First stage of SRC call closes, programme director call opens in March

The first stage of the Strategic Research Council's (SRC) 2026 call closed on 21 January. Applications were invited under two new research programmes. The programmes attracted a total of 95 letters of intent.

51 letters of intent were submitted to the SRC programme Public Mental Health (MIND) and 44 letters of intent to the SRC programme The Changing Arctic Region (ARCTIC).

Next, the review panels will assess the scientific quality, societal relevance, impact and suitability of the applications. The SRC will decide on the projects to be invited to the second call stage after mid-March (16 March, according to an indicative schedule).

Call for programme directors opens in March

To strengthen their impact, each programme will have a recognised and well-networked part-time programme director. The programme directors work full-time in their own host organisations, spending 40 per cent of their working time on managing the SRC programme. The aim is to support the programme as a whole and to promote scientific and societal impact across project and programme boundaries.

The call for programme directors will open at the end of March (25 March, indicative schedule). More information on the programme director call will be published on the strategic research website in March.