Transdisciplinary Approaches to Mobility and Global Health

Illustration mit einem niesenden Menschen, verschiedenen Transportmitteln (Flugzeug, Zug, LKW), Mücken und Bakterien

Important dates

  • March 2025: Deadline for full proposals (phase 2)

With this joint call, the Novo Nordisk Foundation (Denmark), Wellcome (UK) and the Volkswagen Foundation are funding multi-perspective research into the interactions between mobility and health. How do they influence the general health, various health determinants and the well-being of local and mobile populations? Which novel methods and approaches can be used to address the effects of mobility in a sustainable way? Funding is available for research that crosses disciplinary and geographical boundaries and involves non-academic stakeholders.

  • areas of research: social sciences, life & health sciences
  • funding for: international collaborative projects
  • pilot projects (phase 1): up to 50,000 euros; full proposals (phase 2): 0.5 - 1.5 million euros
  • pilot projects (phase 1): up to 7 months; full proposals (phase 2): 3 – 5 years
  • aimed at: researchers from HICs and LMICs, in close collaboration with local communities, non-academic stakeholders and other relevant actors

What is funded?

The umbrella theme Mobility and Global Health includes research on health-related questions regarding the mobility of people (migrants, refugees, health tourists, (un)documented workers etc.), its effects and repercussions, and various aspects of mobility of populations.  Furthermore, projects on how ideas/concepts that influence Global Health move beyond borders and how they affect societies are welcome. The mobility of animals and goods, and what this means for the spread of animal and vector-borne diseases and their effects on human populations may also be investigated. 

The applicants are not limited to, but could use the following sub-themes as inspiration to develop high-impact research projects

  • to inform research priorities, policies and interventions aimed at addressing access to prevention, diagnostics, and challenges of continued care for non-communicable diseases, including mental health and infectious disease co-morbidities, among migrants for work, persons displaced due to conflict, disasters or climate change. 
  • to understand, in a One Health perspective, the role of mobility and international trade of goods, live animals and agricultural products for public health recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment as well as the ethical and systemic components and adaptation strategies.  

Projects are encouraged to understand, develop, and assess novel methods and approaches across different disciplines to benefit research into mobility including, for example, ethical aspects, data quality, cost, feasibility, and participatory opportunities.
 

How to submit your application

Frau mit Kescher

A list of all projects funded in the
last call for proposals can be downloaded at
List of grants awarded (PDF) 

Contact

Novo Nordisk Foundation

Eugenia Krasnopjorova 
phone: +45 41 26 61 20; email: ekr@novo.dk

Wellcome

Lesley Alborough 
email: researchenvironment@wellcome.org (please include "Joint call for global mobility" in the subject line)  

VolkswagenStiftung

Matthias Noellenburg (until June 30, 2024) 
phone: +49 511 8381-290; email: noellenburg@volkswagenstiftung.de  
Nora Kottmann 
phone: +49 511 8381 234; email: kottmann@volkswagenstiftung.de

humanoider Kopf einer Maschine

Societal Transformations

This funding offer is part of our profile area Societal Transformations. Find out more about the profile area and current funding opportunities.

Learn more