National graduate school in bioeconomy
National graduate school in bioeconomy supports academic and industry partners through PhD projects, courses and joint activities to strengthen Sweden’s sustainable bioeconomy and research capacity.
Funder: Formas
Due Dates: October 21, 2026, 15:00 (Decision published) | November 1, 2026 (Fixed project start)
Funding Amounts: SEK 116,000,000 fixed request for five-year coordination and associated PhD projects; maximum one award
Summary: Supports a national, interdisciplinary graduate school linking academia and industry to strengthen Sweden’s sustainable bioeconomy.
Key Information: Only multi-party consortia may apply, led by a Swedish higher education institution with examination rights.
Description
Formas funds the establishment and operation of a ten-year national graduate school in bioeconomy, with this call covering its first five-year phase. Support includes coordination, PhD projects, courses and joint activities. The school must be interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral, bringing together academic and business expertise across forestry, agriculture, food, textiles, chemistry and the blue bioeconomy.
The initiative aims to strengthen Swedish bioeconomy competitiveness, sustainability and research capacity while helping doctoral graduates put research into practice in industry and society. Priorities include resource efficiency, circular bioeconomy innovation, consumption, technology shifts, regulations and strategies. Technology, policy, society and market perspectives must be integrated across the school. Individual PhD projects need not be interdisciplinary, but collectively must provide the required breadth and address business-relevant challenges.
