The board of Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation has decided that the next call for the Wallenberg Scholars program will be in 2023. The program aims to support and stimulate some of the most successful researchers at Swedish universities.
Universities can apply for support to profile their research by nominating individual researchers, who through their research are of top international class and who are expected to contribute to strengthening the profile of the university. As before, the grants are for five years and can be freely used for the individual's research activities. The intention is that the selected researchers will be able to work highly ambitious in order to gain even better international impact for their research, as well as be given an opportunity to invest in bolder and more long-term projects.
The Foundation currently funds 84 Scholars and 24 Clinical Scholars.
The call opens on March 1, 2023, with deadline for applications on May 12 at 11:59 p.m.
Board decision by KAW is expected in March 2024.
Project start 2024-07-01 or 2025-01-01.
Universities are invited to nominate 118 candidates who may compete with existing Scholars.
Nomination space 2023
| University | Nominations | Of which least number from the underrepresented gender |
| Lund University | 14 | 6 |
| Karolinska Institutet | 14 | 6 |
| Uppsala University | 14 | 6 |
| University of Gothenburg | 9 | 4 |
| Stockholm University | 9 | 4 |
| KTH | 9 | 4 |
| Umeå University | 9 | 4 |
| Linköping University | 9 | 4 |
| Chalmers University of Technology | 9 | 4 |
| Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences | 7 | 3 |
| Stockholm School of Economics | 5 | 3 |
| Karlstad University | 2 | 1 |
| Luleå University of Technology | 2 | 1 |
| Mid Sweden University | 2 | 1 |
| Lineaus University | 2 | 1 |
| Örebro University | 2 | 1 |
| Others | 2 | 1 |
Criteria
The criteria for selection for nominations are as follows and it is on these items that supporting documents must accompany the nomination:
- The person's research merits, i.e. CV with positions, awards, doctoral students (as main supervisor and year of dissertation) and postdocs (max. 3 A4 pages). Short biography (max. 1 A4) which should primarily describe the researcher's scientific efforts.
- A list of all papers published in peer-reviewed journals, with the ten most significant publications clearly marked. For scientific areas where it is applicable, with the help of Web of Science, an h-index and the number of publications and citations the h-index is based on should be specified. For nominations in the humanities and social sciences, only a list of the candidate's scientific publications needs to be presented.
- Project description, (max 10 A4).
- The institution's nomination must contain a brief justification as to why the nominee's activities are considered to be an important part of the institution's research profile and the institution's nomination process, i.e. what reasoning, evaluations and processes are the basis for the selection of nominated persons (max. 2 A4), are attached with the Rector's certificate.
Existing Wallenberg Scholars applying for prolongation submit a certificate from the Rector that the University supports the planned research together with a a certificate that the University is prepared to co-finance the difference in indirect costs and rent, i.e. anything over 20%. - The university's current support to the researcher's activities in the form of premises, basic support, etc. Current support from other external funding sources (grants) during 2023 that the researcher disposes of as main or co-applicant. The Foundation assumes that existing funding from universities remains during the grant period for the researchers who are awarded a Wallenberg Scholars grant.
Terms
Each Scholar will receive SEK 3.6 million per year over a five-year period. A maximum of 20% of the amount can be used for indirect costs and rent. The Foundation’s budget form is only submitted if a nomination is successful (please submit instead a blank page for technical reasons).
Existing Scholars (Appendix) are invited to apply without prior nomination from their university. A certificate must be issued by the university confirming they are prepared to co-finance the difference in indirect costs and rent, i.e. anything over 20%. If the university does not issue such a certificate, the applicant himself must be prepared to cover this from other funds and notify the Foundation of this in writing.
The researcher must have a permanent position at a Swedish university and at least 70% of the total appointed working time must be an appointment in Sweden.
Holders of VR's professorships appointed in 2014 can apply for an extension.
Holders of VR's professorships appointed in 2016 and 2018 can apply for an extension and, in the event of a positive outcome, will receive a partial grant.
Holders of VR's professorships appointed in 2020 and 2022 cannot apply and not be nominated.
Extension of Clinical Scholars is evaluated separately. However, the universities can, if they wish, nominate a Clinical Scholar for the 2023 Scholars call. If a Clinical Scholar receives a new grant, the remaining part of the Clinical grant is settled.
The nominations apply to all areas of science, although the largest number of researchers who will be appointed will work within natural science, technology, and medicine.
Publishing
Research funded by the Foundation must be published with open access, that is, published articles must be archived in openly searchable databases. The respective university's rules apply to open access. The additional cost for this can be taken up as a direct cost in project applications.
Closing date for nominations and applications
The universities are invited to submit nominations by May 12, 2023. Nominations must be registered electronically via the Foundation's e-application.