a) International research stays

Call for 2026: Application deadlines

Wednesday 22 April 2026 (23.59 - midnight) Wednesday 19 August 2026 (23.59 - midnight) Wednesday 9 December 2026 (23.59 - midnight) Only activities taking place less than a year from the application deadline can be applied for.

Objective

In addition to the overall objective of the OUH Internationalisation Fund (see the introduction of the call), the aim of category a) International research stays for clinicians and researchers including pre-graduate and PhD students is to supply financial support for researchers for an international research stay. 

The international research stay must be of benefit to OUH.

Examples:

• Establishing new research relations.
• Study trip to international hospitals.
• Tour to relevant hospitals where junior and senior researcher(s) will present a research project as a part of building up research collaboration.

Please note that funding for travelling to international seminars, courses, conferences, etc. cannot be granted from The OUH Internationalisation Fund. 

Requirements for applicants

The following requirements must be met in order to obtain funding from The Internationalisation Fund:

• Only activities taking place less than a year from the application deadline can be applied for. 

• PhD students must at the time of applying be enrolled as a PhD student at The University of Southern Denmark (SDU), and the main part of the PhD project must be carried out at OUH. 

• Pre-graduate students must at the time of applying have a supervisor at OUH and be enrolled as a pre-graduate student at SDU. 

• Researchers (postdocs, assistant professors, associate professors and professors) must be affiliated to OUH. In addition to researchers employed in a position divided between OUH and SDU, the affiliation may also be defined as researchers referring to a head of research at a clinical department at OUH. 

• All applications must be approved by the head of department of the OUH department which the applicant is affiliated to. 

• During the stay abroad the applicant must maintain an affiliation to OUH as either continued employment or taking a leave of absence. 

• If travel expenses for more than one OUH affiliated researcher is being applied for, the role of each person must be accounted for in the application. 

• A maximum of one grant per year for one trip per applicant will be available from the Fund.  

Eligible costs

The OUH Internationalisation Fund may finance a stay abroad for a maximum of 6 months.

• Travel expenses at economy class to and from the destination for the applicant and co-applicants.
• Accommodation - hotel/apartment for up to 6 months with the maximum cost pr. day for the particular country stated in the current circular for business travels. 

Please note that: 

• Funding does not necessarily cover all expenses.
• Travel and accommodation must be made via The OUH Travel Service (ouh.rejseservice@rsyd.dk ) cf. the OUH Travel Policy.
• Under certain circumstances OUH, as an employer, is obligated to inform SKAT (tax authorities) if accommodation is paid by OUH as part of a grant. For further information, please refer to OUH Research Support reg.forskerservice@rsyd.dk. 

Non eligible costs

The OUH Internationalisation Fund cannot cover the following expenses (the list is not exhaustive):

• Expenses for activities taking place more than a year from the application deadline.
• Expenses already defrayed, i.e. the application must concern future expenses.
• Expenses related to accompanying family.
• Participation in international seminars, conferences, courses, etc.
• Local transport during the research stay.

How to submit an application

You must submit your application via the application system efond. Please make sure that you choose the correct application form in efond when you want to apply for category a): “OUH Internationalisation Fund a) International research stays for clinicians and researchers including pre-graduate and PhD students”. 

If in doubt which category to choose, please contact ouh.intpuljen@rsyd.dk before submitting.

Language

Your application must be in English or Danish.

Content of application

As a part of answering a number of questions in efond, among other things the following must be drawn up:

• Description of the research stay including i.a. (step 2 in efond):

  • Purpose, including why the activity must be conducted abroad and why the institution in question is chosen.

  • How OUH is expected to benefit from the research stay, including possible publications with international partners and how it is planned to share the acquired knowledge at OUH from the research stay abroad, e.g. by a short report, a presentation, training of colleagues, or other.

  • If the application concerns more than one traveller, it must be specified which role and tasks each one has during the stay abroad. 

• Detailed timetable for the stay abroad. The timetable must be detailed listing planned activities on a daily or weekly basis depending on the duration of the stay abroad, e.g.

  • Day 1/Week 1: XX activities with XX person for XX reason.

  • Day 2/Week 2: XX activities with XX person for XX reason.

  • Etc. 

• Budget (step 3 in efond) specified into the below categories. Give further details for each budget item in Step 3A in efond:

  • Travel expenses economy class (plane, train tickets, etc., to and from the destination. Each item must be listed and named separately indicating the price for each unit.

  • Accommodation (hotel, apartment). See the current circular for business for the maximum rates for the destination. The amount pr. night must be listed and added up showing the total amount applied for, e.g.: Hotel: 5 X 190 EUR for Belgium = 1.419 DKK pr. night; DKK 7.095 in total).

• Which year(s) and number of months a possible grant from the OUH Internationalisation Fund is to be used: 

  • Year 1 = 2026 

  • Year 2 = 2027 (only activities taking place less than a year from the application deadline can be applied for).

Appendices

• CV of a maximum of 3 pages and publication list/track record of a maximum of 3 pages for the applicant and co-applicants. Please apply the Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) templates. 

• Approvals of the research stay abroad from the head of department from the OUH department which the applicant is affiliated to. The applicant must generate approval in efond Step 2 via a separate e-mail to the OUH Head of Department of the OUH department with a request to provide confirmation by following the link in the e-mail – please ensure that OUH Head of Department has approved before the application deadline. See efond for further details. 

• Confirmation from the foreign institution where the research stay is taking place. 

• For pre-graduate students: Documentation for being enrolled as a pre-graduate student at the University of Southern Denmark. 

• For PhD students:

• Documentation of approved PhD project from the University of Southern Denmark. 

• Documentation from the head of research of the OUH department stating that the main part of the PhD project is being carried out at OUH.

  You will receive a confirmation by email when your application has been submitted to efond. 

   

Assessment criteria and procedure

After the application deadline, applications will be reviewed for formalities. If they fail to comply with the formalities above, e.g. attached CV, approvals, complete budget, etc., they may be rejected on an administrative basis.

If formalities are correct, applications will be assessed by the assessment committee for the OUH Internationalisation Fund according to the objectives and requirements mentioned in category a) and the overall introduction for all three categories of the call.

All applicants will receive notice by email of the outcome of the application approximately three weeks after the application deadline.

Questions and contact information

Please forward questions to ouh.intpuljen@rsyd.dk.