CEBE International Mobility Grant 2026 for Researchers and PhD students
Call closes December 15 2026
Background
CEBE (Civil Engineering and the green transition in the Build Environment) is a Danish cross-university research programme focusing on the sustainable development of the built environment. CEBE’s vision is to promote science-based circular, low-carbon and resilient built environment within planetary boundaries. CEBE brings together leading researchers, industry partners, and international collaborators and stakeholders to advance excellent research, education, and innovation across the full value chain of the built environment. CEBE is supported by the Villum Foundation for a period of 10 years (2026 – 2035).
Through the International Mobility Programme, CEBE provides financial support for researchers at the four Danish partner universities to visit an international research environment, to encourage continuous learning, professional development of staff and to strengthen international academic collaboration.
More information about the CEBE programme and the seven research fields can be found in the research roadmap cebe.dk/research/
CEBE is structured with 7 research fields:
1. Assessing and measuring sustainability
How can we accurately measure the climate and environmental impact of the entire built environment – both what we build new and what already exists?
This research field develops new methods for assessing emissions, environmental effects and resource use across buildings and infrastructure throughout their full life cycle. The goal is to create precise, dynamic models that support decision making for all types of interventions in the built environment and help the sector meet absolute sustainability targets. Whether through building new, renovating and transforming what already stands.
2. Design for regeneration, circularity and longevity
How do we design buildings that has a regenerative environmental impact?
This research area co-creates new methods for design and construction of building with a regenerative environmental impact while ensuring safe, healthy and comfortable indoor environments in changing climates. The aim is to explore how to design and construct robust and long-lasting buildings with components and systems that can be recirculated repeatedly.
3. Low carbon and robust construction materials
How can we reduce the construction sector’s massive use of materials?
Researchers in this field work to develop and test new low-carbon building materials. From reused products and products made with recycled resources to regenerative materials with a far smaller CO₂ footprint, while still meeting the required strength and durability standards.
4. Digitalisation and automation
How can digitalisation and automation reduce the environmental impact of construction while increasing performance?
This research field advances construction robotics, 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and computational modelling as tools to intelligently acquire and manage data, build with lower embodied carbon, and reduce resource extraction throughout the construction lifecycle. The goal is to accelerate low-carbon and circular construction by turning data, carbon metrics, and material intelligence into actionable design and construction decisions.
5. Climate resilient and adaptive infrastructure
How do we prepare our infrastructure for more storms, cloudbursts and flooding?
This research area develops methods and technologies that make roads, bridges, ports and coastal protection more resilient, including nature-based solutions, upgrades to existing structures, advanced monitoring and improved emergency response strategies.
6. Sufficiency, well-being and energy efficiency
How can we create buildings that support health and well-being while using fewer resources?
Sustainable construction is not only about reducing CO₂ emissions, but it also concerns how buildings influence people’s comfort, health and everyday lives. This field brings together principles of “sufficiency” with research on energy use, indoor climate and comfort to ensure that we can live, thrive and work safely with a smaller resource footprint.
7. Extending the life of the built environment
How can we make better use of the buildings we already have?
New construction carries a high climate cost, so extending the life of existing structures is essential. This field develops methods to assess building condition, predict lifespan, identify suitable changes of use and support more sustainable renovation practices.
Scope of the Call
CEBE is now inviting applications for support under the International Mobility Programme. It is expected that about 10-15 applications will be awarded each year for researchers and PhD students. A similar call will be announced in 2027 and the following years.
The programme can support expenses for research visits of minimum one month at an international university, research institution or a company in exceptional cases. It is the expectation that the researcher works within research areas relevant to CEBE’s research fields and contribute to CEBE’s overall vision.
The programme can cover living, housing, travel and relocation expenses according to the travel and expense policy of the Danish CEBE partner university.
The research visit should take its beginning in 2027.
Who can apply
The call is open for researchers and PhD students from all departments and research groups at CEBE’s four Danish partner universities, respectively AAU (Aalborg University), AU (Aarhus University), SDU (South Denmark University) and DTU (Danish Technical University).
The application must have one applicant from a Danish CEBE Partner University and one recipient host researcher at an international university with research aligned with CEBE research fields.
Evaluation process
Applications will be evaluated by the CEBE coordination unit taking into account that a reasonable balance between researchers and PhD students across the CEBE partner universities and program research fields is achieved.
For researchers, the evaluation criteria will include:
- Relevance to CEBE’s overarching programme objectives as well as specific research field objectives
- Synergies in the planned collaboration
- Merits of the applicant
For PhD students, the evaluation criteria will include:
- Relevance and benefit for the student’s education
- Relevance to CEBE’s overarching programme objectives as well as specific research field objectives
Application guidelines
For researchers the application should include:
- Cover page – find the template for the cover page here
- Motivation for the research visit (max 2 pages)
- Short description of the purpose and plan for the research visit
- Description of hosting research environment
- Explanation of how the collaboration benefits the researcher and CEBE
- Short CV from the applicant and the recipient host researcher (max. one page each)
- Commitment letter for the recipient department, signed by the recipient host researcher and the Head of the host department
- Estimated budget (amount requested divided into key budget items)
For PhD students the application should include:
- Cover page – find the template for the cover page here
- Motivation for the study abroad (max 1 page)
- Short description of the purpose and plan for the study abroad and how it will benefit the student and the CEBE programme
- Short CV from the applicant (max. one page)
- Statement from the main supervisor must be submitted as documentation that the trip is relevant to your study
- Estimated budget (amount requested divided into key budget items)
Responsibilities
After the research visit a brief report should be handed in to the CEBE coordinating unit no later than two months after return. The researcher is expected to share experiences with the CEBE research community.
Funding
Researchers can receive funding up to DKK 150.000.
PhD students can receive funding up to DKK 50.000.
Expenses must be incurred by the partner university. Reimbursement will be made to the partner university by CEBE up to the granted funding upon request, subject to the submission of an invoice and a financial statement documenting the expenses incurred. Templates will be provided for this at a later stage.
Reimbursement can be submitted until 31 March 2028.
Submission
Submit your grant application by email to calls@cebe.dk no later than 15 December 2026 at midnight.
Only applications received as a single PDF file will be taken into consideration.
Timeline
15 September 2026: Call opens
15 December 2026: Call closes
Questions? In case of questions, please contact calls@cebe.dk
A Villum Foundation Research Programme 2026 – 2035