Novo Nordisk Foundation has allocated up to DKK 180 million for 2026-2030 to renew its Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Fellowships Programme. The initiative, which combines long-term research stays abroad with a structured return phase in Denmark, will continue its funding of fellowships with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Oxford and add two new institutions, Uppsala University (Sweden) and ETH Zurich (Switzerland).
The programme offers unique opportunities for early-career interdisciplinary researchers to develop in leading international environments, to mature as independent research group leaders, and to bring knowledge and international collaboration back to the Danish research environment.
Fellows conduct a multi-year research project at one of the top tier international universities followed by a one-year return phase to reintegrate into the research environment at a Danish university, hospital or research institution. The purpose of the programme is to strengthen interdisciplinary education and internationalisation of next-generation research talent in the Danish research environments.
Fellowships at world leading interdisciplinary research institutions
From 2026, the Foundation will fund around 10 fellowships annually, corresponding to an annual budget of up to DKK 38 million. Each fellowship provides up to DKK 3.6 million over three years. To strengthen community building and long-term impact, the Foundation has also established an annual networking event for current fellows and alumni.
MIT, the University of Oxford, Uppsala University, and ETH Zurich are recognised for distinctive strengths across life sciences, health, technology, and innovation. The funding model gives early-career researchers access to high-level, interdisciplinary settings, from fundamental discovery to application, while ensuring that methods, insights, and collaborations are anchored in Danish research environments through the return phase.
“These four universities offer exceptional research environments for early-career scientists. By funding fellowships at institutions that set global standards, across disciplines and from basic science to clinical and technological innovation, we create strong opportunities for research training and for bringing new knowledge and networks back to Denmark,” says Lene Oddershede, Chief Scientific Officer, Planetary Science and Technology, Novo Nordisk Foundation.
The Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Fellowships Programme is aimed at researchers in the early stages of their careers. Beyond financial support, it promotes independence and interdisciplinary collaboration. Fellows become part of small research communities at their host institutions and connect across cohorts through Foundation-led activities.
Background and results
Since the establishment of the Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Fellowships Programme in 2015, the programme has supported a growing cohort of postdoctoral researchers who have published influential results, contributed to innovation and formed collaborations that extend beyond the fellowship period. Several fellows have subsequently established research lines or groups in Denmark, underlining how the two-phase model links international experience with long-term capacity building at home.
An evaluation of the programme highlights its contribution to internationalisation, training of the next generation of researchers and innovators, and facilitating collaboration between Danish research institutions and leading research environments abroad.
