New research grant database multiplies researchers' search options

Access to several thousand Danish and foreign calls via intuitive and flexible workflows. These are the most important reasons why researchers should take a look at the new opportunities in an English-owned database called ResearchProfessional, which the Research Support Office has procured access to for a limited time. The external database offers a range of options that are not included in the existing locally-based solution ResearchFunding.net.

"ResearchProfessionals has a different type of comprehensive coverage of the international grants in particular, and this makes the database a good supplement. The new solution also operates with national foundations, but not to quite the same extent as ResearchFunding.net, which has for years collated information about national grants from private foundations that are not even accessible in the Danish handbook of grants and foundations," says Pernille Hamburger Grøngaard, who is super user and librarian in the Research Support Office. 

Access to Horizon 2020 and NIH 

Without being knowing the exact number of foundations, Pernille Hamburger Grøngaard estimates that ResearchProfessionals provides access to several thousand calls and announcements, whereas the present solution operates with around 800 on average. ResearchProfessionals provides the opportunity for quick and easy access to both Horizon 2020 and the various announcements and calls under the large American medical and health sciences research institution National Institutes of Health, NIH.

"Everyone with an AU computer can use the system here and now, but I would advise researchers to create a personal profile. This gives you some options to generate lists and download, save and not least share search results with colleagues in a way that has not previously been possible," says Pernille Hamburger Grøngaard.

Part of this year's must-win battle

Acting Dean Ole Steen Nielsen is pleased with the new opportunities and points out that more and better funding applications are one of this year's must-win-battles at Health:

"Everything that can help researchers with easier access to the relevant calls is an important and necessary investment at a time when need to turn things around with regard to external funding. It is an excellent supplement to the six new focus areas which the faculty management team decided on last month," says Ole Steen Nielsen. In line with Pernille Hamburger Grøngaard, he recommends that researchers begin to explore and try out the new system as quickly as possible. The database is reportedly both intuitive and user-friendly with a manageable number of guides and video tutorials.

ResearchProfessionals can be accessed via the link https://www.researchprofessional.com/0/rr/home and Pernille Hamburger Grøngaard is happy to visit departments or research groups who want an introduction or demonstration of the database, which will initially be available for one year, and which will for the time being run parallel with the existing research grant database ResearchFunding.net.

Research Support Office looking forward to feedback 

"No decision has been made about how things will be in the long term. Here and now, it is a question of trying out a new solution which we have tested in the Research Support Office, and which they are extremely happy with at the University of Southern Denmark and elsewhere. But it is primarily a question of how our own researchers welcome the system and how much they end up using it," says Pernille Hamburger Grøngaard. She also encourages researchers to contact her with both praise and criticism.

"I would be happy to receive feedback about the good and bad aspects of the system, so we have a proper basis for assessment when we come to reconsider the contract next year," she says.

Contact 

Librarian Pernille Hamburger Grøngaard
AU Research Support and External Relations, Research Support Office
Email: phg@au.dk
Mobile: (+45) 3058 7940