Call for proposals: Disruptive Technologies

The International Joint Initiative for Research Harnessing Disruptive Technologies to Address Global Challenges is a major international collaboration aimed at supporting interdisciplinary and transformative research. This call aims to harness the potential of disruptive technology to offer novel solutions to global challenges and accelerate progress towards achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Projects are required to address at least one of the seventeen SDGs. Disruptive Technology is defined in this call as an innovation whose application replaces or radically alters systems, processes and/or behaviours to have transformative economic or societal impacts. The impact may be localized or far-reaching. Disruptive technology may include cutting-edge and novel innovations, or the application of an existing innovation in a new context, bringing about substantial change or paradigm shifts. Research harnessing disruptive technologies to address global challenges requires an interdisciplinary approach involving expertise across disciplines, including the natural sciences, engineering, health sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Working across sectors, including academia, government, not-for-profit organizations, community organizations, and private industry, can help ensure implementation and impact. The intention is to fund Nordic participation in 12 research projects under this call. This call is announced as a collaboration between NordForsk, the Dutch Research Council, International Development Research Centre in Canada, New Frontiers in Research Fund in Canada, Research Ireland, Sao Paulo Research Foundation in Brazil, Swiss National Science Foundation and UK Research and Innovation. The Nordic participation is managed by NordForsk in partnership with the Research Council of Norway, the Research Council of Finland, the Swedish Research Council, the Independent Research Fund Denmark, Innovation Fund Denmark and Rannís – Iceland who are co-financing the call.