Associate senior lectureships

The Associate senior lectureships programme gives universities the opportunity to strategically recruit relevant key competences. By funding an associate senior lecturer and a doctoral student, the programme contributes to knowledge development, increased collaboration with the business sector and mobility within academia. As of 2025, the programme will partially replace the former programme Rekryteringar.

Background and objectives

Solving future societal challenges requires both cutting-edge research results and a higher education of high quality. To achieve this, Sweden’s universities need to be able to strategically recruit relevant key competences. The Knowledge Foundation therefore offers funding through the programme Associate senior lectureships to facilitate the long-term recruitment by universities of promising young researchers in subject areas relevant to the business sector.

The programme aims to strengthen research and education environments through strategically important recruitment, thereby increasing capacity for industry-relevant research and education. It provides funding for an associate senior lecturer and a doctoral student, with the associate senior lecturer given the opportunity to establish a research group and build the qualifications required for a continued academic career. The purpose is to strengthen research environments in the long term and deepen collaboration with the business sector, thereby contributing to increased competitiveness.

Project design

The programme offers funding for the employment of an associate senior lecturer and a doctoral student. The associate senior lecturer must be given good conditions to develop their own research, initiate a research group, and eventually meet the requirements for eligibility for a permanent employment as senior lecturer during the project.

The project also includes the recruitment of a doctoral student associated to the associate senior lecturer’s field of research. The associate senior lecturer is expected to act as an assistant supervisor for the recruited doctoral student during the project period.

Terms and conditions

Applicants: Universities within the Knowledge Foundation’s target group with degree-awarding powers at third cycle level.

The universities are invited to submit a maximum of two applications per university per call.

Co-funding requirements: The associate senior lectureship must be co-funded by the university and/or business actors with an amount at least equal to the funding requested from the Knowledge Foundation. The Knowledge Foundation offers full funding for the employment of a full-time doctoral student.

Maximum funding amount: SEK 8 million.

Project duration: 5–6 years.

Application

Applications are submitted through our application and reporting system, SBS Manager. The application period opens on 10 September 2026.