Call for Entries: Project Support for Strengthening Vocational and Professional Education (Denmark)

Deadline: 03-Sep-2026

The Project Support for Strengthening Vocational and Professional Education in Technology, Sustainability and Health programme provides funding for initiatives that improve teaching quality, skills development, and student engagement within Denmark’s vocational and professional education sectors. The programme supports projects focused on STEM education, sustainability, health professions, educator capacity building, innovative teaching methods, and increased enrolment and completion rates.

With grants ranging from DKK 100,000 to DKK 6.6 million and a total funding allocation of up to DKK 22 million, the programme aims to strengthen Denmark’s workforce capacity for the green transition and future health sector needs.

Programme Overview

The programme supports projects that enhance the quality, relevance, and effectiveness of vocational education and professional bachelor-level education pathways related to technology, sustainability, and health.

The initiative seeks to improve educational outcomes by supporting innovative teaching approaches, competency development for educators, student engagement activities, and projects that encourage more young people to pursue careers in sustainability-focused and health-related professions.

The programme places particular emphasis on strengthening STEM education, practical skills development, workforce readiness, and educational innovation.

Funding Information

Key funding details include:

• Funding Programme: Project Support for Strengthening Vocational and Professional Education in Technology, Sustainability and Health
• Country: Denmark
• Total Programme Budget: Up to DKK 22 million
• Grant Size: DKK 100,000 to DKK 6,600,000
• Maximum Project Duration: Up to 6 years
• Project Type: Non-commercial educational development projects

Funding is intended to support initiatives that create long-term improvements in educational quality and workforce preparation.

Programme Objectives

The programme aims to strengthen vocational and professional education by improving teaching quality, student learning outcomes, and workforce-relevant skills.

Key objectives include:

• Improving STEM education quality
• Strengthening sustainability-related competencies
• Supporting health sector education pathways
• Enhancing educator skills and capacity
• Increasing student interest in vocational education
• Improving enrolment rates
• Supporting student retention and completion
• Encouraging talent development
• Promoting innovative teaching methods
• Supporting Denmark’s green transition workforce
• Addressing future health workforce needs

Projects should demonstrate clear educational benefits and measurable impacts.

Focus Areas

The programme supports initiatives within three primary areas:

• Technology education
• Sustainability education
• Health-related education

Projects should contribute to one or more of these sectors while strengthening vocational and professional education systems.

What Types of Projects Are Supported?

Funding is available for projects that improve teaching and learning quality across eligible educational pathways.

Examples of supported activities include:

• Development of innovative teaching methods
• Creation of educational materials and resources
• Digital learning solutions
• Educator training programmes
• Professional development activities
• Skills competitions
• Talent development initiatives
• Student engagement programmes
• Recruitment campaigns
• Retention and completion initiatives
• Educational pilot projects
• Knowledge-sharing activities

Projects should demonstrate how they will improve educational outcomes and student competencies.

Strengthening STEM, Sustainability, and Health Education

The programme recognizes the growing importance of technical, environmental, and healthcare skills in modern society.

Priority areas include:

• Science education
• Technology education
• Engineering-related learning
• Mathematics competencies
• Green transition skills
• Sustainable development education
• Healthcare workforce preparation
• Applied vocational skills
• Innovation and problem-solving

Projects should help learners acquire practical competencies relevant to future labour market needs.

Why This Funding Matters

Denmark faces increasing demand for skilled professionals who can support both the green transition and the healthcare sector.

This programme is important because it:

• Strengthens workforce development
• Supports educational innovation
• Improves teaching quality
• Encourages lifelong learning
• Promotes sustainability competencies
• Supports health sector preparedness
• Enhances vocational education attractiveness
• Improves student success rates

The initiative contributes to national priorities in education, sustainability, and workforce development.

Who Is Eligible?

The programme is open to public institutions and non-profit organisations within the Kingdom of Denmark.

Eligible applicants include:

• Educational institutions
• Vocational schools
• Professional bachelor institutions
• Municipalities
• Research institutions
• Museums
• Foundations
• Associations
• Non-profit organisations

Private companies may participate only when leading non-commercial projects that provide clear public benefits.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

• Be established within the Kingdom of Denmark
• Operate on a non-profit basis for the proposed project
• Serve as the responsible administering institution
• Lead project implementation throughout the funding period
• Comply with programme guidelines
• Demonstrate organisational and financial capacity

Certain restrictions apply to applicants holding ongoing grants from the funding foundation.

Applicants may only act as lead applicant on one submission across related educational funding calls.

Projects That Are Not Eligible

The programme does not support:

• Commercial activities
• Profit-generating projects
• Building and construction costs
• General infrastructure investments
• Rent and utility expenses
• Indirect overhead costs
• Double-funded activities
• Certain excluded engineering programmes
• EPX-related initiatives specified in the call

Applicants should carefully review all eligibility restrictions before applying.

Eligible Costs

Funding may be used for a wide range of project-related expenses.

Eligible costs include:

• Project staff salaries
• Educator replacement costs
• Operational expenses
• Equipment purchases
• Transport and travel costs
• Educational materials
• Dissemination activities
• Communication activities
• Project evaluations
• Follow-up research
• Knowledge-sharing activities

Administrative costs may account for up to 5% of the total project budget.

How Applications Are Evaluated

Applications are assessed by the Foundation’s Committee for Science Education and Communication.

Evaluation criteria include:

• Alignment with programme objectives
• Educational relevance
• Project quality
• Innovation and originality
• Expected impact
• Qualifications of applicants and partners
• Methodological strength
• Feasibility of implementation
• Evaluation strategy
• Knowledge dissemination plans
• Collaboration capacity
• Scalability potential
• National relevance
• Budget appropriateness

Strong proposals clearly demonstrate both educational value and practical feasibility.

How to Apply

Step 1: Review Programme Guidelines

Carefully examine the programme objectives, eligibility requirements, and funding rules.

Step 2: Define the Educational Challenge

Identify a specific issue related to teaching quality, student engagement, skills development, or workforce preparation.

Step 3: Develop a Project Strategy

Design activities that address identified needs and contribute to measurable educational improvements.

Step 4: Build Partnerships

Collaborate with relevant educational institutions, research organisations, municipalities, and sector stakeholders where appropriate.

Step 5: Prepare the Budget

Develop a realistic budget that includes only eligible project costs.

Step 6: Develop an Evaluation Plan

Explain how project outcomes, learning impacts, and long-term benefits will be measured.

Step 7: Submit the Application

Complete and submit all required documentation before the programme deadline.

Tips for a Strong Proposal

• Demonstrate clear educational impact
• Align closely with sustainability, health, or technology priorities
• Include strong evidence of need
• Present innovative teaching approaches
• Develop realistic implementation plans
• Include measurable outcomes
• Show collaboration potential
• Plan for knowledge sharing and dissemination
• Demonstrate scalability where relevant

Projects with strong long-term impact and broad educational relevance are often more competitive.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Weak alignment with programme objectives
• Unclear educational benefits
• Overly ambitious implementation plans
• Insufficient evaluation strategies
• Weak partnership structures
• Including ineligible costs
• Limited dissemination planning
• Failure to demonstrate long-term impact

Avoiding these issues can significantly strengthen an application.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the total funding available under the programme?

The programme provides up to DKK 22 million in total funding.

How much funding can a project receive?

Individual projects may receive between DKK 100,000 and DKK 6,600,000.

What types of education are supported?

The programme supports vocational education and professional bachelor-level education linked to technology, sustainability, and health.

Can private companies apply?

Yes, but only for non-commercial projects that provide public benefits and where the company serves as the administering institution.

What is the maximum project duration?

Projects can receive funding for up to six years.

Are administrative costs eligible?

Yes. Administrative expenses are permitted up to 5% of the total project budget.

What factors are most important during evaluation?

Applications are assessed based on relevance, quality, innovation, feasibility, impact, collaboration potential, and budget appropriateness.

Conclusion

The Project Support for Strengthening Vocational and Professional Education in Technology, Sustainability and Health programme represents a significant investment in Denmark’s future workforce and education system. By supporting innovative teaching methods, educator development, student engagement initiatives, and workforce-relevant skills training, the programme helps prepare learners for careers that contribute to the green transition, technological advancement, and healthcare sector development. Organisations with strong, impactful, and scalable educational projects have an opportunity to secure substantial funding and contribute to long-term improvements in vocational and professional education across Denmark.

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For more information, visit Novo Nordisk Foundation.