UCPH Forward

UCPH Forward offers a one year career development programme for UCPH researchers (at the level of advanced postdocs to early career professors at all levels) who demonstrate high scholarly quality, creativity and potential, but also the motivation and courage to build bridges across the university's diverse faculties and departments.

Candidates will be accepted by competitive application. Although holders of Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowships, ERC starting or consolidator grants or similar competitive awards as well as early career Tenure Track employees are encouraged to apply, these are not mandatory requirements for being accepted.

A unique network and individual mentoring

The participants find themselves in a network of dedicated UCPH researchers who represent the diversity of the University. Together each cohort forms a unique bond, thanks to involvement in a series of events that incorporate not only teaching by highly experienced leaders in their fields, but also considerable active participation both in the general sessions but also through 1:1 and group coaching. The content of each event is designed to not only broaden each participant's specific knowledge about the topic in question but also build an appreciation that there are no single solutions, and the need to recognize the diversity inherent in people.

Content and gains

We meet once a month at the different faculties for full-day sessions dedicated to your development as an academic. These days are intensive and structured, combining seminars, group and pair work, individual tasks, mentoring, and personal coaching.

Themes that are explored in the training include:

  • Creating a personal development plan: clarifying where you are and where you aim to go
  • Research management and academic leadership
  • Strengthening personal performance, authority, and credibility
  • Understanding the structure and management at the University of Copenhagen
  • Navigating Danish and International funding landscapes
  • Balancing work with life, aligning ambition with capacity, and building a sustainable academic career
  • Cross-disciplinary collaboration within or outside of UCPH
  • Building resilience and handling adversity

Overall, the content that the participants share ideas and ambitions on span a variety of relevant topics spanning the Danish and international academic, industrial, social, commercial, and political sectors.

By the end of the programme, each participant will have developed an individual research plan with a clear funding strategy, as well as a development plan for their academic field. They will also have created a strong, valuable and diverse peer network across UCPH and with highly experienced research leaders.

Leadership and anchorage

The establishment of UCPH Forward was decided by Rector Henrik Wegener and the deans of research in 2017. The programme leadership consists of professor Marie Louise Nosch from the Saxo-Institute, professor Jens Hjorth from the Niels Bohr Institute, professor Marianne Nissen Lund from the Department of Food Science and professor Tom Gilbert of the Globe Institute.​

Application to the next round of UCPH Forward

The fifth round of UCPH Forward will take place between August 2026 and May 2027. The call for applicants will open on December 15, 2025, and close on February 15, 2026. For further details on the programme, eligibility, and the application process itself, please visit the programme page on the UCPH Intranet.