the creation of the Villum Synergy Programme to fund breakthrough research that involves collaboration between computer scientists – including statisticians and mathematicians – and a partner from another academic field, e.g. engineering, chemistry, economics, anthropology, biology, sociology and physics.

The focus of the programme is the potential to make new advances by combining computer-science research with research in another field.

“Digital transformation, artificial intelligence and big data all necessitate interdisciplinary collaboration that can combine computer-science expertise with expertise in another field, like science or technology or the humanities and the social sciences. Where these fields come together is where new knowledge is created,” Bjørnholm says.

The programme will make DKK 50 million in grants annually over the next three years to projects that foster interdisciplinary research in Denmark.

The programme will make two types of grants to interdisciplinary research. The first is an initiation project grant. These grants, in the amount of DKK 2-3 million, are intended for new, two-year collaborations. The second type is full project grants in the amount of DKK 10-20 million intended for established and mature collaborations undertaking research projects lasting between three and five years.

“We see the initiation project grants as a way to encourage collaboration that will hopefully qualify for a bigger grant later on. In order for interdisciplinary research to take hold, you need to begin early on and get involved in partnerships to find out if you can work together and if you can produce something that’s really leading-edge. It takes time and resources to develop interdisciplinary research and to understand what it’s all about,” Bjørnholm says.

Villum Synergy grants are funded by a VILLUM FONDEN initiative to support research in science and technology. The application deadline is 10 October 2019.

All applications will be reviewed by a scientific committee and assessed on the breakthrough potential of the excellence of the proposed research. Applicants for full project grants who make it past the first evaluation round will be invited to an interview and their projects will undergo peer-review.