ERA Fellowships

For Widening Countries: More postdoctoral researchers attracted to Widening countries with competitive grants and attractive working and employment conditions. Scope: Fellowships should be provided to excellent researchers, undertaking cross-border mobility. Applications must be made jointly by the researcher together with a legal entity in the academic or non-academic sector located in a Widening country. ERA Fellowships should take place in a Widening Country. Fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality who wish to engage in R&I projects by either coming to the EU from any country in the world or moving within the EU to a Widening country. Secondments Researchers receiving an ERA Fellowship may opt to include a secondment phase, within the overall duration of their fellowship in any country worldwide. The secondment phase can be a single period or be divided into shorter mobility periods. Secondments cannot exceed half of the requested duration of the action (excluding from the duration of the action any additional period for a non-academic placement) and should be in line with the project objectives, adding significant value and impact to the fellowship. Placements in the non-academic sector ERA Fellowships can provide an additional period of up to six months to support researchers opting for a placement at the end of the project to work on R&I projects in an organisation from the non-academic sector established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. While this possibility is also available to fellows recruited in the non-academic sector, such a placement should be implemented at a different non-academic host organisation established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. The request for such a non-academic placement should be an integral part of the proposal, explaining the added value for the project and for the career development of the researcher, and will be subject to evaluation. This incentive aims at promoting career moves between sectors and organisations and thereby stimulate innovation and knowledge transfer while expanding career opportunities for researchers. Training activities The training activities implemented under the ERA Fellowships should include training for key transferable skills [2] , foster innovation and entrepreneurship, (e.g., commercialisation of results, Intellectual Property Rights, communication, public engagement and citizen science), foster good scientific conduct such as research integrity and promote Open Science practices (open access to publications and to other research outputs, including data, FAIR data management, societal engagement and citizen science, etc.). Career Development Plan In order to equip ERA Fellows with skills that enhance and expand their career opportunities inside and outside academia, a Career Development Plan should be established jointly by the supervisor(s) and the researcher. In addition to research objectives, this plan should comprise the researcher's training and career needs, including training on transferable skills, teaching, planning for publications and participation in conferences and events aiming at opening science and research to citizens. The Plan has to be submitted as a project deliverable at the beginning of the action and can be updated when needed. [1] Charter for Researchers, annexed to the Council recommendation C/2023/1640 of 18 December 2023 on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe (OJ C, C/2023/1640, 29.12.2023), https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:C_202301640. [2] As an illustration, Eurodoc published a list of such transferable skills at: http://eurodoc.net/skills-report-2018.pdf

Eligibility and submission conditions

"> 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 Eligible Conditions See these exceptions and specific conditions for the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships at the end of the MSCA Work Programme part. To be eligible to this call the host organisation must be located in a Widening country. 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 Seals of Excellence will be awarded to applications exceeding all of the evaluation thresholds set out in this work programme but which cannot be funded due to lack of budget available to the call. are described in Annex D  of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are 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 described in Annex G  of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions described in the MSCA part of the Work Programme Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA): Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Standard application form (HE MSCA PF) Evaluation form templates   — will be used with the necessary adaptations   Standard evaluation form (HE MSCA)   Guidance HE Programme Guide   Model Grant Agreements (MGA) HE Unit MGA   Call-specific instructions   "HE-MSCA-PF Guide for Applicants" and other useful documents (tbc) Additional documents: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026–2027 – 2. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 - 11. Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes HE Programme Guide HE Framework Programme 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

Programme context

The ERA Communication established the need to improve access to excellence as one of the four main strategic goals. Striving towards excellence requires a stronger R&I system where best practice is disseminated faster across the European Union. The European Union’s R&I system needs to promote a more inclusive approach in which all can participate and from which all can benefit. Existing disparities between R&I leading and lagging countries should be tackled by introducing structural policy reforms. Closer links between research and innovation and institutional cooperation to produce high-quality knowledge are key to help bridge these disparities. By building on their pockets of excellence and connecting them to broader networks of excellence countries will be able to upgrade their R&I systems, and allow the European Union as a whole to advance together. This destination will deploy a portfolio of complementary actions to build up and strengthen R&I capacities in Widening countries enabling them to advance to the competitive edge at European and international level. It will contribute to the development of pan-European innovation ecosystems. In addition, particular attention will be paid to cross-cutting objectives set for Horizon Europe, such as inclusive gender equality and open science practices. Expected impact Increased science and innovation capacities for all actors in the R&I system in Widening countries; Structural changes leading to modernised and more competitive R&I systems with increased attractiveness and retention of research talents; Mobilisation of national and European resources for strategic investments; Higher participation in Horizon Europe and more leadership roles in collaborative projects; Stronger linkages between academia and business and improved career permeability; Greater involvement of regional actors in the R&I process; Excellent talents attracted to institutions including research infrastructures; Balanced circulation of R&I talents including intersectoral mobility, and improved gender equality and inclusiveness; Improved linkages and increased mobility between academic and business, notably by overcoming sectoral barriers; Free circulation of knowledge and expertise in line with ERA priorities.

Hivatkozott dokumentumok

Annex A Horizon Europe Programme Guide Online Manual MSCA part of the Work Programme Standard application form (HE MSCA PF) Standard evaluation form (HE MSCA) HE Unit MGA HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 - 11. Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area 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 Terms and Conditions