The purpose of the Core Group Programme is to support independent, original basic research at an excellent level within the humanities and closely related fields of social sciences (anthropology, political science, sociology and psychology). With this programme, we wish to strengthen the growth layer of research (emerging research groups with budding ideas) to enhance the future of humanities and social science.
The Core Group Programme offers a medium-sized funding form (between individual project and research centre) that can serve as a ‘stepping stone’ both in relation to the participants’ further career opportunities and the potential for larger and/or international grants.
The project must provide synergy with the departments’ realisation of their research plans and objectives – and thereby also benefitting education.
With the Core Group Programme, we wish to incorporate the research environments’ own ‘silent’ knowledge of research trends, needs and promising new ideas/initiatives/researchers through close dialogue with the heads of department.
Unsolicited applications cannot be submitted under the programme, but by invitation only from VELUX FONDEN via the head of department. This year's invitations have been sent to the heads of the following departments:
School of Communication and Culture, Aarhus University
School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University
Department of Business Humanities and Law, Copenhagen Business School
Department of Management, Society and Communication, Copenhagen Business School
Department of Organization, Copenhagen Business School
Department of Arts and Cultural Studies, University of Copenhagen
Department of Communication, University of Copenhagen
Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen
Department of English, Germanic and Romance Studies, University of Copenhagen
Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen
Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen
The Saxo Institute, University of Copenhagen
Department of Social Sciences and Business, Roskilde University
Department of Sociology and Social Work, Aalborg University
A core group is a closely collaborating research team typically consisting of one or two tenured researchers as project managers, possibly along with a number of other senior researchers (tenured) and 2-3 postdocs and/or PhD students.
A core group can consist of researchers from the same department or researchers from across departments and universities.
It is a requirement that all postdoc position be filled by open call. The foundation generally encourages to fill both postdoc and PhD positions through open calls whenever possible.
Please also note the assessment criteria below.
In August 2025 invitations are sent to the heads of department. The departments select which projects to submit to the foundation.
Deadline for submission of applications is February 3th 2026 at 2:00 PM. The applicants selected by the departments must submit their applications via the foundation’s application portal. Following this, the foundation holds meeting with the heads of department regarding the institutional context of the projects.
From March to June 2026, the applications will undergo international review. Based on the external reviews, the secretariat will make a recommendation to the foundation’s board, who will make the final decision on grants and rejections.
All applicants will receive a response by the end of October 2026. All applicants will subsequently be offered the possibility of receiving the reviews in order to further develop their project.
The international reviewers will be asked to assess the following:
Project idea, relevance, quality and innovative contents.
The correlation between – and the necessity of – the individual sub-projects in relation to the overall project.
The project manager’s and other participants’ qualifications and requirements for a successful completion of the project within the project period.
Collaboration relations and position in national and international research.
Budget and finances, including whether the project could be successfully implemented in a reduced form if the foundation should wish not to grant the full amount applied for.
The strengths and weaknesses of the project.
Any special circumstances.
In the final selection the following also applies:
Emphasis is placed on the ‘stepping stone potential’ concerning the further career opportunities and research development of the project leader(s) as well as the possibility of establishing a strong research environment.
Additionally, it is important that the project reflects the department's research strategy and academic priorities and thus it’s ability to contribute to the department with positive effects on research and education.
In the final prioritisation between the best reviewed projects, the foundation will consider diversity.
