Call for Courses: NORA AI Research School
Each year, the NORA Norwegian AI Research School supports and funds the development of new courses on cutting-edge AI topics. Typically, this call opens in the summer and aims to support the development of PhD-level courses to be offered at the NORA.ai Summer School.
This call is different — driven by the rapid developments in AI and its growing use among researchers, we have opened an additional call with the aim of equipping PhD students with the practical AI skills they need in a rapidly changing research landscape. To reflect the fast-moving nature of the topic, this call is also more flexible in its format requirements, welcoming creative and agile approaches to course design and delivery.
Background and Thematic Priority Area of the Call
AI is increasingly becoming part of how researchers work on a daily basis. Vibe coding with AI agents, use of reasoning models for highly technical derivations and validation of arguments, quickly performing comprehensive literature reviews, and feedback on writing and structuring of arguments, are all examples of important AI-based tools researcher can utilise to increase their productivity. This call aims to support the development of a new course that equips PhD students with hands-on experience with exactly these tools and workflows.
If you are a researcher who keeps up with current developments in AI and uses these tools in your own work, we encourage you to apply for this call and share your knowledge with the Norwegian research community.
Timeline
Application deadline: 22nd May 2026, 12:00 (noon)
Expected funding decision: End of June 2026
Course ready: November 2026
Practical Information
Funding scale: Up to NOK 50,000
Who is eligible to apply? Academic staff and researchers affiliated with a higher education institution that is a NORA partner.
Course requirements: The course must be at PhD level.
May 2026
Application deadline
June 2026
Expected funding decision
Nov 2026
Course ready
Selection Criteria
- Academic CV of the lecturer
- Teaching methodology (didactic methods, level of interactivity, etc.)
- Course topic (alignment with the thematic priority area above)
- Accessibility of the course — we strongly prefer online or hybrid formats, as this lowers the threshold for participation and reaches PhD students across all NORA partner institutions
- Courses that can offer ECTS credits (preferably 5 studiepoeng) will be prioritised, provided accreditation can be arranged quickly and with low administrative effort. If this is not feasible, courses without credits are also welcome, a lower barrier to participation is more important than formal accreditation
- Priority will be given to courses that can be delivered by November 2026 at the latest
Course Format
Given the fast-moving nature of this topic, we are looking for courses that are agile and adaptable as AI tools continue to evolve. We are open to creative formats. Some possibilities worth considering:
- An online standalone course (with or without credits) that can be updated as the technology evolves
- A hybrid course where physical sessions are recorded and made accessible online, with the physical component potentially rotating between NORA partner institutions in future years
- A modular platform approach, where different NORA institutions contribute modules and students can choose what is most relevant to them, combining a shared core with optional partner-contributed modules
We are open to all of the above, and welcome proposals that think creatively about delivery.
More information about the NORA-Tech AI Research School
The NORA Norwegian AI Research School is funded by the Norwegian Research Council and runs from 2022 to 2029. We bring together PhD researchers to address unmet needs and improve the quality, collaboration, and relevance of research for Norwegian society. One of our aims is to provide PhD students with relevant and cutting-edge knowledge about AI. We do this by financially supporting new course developments by senior researchers in Norway.