Europe’s world class research and technology infrastructures as strategic assets for talent to Choose Europe

Type of action: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) Expected Outcome: Projects are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Creation of interconnected international scientific networks centred around European research and technology infrastructures, including where appropriate their university partners and university alliances, promoting their potential for international scientific collaboration and exchange, with due regard to research security and safeguarding data critical for research addressing global challenges. Creation of opportunities for EU/Associated Countries scientific communities to engage with excellent researchers outside the EU. This should be achieved through engagement with scientific institutions in other world regions, Development of "Choose Europe" as a strategic direction in the context of Europe's research and technology infrastructures, for promoting Europe as a destination for top scientific talent and for promoting European infrastructures as strong and reliable partners for international scientific cooperation. Strengthened visibility and communication of Europe's research and technology infrastructures’ role as world-class hubs for science and innovation, for attracting talent and for fostering international cooperation. Scope: This topic aims to leverage Europe's world-class research and technology infrastructures to attract global scientific talent and to strengthen Europe’s position as a partner of choice for international scientific cooperation, in line with the European strategy on research and technology infrastructures. By highlighting the unique opportunities for scientific advancement, innovation and collaboration available in Europe and with Europe, while building cooperative links between research and technology infrastructures, the initiative endeavours to make Europe a preferred destination for researchers seeking to contribute to and benefit from these state-of-the-art infrastructures. Projects are expected to focus on: Partnering with non-associated third-country scientific institutions, including universities to align on research methodologies, testing protocols and data sharing in the chosen field; promote the uptake in other world regions of practices developed and tested by pan-European research and technology infrastructures, to ensure comparability of results; and support the design of distributed research ecosystems, including data and cloud platforms and ecosystems. This could be achieved through joint workshops or training programmes, summer schools and other scientific visits aimed at building long-term bilateral links between European infrastructures and scientific institutions in other countries. Activities are expected to target students, early-career researchers, and/or scientific staff, including specialised technicians and support staff, while promoting gender-balanced participation. Organising targeted dissemination and outreach activities bringing together research and technology infrastructures, scientists and innovators, with the aim of effectively leveraging European infrastructures as world-class hubs for science and innovation and strengthening international engagement. This could also include the production of reusable common communication assets, coordinated presence at major international science and innovation fora, and reinforcing links with initiatives such as EURAXESS. Where relevant, beneficiaries should build on resources funded under HORIZON-WIDERA2022-ERA-01-60. Proposals are expected to address one of the areas listed below and the area addressed should be clearly identified in the proposal. If a proposal addressed multiple areas, they should select “Cross-cutting area”. A proposal may also choose “Other area” and identify which one. Area 1: Health and biomedical sciences Area 2: Food science and agriculture technologies Area 3: Clean energy and clean mobility solutions Area 4: Environmental and Climate sciences and observation Area 5: Physics and astronomy Area 6: Advanced materials Area 7: Social sciences and humanities Area 8: Cross-cutting area Area 9: Other area Proposals could consider the inclusion of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) EU Reference Laboratory for alternatives to animal testing (EURL ECVAM) in the area of Health and biomedical sciences, and the inclusion of the Nanobiotechnology Laboratory in the areas of Health and biomedical sciences, and Food science and agriculture technologies. In that respect, the JRC will consider collaborating with any successful proposal and this collaboration, when relevant, should be established after the proposal’s approval. Proposals should consider the Council Recommendation of 23 May 2024 on enhancing research security[1] and take into account its principles for responsible internationalisation. [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:C_202403510 ">General conditions 1. Admissibility conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. 2. Eligible countries described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. 3. Other Eligibility Conditions If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used). If eligible for funding, legal entities established in non-associated third countries may exceptionally participate in this Coordination and support action as a beneficiary or affiliated entity. In order to achieve the expected objectives of the action, consortia must include, as beneficiary, at least one ESFRI Landmark[[See the list of ESFRI 'Landmarks' in the 2021 ESFRI Roadmap on https://roadmap2021.esfri.eu/ For ESFRI Landmarks that are not an ERIC or an international European research organisation, the beneficiary must be the legal entity hosting the infrastructure in the lead country (such legal entity is a minimum requirement to become an ESFRI Landmark.]] and/or European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC)[[https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/strategy/strategy-2020-2024/our-digital-future/european-research-infrastructures/eric_en.]]. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as member of the consortium selected for funding as a beneficiary with zero funding, or as an associated partner. The JRC will not participate in the preparation and submission of the proposal - see General Annex B. described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds To ensure a balanced portfolio covering as many of the nine areas as possible, grants will be awarded to applications not only in order of ranking but also to those proposals that are the highest ranked within areas 1 to 9 as listed below subject to budget availability, provided that the applications attain all thresholds. described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. 5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. 6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]]. described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme] Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA): Application form templates Please use the application form that you will find in the Submission System. You can find examples of standard application forms in the Reference Documents page. Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations Standard evaluation form (HE CSA) Guidance HE Programme Guide Model Grant Agreements (MGA) Lump Sum MGA Call-specific instructions Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?" Additional documents: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 14. Horizontal Activities HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes HE Framework Programme and Rules for Participation Regulation 2021/695 HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764 EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement