Doctoral programme grant within research on crime

Framework for the graduate school

The graduate school shall:

• be linked to an HEI with main and coordinating responsibility
• be operated by at least two Swedish HEIs in cooperation. Collaboration may also take place internationally and with foreign graduate schools that have other sources of funding.
• be open to collaboration with public authorities, organizations, or other actors in areas relevant to the theme of the graduate school, and the application must justify how such collaboration contributes to promoting practice-oriented research and cooperation.
• offer a structured educational programme with joint courses and seminars of high scientific and pedagogical quality, which must be accessible at the national level.
• have a clear organisation and leadership, including a board or governing body with overarching responsibility for quality assurance of the graduate school’s activities in collaboration with the participating institutions.
• include at least 9 doctoral students, who must be employed by the applying or participating HEIs for the duration of their studies. They do not need to be employed by the institution at the time of application.

The grant covers both direct and indirect costs. Grants may be applied for to cover costs related to the graduate school, such as coordination (including salary for a coordinator), doctoral student salaries, and courses. Grants may not be used to fund doctoral students’ departmental duties. The Swedish Research Council expects the administrating organisation to cover any costs exceeding the awarded funding, should such costs arise. Graduate schools awarded funding are expected to participate in activities organised by the National Research Programme on Crime during the grant period.

Focus

The call is part of the National Research Programme on Crime, which the government has tasked the Swedish Research Council with establishing and managing. The programme has a broad scope aimed at addressing pressing issues related to crime from a variety of perspectives.

The programme seeks to develop new knowledge about the nature, processes, causes, and consequences of crime, as well as methods for preventing and combating crime, and the social and cultural aspects of crime. It includes studies of police and judicial practices, various forms of treatment and rehabilitation, sanctions and incapacitation, victimisation, social control, and desistance processes. Research from the perspectives of offenders or their relatives is also important, as are gender and intersectional perspectives.

The research should contribute to evidence-based and relevant working methods for authorities and organizations engaged in crime prevention, law enforcement, and justice, or those that encounter crime in other ways.

The Swedish Research Council now invites applications within the framework of the National Research Programme for funding national graduate schools in crime research. In line with the government’s mandate, the grant aims to build and strengthen scientific expertise and ensure the long-term supply of competence in crime research.

Currently, doctoral education in crime research is spread across numerous higher education institutions and disciplines. National research schools can bring these together for interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and the creation of future networks. The Swedish Research Council welcomes applications that include cross- and multidisciplinary approaches. Collaboration with stakeholders outside academia is also encouraged to promote knowledge exchange and cooperation with various professions and their practitioners.

The call is open to all scientific disciplines and approaches studying issues related to crime, including less frequently highlighted types of crime such as environmental crime, welfare fraud, economic crime, and war crimes.