About the opportunity
The NNF-IAS Fellowship Programme on Health and Sustainability, supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, is a collaborative initiative across eight Nordic Institutes for Advanced Studies. This first call, focused on the sub-theme ‘Inequity in Health,’ offers five fellowships for curiosity-driven, talented international researchers from any discipline. Fellows will be based at one of four main partner institutes in Denmark, Finland, Norway, or Sweden, forming a collaborative group under a thematic lead. The program aims to strengthen Nordic research environments, offering interdisciplinary training and career development to prepare fellows for transformative breakthroughs with global impact.
Salary and benefits
- Full-time salary based on seniority, regulated through collective union agreements in the hosting country
- Relocation assistance and coverage of relocation travel expenses (subject to prior approval)
- Research budget of up to EUR 20,000
- Dedicated office space at the hosting institute
- Access to academic training activities, conferences, and workshops
- Affiliation with other partner Institutes for Advanced Studies in the Nordic countries
Who can apply?
- Open to researchers of any nationality and from all academic disciplines with research profiles within the thematic scope of the call
- Must have 2 to 10 years of career experience after completion of the PhD (excluding the PhD training period)
- Must comply with a mobility demand: applicants must not have resided or carried out their main work activity in the country of priority for more than 12 months in the two years immediately prior to the call deadline
- Must demonstrate mobility and be willing to reside in the country of the hosting institute for the duration of the fellowship
- Must be willing to work collaboratively as a group and occasionally travel to other Nordic Institutes for Advanced Studies
Required documents
- Completed online application form via the GrantOne system
- Prioritized list of desired hosting institutes
- Other detailed application documents as specified in the official 'Guide for Applicants'
When to apply
- Call opens: June 2026
- Application deadline: October 1, 2026, at 12:00 (noon) CEST
How to apply
- Access the online application system via GrantOne (https://aias.grant.nu/profile)
- Review the detailed application requirements and selection criteria in the 'Guide for Applicants'
- Prioritize your desired hosting institute (AIAS in Denmark, HCAS in Finland, CAS in Norway, or SCAS in Sweden) within the application
- Submit the completed application online before the deadline on October 1, 2026
Additional information
- The fellowship period runs for 23 months from September 1, 2027, until July 2029.
- The four main hosting partners are: Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS, Denmark), Centre for Advanced Study (CAS, Norway), Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies (HCAS, Finland), and Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS, Sweden).
- The four associated partners hosting events and mobility stays are: Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS), Pufendorf Institute for Advanced Study (Sweden), Tampere Institute for Advanced Study (Finland), and Turku Institute for Advanced Studies (TIAS, Finland).
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- You are an early-to-mid-career researcher (2 to 10 years post-PhD) looking to expand your research profile in an interdisciplinary, collaborative environment.
- Your research directly addresses health disparities, social determinants of health, or environmental impacts on health equity.
- You are eager to engage in cross-border collaboration and form a tight-knit cohort with other international fellows across the Nordic region.
What should you think carefully about?
- You must meet the strict mobility requirement, meaning you cannot have lived or worked in your prioritized host country for more than 12 months in the past two years.
- The fellowship requires physical relocation to the host country and occasional travel to other Nordic partner institutes.
- Your employment terms, salary, and benefits will be governed by the specific collective union agreements of your chosen host country.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This fellowship is an exceptional opportunity for researchers aiming to build a strong international network within the Nordic region while advancing their independent research. It provides a generous research budget and structured interdisciplinary training, making it ideal for transitioning into a leading role in health and sustainability research.
Our take
Seriously consider applying if you are a post-PhD researcher with a passion for interdisciplinary health equity research and meet the mobility criteria. It is less suitable for those unable to relocate to Scandinavia or those seeking permanent academic positions, as this is a fixed-term 23-month contract.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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