Systematic sharing of application feedback will strengthen SDU's funding success
A new initiative in 2025 encourages researchers to share feedback on funding applications with their local research support. The goal is to achieve better applications and provide more targeted advice across the university.
Today, nine out of ten applications are rejected. But behind every rejection - and every successful grant - there is valuable knowledge that can benefit both researchers and research support staff.
Going forward, SDU will collect, analyse and share application feedback as part of its strategy for external research funding - an initiative designed to ultimately increase the university's overall application success rate.
A unique learning potential
External funding continues to play an increasingly important role in the research landscape. Therefore, there is a unique learning potential in the systematic processing of application feedback. When researchers share their experiences, it not only strengthens individual researchers’ chances of success with future applications.
It contributes to a common learning culture across the university, where colleagues' chances of success are also increased through the continuous professional development of research support. Associate professor of political history Heidi Vad Jønsson supports this.
- When I share feedback from foundations with Research Support, it gives my talented colleagues a better understanding of where we can improve. In this way, we all learn from both victories and defeats - and this ultimately strengthens our chances of getting external funding for our research, she says.
Targeted research support
There is also support for the initiative among the faculties' research support. Head of Research Support at the Faculty of Humanities Rune Nørgaard Jørgensen emphasises the benefits of involving administrative staff in the feedback process.
- We gain a clearer understanding of the common patterns and challenges across strong and less strong applications. This allows us to provide more targeted counselling and develop proactive initiatives that address these issues, he says.
How the feedback is analysed and used can vary from faculty to faculty.
Voluntary and confidential
It is up to the individual researchers whether they want to add an administrative assistant to their application. All feedback data is collected and processed anonymously, with full respect for confidentiality, competition, and copyright. The sole purpose is to create valuable insights.
About SDU's funding strategy
Since 2022, SDU has been working purposefully to increase external research funding secured at SDU, with a target of 75% by 2030. The strategy is realised through a series of initiatives focusing on talent development, strong networks and effective administrative support.
Link to the funding strategy:This is how you do it
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When submitting a funding application via the E-grant or EU Funding & Tenders portals, you can add an administrative staff member of your choice.
- See guide her