SDU Research Academy develops the research leaders of the future

As externally funded research makes up an increasing share of SDU's core activities, greater demands are being placed on researchers. They are not only expected to be academic experts, but also to be able to manage projects, prioritise time and navigate complex collaborations.

For associate professor Tina Dalager from the Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, the need to strengthen these competencies was a key motivation for applying to SDU Research Academy.

Here she has gained new insights through online learning modules and sparring with colleagues - and it has paid off.

- The application I received feedback on I have since received a grant for. It was a large project with a grant of DKK 5.5 million and the recruitment of two early-career researchers. The programme has had a major and positive impact on my working life," says Tina Dalager.

An academy with a focus on practice

SDU Research Academy is a competence and implementation programme for assistant professors and new associate professors who wish to develop key skills in project management, strategic funding applications and international collaboration.

The initiative was launched as a pilot project in 2023 as part of SDU's funding strategy to increase external research funding (LINK). Since then, the initiative has been rolled out to SDU's researchers, with around 75 researchers having participated in the programme. The initiative has been so popular that only now - three years after its launch- there are places available on upcomming programmes.

The people behind the initiative include Just B. Justesen and Jakob Møller-Jensen, Head of Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, are behind the initiative. According to Jakob Møller-Jensen, SDU Research Academy addresses several challenges in the research world:

- Classic, short leadership courses often provide inspiration, but they rarely move practice in everyday life. At the same time, modern funding bodies expect documented leadership capacity - not just a strong idea.

Just-in-time learning connects theory to everyday life

To strengthen the link between the course content and the everyday life of researchers, SDU Research Academy applies a just-in-time principle. This means that researchers receive relevant input while they are in the middle of a specific task.

Course materials such as learning videos are available on-demand, so participants can learn about everything from fund strategy to group management when time permits - and when the task at hand calls for it. This creates essential flexibility in a busy working life.

In addition, participants are divided into smaller implementation groups where the newly acquired knowledge can be applied in practice.

Small groups with a big impact

The implementation groups typically consist of three to four researchers who are all at the same stage in their careers. This allows participants to translate the knowledge they have learnt into concrete outputs and decisions through close sparring with peers. Topics range from leadership and grant applications to work-life balance and dedicated time for focus work. This sparring has been of great importance to Tina Dalager.

Several of the groups continue to stay in touch after the programme has ended. According to head of department Jakob Møller-Jensen this is a clear testimony to the value of a professional peer network that can support researchers throughout their careers and provide sparring when doubts arise.

An evolving initiative

Today, the programme is a well-established part of SDU's overall competence development programme. Therefore, the team behind the academy is now focusing on maturing and scaling the initiative, making it a more robust and integrated part of the academic environments as well as creating continuous improvements in the programme itself.