Strategic Recruitment of Associate Senior Lecturers

Background

This targeted call supports strategic recruitment of associate senior lecturers for five years. Co-funding from the HEI is required.

The Swedish Research Council will announce this career support twice per year during 2026 and 2027. For each call, approximately 22 grants will be awarded. Following evaluation, funding may be extended for a further five years, provided the associate senior lecturer has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Nominations – scope and conditions

HEI responsibility and number of nominations

Each HEI is responsible for its own internal nomination process. The number of nominations allowed per call is based on the number of staff engaged in research and teaching at the HEI and on the HEI’s research funding.

Eligibility of nominees

• The HEI is responsible for ensuring that, at the start of the grant period, the nominee is eligible to be employed as an associate senior lecturer for five years.
• At the time of nomination, the nominee does not need to be employed by the HEI. If the nominee is already employed as an associate senior lecturer, the employment may have lasted no more than six months at the application deadline. Deductible time according to the Swedish Research Council’s rules may be applied, provided that the associate senior lectureship can be extended so that five years remain from the start of the grant period.

Gender equality

Nominations from each HEI must have a balanced gender distribution, meaning that at least 40 percent of the candidates per call must be men and women respectively. This means an HEI must nominate at least one woman and one man to participate in the call.

International background

• At least half of the researchers nominated by an HEI within each call must have an international background. This means that, for at least the past four years, the researcher has held employment and conducted research activities outside Sweden.
• Shorter fixed-term employments or research visits in Sweden during the four-year period without an intention to establish in Sweden may be permitted. For researchers who left Sweden and subsequently established themselves abroad, previous postings abroad may be counted if the research was conducted outside Sweden.
• For individuals already employed as associate senior lecturers at the nominating HEI (at most six months at the application deadline), the status regarding “international background” is assessed at the time of employment.

Grant framework and finances

Form of employment

As a general rule, employment must be as associate senior lecturer according to the Higher Education Ordinance. Exemptions may be granted for HEIs that are not required to employ under the Ordinance (e.g. foundation universities), provided that the employment in all essential respects (career stage, duration, and right to promotion to senior lecturer) corresponds to an associate senior lectureship.

Grant amount and use

• Each grant is a standard amount of SEK 3 million per year (including indirect costs). The Swedish Research Council’s funds may cover up to 50% of a full-time position, the remainder of the grant may be used for research-related costs.
• The HEI must finance at least 50% of the full-time position with its own funds—this portion may not be covered by external research funding.

Activity and employment levels

The project activity level must be at least 50%. Employment level as associate senior lecturer must be at least 70% during the grant period.

Application and review

In addition to basic information about the planned research and a CV, the applicant (the nominated candidate) must attach a nomination letter from the administrating organisation confirming, among other things, co-funding, eligibility for employment as associate senior lecturer at the start of the grant period, the HEI’s strategic justification and a career development plan. Detailed requirements and instructions will be provided in the call text.

Applications will be assessed by international review panels within three broad areas:

• Medicine and Health, including Pharmacy
• Natural Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine
• Humanities and Social Sciences, Educational Sciences and Artistic Research