The Funding Gap in Norway: A Comparison of European and Norwegian Research Councils’ Policies on Eligibility Extension Due to Maternity Leave

Norway is well known for its strong tradition of protecting women's and children's rights. Yet, a shortcoming appears when looking at the support system in academia. We performed a comparative analysis to draw attention to a protection deficit in the current policy of the Research Council of Norway (RCN), which regulates eligibility extension due to maternal leave when applying for early career grants. Unlike the European Research Council (ERC), which provides a flat rate of an 18 months-extension for each child born before or after the PhD defense, RCN allows subtracting only the exact time spent on maternity leave and only for leave taking place after the PhD defense. We argue that this policy disadvantages mothers in Norway in the competition for national funding during a crucial period of their careers. The RCN system appears unsatisfactory in light of Norway's reputation as a strong welfare state with robust support for mothers in the labor market and stern child protection laws. While we are addressing an issue specific to Norway, our goal is to bring attention to the prolonged impact of childcare on women's careers, an aspect often overlooked by funding agencies worldwide.