VILLUM FONDEN and VELUX FONDEN included in important agreement for Danish research

Both foundations have actively participated in the development of the new agreement, where six private foundations and the organization Danish Universities have defined a clear financial allocation key, which will be used in the future in connection with research grants to the universities.

The agreement regulates how, starting from January 1, 2024, the foundations will cover a range of indirect costs associated with their grants for new research projects at the universities. The agreement provides universities with a new and important opportunity to allocate funds to research that previously went towards covering indirect costs resulting from grants from the foundations. Finally, the agreement is uniform for all, which will streamline administration for both researchers and foundations.

The agreement strengthens the breadth of research

Henrik Tronier, Program Director for Humanities and Social Science Research and responsible for research policy at the Velux Foundation, has experienced the negotiation process as both positive and constructive:

"We are pleased that the path has now been paved for the transparency that has been crucial to us, and for a clear allocation key between universities and foundations. Particularly, we are pleased that the agreement will contribute to strengthening the breadth of research within and across main areas. It is important for the development of our democratic society and for addressing the many complex societal challenges that universities can deliver original knowledge at the highest level across a wide range of disciplines. We hope that the agreement will contribute to a more stable, long-term development of a broad range of strong research environments and research-based education for the benefit of researchers, foundations, and society," says Henrik Tronier.

The right balance is crucial for research quality

The goal of the agreement is to create clarity on how Danish research is financed when private research funding foundations contribute. Therefore, fixed project supplements have been agreed upon, which the foundations allocate when granting to universities.

Thomas Bjørnholm, Director of Research at the Villum Foundation, comments on the agreement:

"A balance between basic funding and external funding is crucial for the research quality that a university can support. With the agreement, a good balance has been achieved. It is beneficial for both individual projects and for research as a whole. At the same time, the agreement reflects that foundation support for the universities' core activity, free research created by the universities' own permanent researchers, is created in harmony between the universities, which employ the permanent scientific staff and provide the physical framework for research, and the foundations, which pay for the project costs for the project-employed staff. It is a stable path that points towards a bright future for Danish research. We are proud to be part of that journey," concludes Thomas Bjørnholm.

Joint press release from Danish Universities and the six foundations

View the agreement: Agreement on a common model for financing research projects