Horizon Europe (2021 - 2027)

Horizon Europe is organised around three pillars:

1. Excellent science - with the well-known programmes of the European Research Council (ERC), the Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions (MSCA) and the research infrastructures.

Interesting for researchers: The ERC Grants and the MSCA are open to all disciplines. As a researcher, you define your research project yourself.

2. Global challenges and European industrial competitiveness - with the thematic areas:

• Health
• Culture, Creativity and Inclusive society
• Civil Security for Society
• Digital, Industry and Space
• Climate, Energy and Mobility
• Food, Bioeconomy , Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

These challenges are to be adressed by traditional collaborative projects (research and innovation actions, innovation actions, cooperation and support actions).

New: A new format is being introduced with the "Missions". Here, large ambitious objectives are set, which are to be achieved through research and innovation projects with different approaches and methods (based on the "moon mission" in the middle of the last century).

The five areas of the missions:

• Cancer
• Adaptation to climate change, including societal transformation
• Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters
• Climate-neutral and smart cities
• Soil health and food

3. Innovative Europe

This third pillar represents funding schemes and calls for proposals with a focus on technological innovation and market orientation. The European Innovation Council and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology will play a pivotal role. Some parts from the Horizon 2020 programme have been transferred to this pillar (for example the Future and Emerging Technologies - FET open).

4. Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area

Widening participation and spreading excellence: In addition to the three pillars, this funding line will continue to focus on the development of infrastructures and scientific excellence in newer EU member states. Well-known schemes such as Twinning or Teaming have been included here, alongside new formats.

In the programme section Reforming and enhancing the European R&I system, topics such as citizen science, gender and ethics in research are addressed. as previously in the H2020 funding line "Science with and for society").

In general, any natural or legal person can participate in calls for proposals under Horizon Europe. However, there are special features and restrictions for specific parts of the programme.

The list of countries that can participate in Horizon Europe as beneficiaries (with EU funding) is available here. The list contains the associated countries as well as the third countries eligible to participate. As of 25. April 2024, Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, the Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand (Pillar 2 as of the 2023 work programme), North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom (Grant Agreements as of 2024, with the exception of a direct equity investment from the European Innovation Council (EIC) fund as part of the EIC Accelerator funding line) are associated with Horizon Europe.

Association agreements with the following countries are expected/transitional  agreements are in force with

• Canada (Pillar 2, Grant Agreements as of 2024)
• Morocco
• Switzerland (ERC calls starting with ERC Work Programme 2024 (publication of the call after 18.3.2024))

Exploratory talks with South Korea, Japan, Singapore and Australia have started.

Partners from other third countries (e.g. USA, Japan) can also participate, though they will only receive EU funding in certain cases.

Requirements for collaborative projects

For Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA), a consortium typically comprises at least three organisations from three different EU Member States / Associated States (in practice, the number of partners is often significantly higher).

In the case of Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), only one organisation is formally required, but the consortia are de facto very large.

The amount and type of funding depend on the call for proposals. In general, universities receive funding amounting to 100% of the direct eligible costs, as well as a 25% flat rate (so-called overhead) on the direct costs except for subcontracting. In certain funding lines (MSCA), funding is provided on a lump sum basis.

The European Research Council (ERC) enables scientists at various career stages to conduct ground-breaking research projects. Depending on the length of their research experience, individual researchers can receive up to 2.5 million EUR for projects lasting up to five years (with an additional option of up to 1 million EUR for large-scale equipment) in the Starting, Consolidator and Advanced Grant programmes. In addition, grant holders have the opportunity to validate a result from a current or recently completed ERC grant in a "Proof of Concept" grant (lump sum funding of 150.000 EUR for 12 - max. 18 months). Small consortia of up to four researchers (and their respective research teams) may apply for the highly competitive  Synergy Grant providing funding up to 10 million EUR over a period of six years.

The ERC grant calls are published once a year. The next deadlines are:

• ERC Starting Grant: 24.10.2023
• ERC Consolidator Grant: 12.09.2023
• ERC Advanced Grant: 29.08.2024
• ERC Proof of Concept Grant (only for ERC grant holders): 17.09.2024
• ERC Synergy Grant (please be sure to contact Unit 1.1!): 08.11.2023

We would be delighted to provide further information on the ERC grants - please contact us!

Further information is available on the website of the National Contact Point ERC at the EU Office of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research or KoWi (EU Liaison Office of the German Research Organisations).

The Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions (MSCA) are designed to facilitate the mobility of researchers to other countries (within and outside the EU) in order to enable scientists  to familiarise themselves with new methods and systems through international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral mobility.

The MSCA offer postdoctoral fellowships for postdoctoral researchers who completed their doctorate no more than eight years ago:

European Postdoctoral Fellowship:

• 12 - 24 months stay in an EU member state or associated country
• Open to all nationalities
• Mobility rule: Applicant must not have resided or worked in the country of the host institution for more than 12 months within the last three years
• Lump sums for living, mobility and research, training and networkingallowances

Global Postdoctoral Fellowship:

• 12 - 24 months stay in an institution located outside of the EU
• 12 months re-integration in an institution in the EU
• Mobility rule: Applicants must not have resided or worked in the country of the host institution for more than 12 months within the last three years
• Lump sums for living, mobility and research, training an networking allowances

To be eligible to apply, applicants must have an innovative research project, which is a good fit with the host institution .

Calls for proposals are announced annually, the next deadline is 13 September 2023.

Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Information from the NCP MSCA is available here.

Another part of the MSCA actions of interest to lecturers/chairs and institutes are the Doctoral Networks: Cross-national and cross-sectoral doctoral networks in which joint training measures are established on an innovative research topic and international doctoral students are recruited

The call for proposals comprises:

• Simple "Doctoral Networks": with at least three partners from three different EU / Assoc. countries (scientific institutions, industry, authorities...);
• "Industrial Doctorates" with at least three partners from three different EU/Assoc. countries: Here, however, the industrial partners must play a leading role in the network;
• "Joint Doctorates", in which a programme leading to a joint doctorate is established at several institutions.

A call for proposals is also issued once a year for the Doctoral Networks; the next deadline is 28 November 2023.

We will also be happy to offer information on this and other MSCA calls (COFUND for Doctorates or Fellows, Staff Exchanges for international networks, or MSCA and Citizens: projects dedicated to research with and for citizens).

Here you can find all open (and future) MSCA calls in the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.

Applications are submitted completely electronically via the Funding and Tender Portal.

The respective call websites provide all the information needed to submit a proposal. The calls are usually open for a period of three to four months. This timeframe is usually too short to prepare successful proposals. However, the two- to three-year work programmes specify when and which calls are planned. Thus, the preparation of proposals can begin before the call opens.

The overarching research and innovation policy objectives of the European Commission for the period 2021-2024 are anchored in the Strategic Plan.

Feel free to contact us!

The University of Wuppertal is registered with the European Commission with the Participant Identification Code (PIC) 999858735.

Since 2022, universities are required to have a Gender Equality Plan if researchers wish to submit a proposal to Horizon Europe. BUW is well positioned here: The BUW's Gender Equality Concept is published here.

The Equal Opportunities and Diversity Unit also advises on the (obligatory!) proposal sections that deal with the description of gender aspects. The Research Services Team is happy to work together with our colleagues from the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Unit and the BUW Equal Opportunities Officer.

Feel free to contact us!

In Horizon Europe, there are different funding modalities depending on the funding line. Please enquire with us which modalities apply to your project.

In the case of so-called Research and Innovation Actions, as a rule actual eligible costs are calculated.

Equipment must be depreciated. Only the depreciation costs incurredduring the project duration are eligible for funding. Feel free to contact us!

For an EU grant amounting to at least 430.000 EUR, an external financial audit certificate (Certificate on the Financial Statements) is required. Please include costs for this under cost category "purchase costs".

The team of Unit 1.1 Research Services and Research Funding Management at the BUW will be pleased to support you throughout the entire process of a externally funded project.

Our service covers all important steps up to the submission of the proposal:

• Identification of suitable programmes,
• Information on important conditions (including composition of the consortium, reference to EU policy objectives),
• Provision of data and facts for your proposal (e.g. on the infrastructure at the BUW etc.),
• Advice on the various proposal sections,
• Proofreading your draft proposal,
• Calculation of your budget,
• Advice concerning the submission of your proposal in the portal,
• and any necessary letters of support.

    We will be happy to put you in touch with internal and external support centres, e.g.

• BUW FORIS
• Initial funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) for coordinated projects in Horizon Europe.

We also provide information about events at state, federal and EU level, and we also offer our own workshops and webinars.

Feel free to contact us!

Once your proposal is selected for funding, the EU liaison officers, Ms Hartig, Mr Trempeck and Ms Schorsch, provide support with the administrative, financial and legal aspects of the grant preparation phase and grant management via the European Commission's Funding&Tender Portal.

We also provide advice concerning the interpretation of European funding rules and on management issues.

Our colleagues from Contract Management (Ms Siekmann, Mr Jorde, Mr Stöhr) negotiate consortium agreements, partnership agreements and non-disclosure agreements within the framework of EU projects.

Ms Seidel, Ms Renn and Mr Harder manage your EU projects, prepare the financial statements in consultation with you and, if necessary, organise an external audit.

Templates for your successful project

• Horizon Europe time declaration
• Data Management
  • Data Management Plan Template
  • Open Research Europe: Open access publishing venue for European Commission-funded researchers

Ethics

• Ethic Commission BUW
• Ethics (ERC)

Utilisation of Genetic Resources

• Obligations under the EU Regulation on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)
• Contact person at BUW: Mr. Draeck, Unit 1.4

Communication

• ERC Grants