International research funding circular – 30 May 2025

Please see the latest European and International research funding information, event and opportunity updates.

News

1. NEW: Members of European Parliament push for role in EU-UK negotiations on FP10: https://sciencebusiness.net/news/planning-fp10/meps-push-role-eu-uk-negotiations-fp10

Call for “full involvement” in negotiations returns to a perennial complaint that Parliament should have a say in political agreements.

Events

2. NEW: Exploring Horizon Europe 2025 opportunities in Food Systems workshop, 12th June 2025, 12:30-15:00 in Stephenson Building, STB.1.010: https://forms.office.com/e/N6Bd0pQSv2

Join us for this interactive workshop, led by Dr Jane Midgley and Prof Yit Arn Teh, where we explore opportunities for food systems research funding through Horizon Europe. Workshop to cover:

  • Welcome & introduction
  • Short introduction to Horizon Europe 2025 food-related call topics
  • Group Discussion: Identifying relevant opportunities

Break & Networking

  • Experiences from Horizon awardees
  • Advice on EU proposal development, networking & consortium building
  • Closing remarks

 Please register your attendance and encourage colleagues to join.

 3. LAST CHANCE: North East universities info session on Horizon Europe 2025 consortia calls

  • Cluster 1, Health: 06 June 2025, 09:30-12:00 (in-person @Newcastle University), Stephenson Building, STB. G.006

We will be joined by the NCP Tristan Fancourt who will start with an overview of the recently published call topics and other Horizon Europe health opportunities such as the Cancer mission. In the second part of the session, successful awardees will discuss their experience with Q&A.

We look forward to you joining us, all welcome. Please register your attendance using this form: https://forms.office.com/e/jx9gAMeMSN

Additionally:

Cluster 1, Health Consortium Drop-In Session, Health: 06 June, 14:00-16:00, Stephenson Building STB.2.016.

These one-to-one 20 minute drop-in sessions are aimed at colleagues interested in applying for Cluster 1: Health consortium calls to discuss plans and considerations with UK National Contact Point for Health, Tristan Fancourt. Please register you attendance here:  https://forms.office.com/e/sviVgKVMYm and sarah.urquhart@newcastle.ac.uk will arrange a slot for you.

4. REMINDER: UKRO webinar for MSCA Doctoral Networks 2025, 10:00-12:00 on 2 July 2025: https://www.ukro.ac.uk/events/save-the-date-2025-msca-doctoral-networks-information-webinar/

UKRO, in its capacity as UK National Contact Point for the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), is holding an information webinar for organisations and individuals interested in applying to the 2025 MSCA Doctoral Networks call (call opens 28 May 2025). The webinar aims to provide participants with a comprehensive overview of the call, including the eligibility criteria, budget, and other points for consideration.

 5. REMINDER: UKRO webinar for MSCA Staff Exchanges 2025, 09:30-11:00 on 16 June 2025: https://www.ukro.ac.uk/events/save-the-date-2025-msca-staff-exchanges-information-webinar/

UKRO, in its capacity as UK National Contact Point for the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), is holding an information webinar for organisations and individuals interested in applying to the 2025 MSCA Staff Exchanges call (call deadline 8 October 2025). The scheme provides funding for short-term international and inter-sectoral exchanges of staff members involved in research and innovation activities of participating organisations. The webinar aims to provide participants with a comprehensive overview of the call, including the eligibility criteria, budget, and other points for consideration.

European related funding

6. REMINDER: Horizon Europe Pump Priming collaboration between UK and EU partners 2025

The British Academy with the support of the Royal Society, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Royal Academy of Engineering are inviting proposals from UK researchers and proposals from UK-led consortia to pump prime collaborations to support the effective uptake of the opportunities provided by the UK’s association to Horizon Europe. The expectation is that this funding will be utilised in a variety of ways but could include feasibility studies, application advice and training, partnership building, and dedicated resource to take forward an application. Proposals are welcome in all disciplines – engineering, natural sciences, medical and health sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Applicants may target any type of action in Pillar 2, as well as some Missions and New European Bauhaus Facility calls. More information, including eligibility requirements, value and duration of the awards, is available on the British Academy website. Please read the scheme guidance notes before making an application. Funding up to £10k. Deadline 11 June 2025 (but short application!!).

7. REMINDER: Horizon Europe – Work Programmes 2025 published – SUMMARY CALL TOPICS ATTACHED

The European Commission have published the Horizon Europe Work Programmes for 2025, listed below. For convenience, we have put together summary tables of all call topic titles in the attached Excel spreadsheet – please use this to browse any topics that are of interest to you and that you may be able to contribute to. Once you have identified a topic(s) of interest, please search their call reference within the relevant full Work Programme PDF available here: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/horizon-europe-work-programmes_en

Please start engaging with you EU contacts/networks as soon as possible. Please note we have a NU Horizon Europe Travel Fund to support Newcastle staff travel (before the end of July 2025) to engage with partners for these calls.

Pillar 1:

Pillar 2 clusters:

Cross-cutting areas:

Further information, including General Annexes, can be found on the EC’s website: Horizon Europe work programmes – European Commission

8. REMINDER: NU Horizon Europe Travel Fund:

The purpose of the Horizon Europe travel fund is to support the development of proposals to Horizon Europe funding opportunities. Awards will be made to cover the basic costs of travel and subsistence (typically ~£500-2000) of Newcastle University staff members to meet with EU partners—we request that funds are spent no later than 18th July 2025 (to enable year-end accounting). It is the applicant’s responsibility to arrange travel bookings. Please complete the travel request form: https://forms.office.com/e/xu0FZ65dif . We will return a decision to you asap, typically within five working days. Should you have any queries, please email sarah.urquhart@newcastle.ac.uk

9. MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships Open: https://www.iriscc.eu/open-calls

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral fellowships target researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers. The fellowship helps researchers gain experience in other countries, disciplines and non-academic sectors. In a nutshell, an experienced researcher (Fellow), of any nationality, develops a research project with a new supervisor based in Europe (host). The Fellow comes from any country in the world or moves within Europe. Moving country is compulsory. The application will address the fellow’s training and career needs, including training on transferable skills, planning for publications and participation in conferences. Placements or secondments in non-academic environments is strongly encouraged. The application is prepared by the fellow and supervisor who offers appropriate mentoring and support. Regular exchanges between the supervisor and the fellow are the backbone of a competitive application. The fellowships, generously funded, typically last for two years. Application deadline is 10 September 2025. Please let Sarah.Urquhart@newcastle.ac.uk know asap if you are planning to host (as supervisor) an applicant, in order to provide support for the application.

10. MSCA Doctoral Networks 2025 opening 28 May: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/doctoral-networks

The MSCA Doctoral Networks 2025 are a funding opportunity that aims to train doctoral candidates in research and innovation, with a focus on developing skills relevant for both academic and non-academic sectors. The program supports three implementation modes: Standard Doctoral Networks, Joint Doctorates, and Industrial Doctorates. Applicants apply as a consortium network and with each beneficiary institution/organisation typically hosting a couple of PhD students each. Expected deadline 25 November 2025. Please see events section above for a Newcastle University briefing forum on 15 May 2025.

11. Horizon Europe Draft 2026-27 Work Programmes

Leaks to early states of the Horizon Europe 2026-27 Work Programmes are published by Science Business news are pasted below. Please note the drafts are subject to redrafting and change, but may help indicate potential call topics to start to find partners and build European country consortia.

 2026-27 Work Programmes

 

Note, one may request funds from the NU Horizon Europe Travel Fund (see below) to support development of partnerships towards any of these calls.

12.  COST Actions Networking Grants 2025: https://www.cost.eu/funding/open-call-a-simple-one-step-application-process/

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is an intergovernmental framework for European Cooperation in the field of scientific and technical research, including social science and humanities. COST does not fund research itself, but funds the expenses of interdisciplinary research networks called COST Actions (networks that engage a team of proposers from at least 7 COST member countries with at least half from inclusiveness target countries). These support a range of networking tools, such as workshops, conferences, training schools, short-term scientific missions (STSMs), communication activities, and virtual networking tools. COST Actions enable researchers from academia, SMEs, public institutions and other relevant organisations to investigate a topic of their choice for four years. No budget forecast is requested when submitting a proposal. An estimated €125,000 is made available for a COST Action in its first year and an average of €150,000 per year for the other three years. Deadline is 21 October 2025.

13. MSCA Staff Exchanges 2025: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/staff-exchanges

The Staff Exchanges action funds short-term international and inter-sectoral exchanges of staff members involved in research and innovation activities of participating organisations. The aim is to develop sustainable collaborative projects between different organisations from the academic and non-academic sectors (in particular SMEs), based in Europe and beyond. Exchanged staff benefit from new knowledge, skills and career development perspectives, while participating organisations increase their research and innovation capacities. Staff Exchanges are open to international consortia of universities, research institutions, businesses, SMEs and other non-academic organisations. Deadline 8 October 2025.

14. European Innovation Council Pathfinder Challenges 2025: https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/eic-pathfinder/eic-pathfinder-challenges-2025_en

The EIC Pathfinder enables multidisciplinary research teams to develop the scientific basis to underpin breakthrough technologies. This route supports early stage development of future technologies up to proof of concept. The EIC Pathfinder Challenges topics for 2025 (deadline 29 October 2025) are:

  • Biotech for Climate Resilient Crops and Plant-Based Biomanufacturing
  • Generative-AI based Agents to Revolutionize Medical Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer
  • Towards autonomous robot collectives delivering collaborative tasks in dynamic unstructured construction environments
  • Waste-to-value devices: Circular production of renewable fuels, chemicals and materials

15. Clean Energy Transition (CET) European Partnership Joint Call 2025 Pre-Announcement https://cetpartnership.eu/calls/joint-call-2025

The CETPartnership is a transnational initiative (one of the co-funded European Partnerships in Horizon Europe (under Pillar 2, Cluster 5: Climate, Energy and Mobility)) on joint research, development and Innovation (RDI) programming to boost and accelerate the energy transition, building upon regional Stage One of the application process is expected to open on 11 June 2025 and have closing date for pre-proposals of 9 October 2025 (14:00 CEST).The CETPartnership plans to hold a Joint Call 2025 information event on 28 May 2025 and a Q&A session in September 2025.

16. Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking: https://www.cbe.europa.eu/open-calls-proposals

The mission of CBE JU is to advance a competitive bioeconomy for a sustainable Europe. To achieve this goal, the public-private partnership is funding projects developing innovative and sustainable bio-based solutions, with a focus on these strategic priorities: feedstock, processing, products, as well as cross-cutting aspects of communication and environmental sustainability. The CBE JU 2025 call for project proposals will open for submission on 4 April 2025 with foreseen deadline of 17 September 2025. Meanwhile, you can already prepare your proposal based on the call topic text published in the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2025.

17.  Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking 2025 calls

Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking has published its 2025/26 Biannual Work Programme and this includes the 2025 Calls for Proposals (Annex VI, page 141 onward). There is €138.7m available across 10 Topics, nine of which have a planned opening date of October this year with a proposal submission deadline of February 2026.

18. New Fondation Maladies Rares Call Focused on Rare Diseases Involving Developmental Abormalities: https://fondation-maladiesrares.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Call-text-AnDDI-Rare-2025.pdf

Fondation Maladies Rares is operating a call for proposals, funded entirely by AnDDI-Rares, intended to encourage the initiation of projects leading to significant advances in the diagnosis and understanding of the genetic basis of rare diseases involving developmental abnormalities, with or without intellectual development disorders. The call will support the following two project types: biology research projects (wet lab projects); and bioinformatics projects (dry lab projects). The call is open to translational research teams worldwide working in molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics, including clinicians and data analysis experts. Projects will be funded up to a maximum of €25,000 for a maximum duration of 24 months. The application deadline is 10 July 2025.

Official development assistance (ODA) related funding

19. Wellcome Mental Health Award: Leveraging longitudinal data to transform early intervention in mental health: https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/mental-health-award-leveraging-longitudinal-data-transform-early-intervention

We are funding experts to unlock the potential of longitudinal datasets and develop innovative ways of identifying anxiety, depression and/or psychosis early. Successful teams will integrate cutting-edge analytics of longitudinal data with experimental research so that, in time, people may benefit from better targeted early interventions. Funding of £1-5 million per project is available over 3-5 years. Research with LMICs is encouraged. Information webinar on 7 May, with scope check deadline of 8 July and application deadline of 22 July 2025.

General international

20. NEW: British Council – ISPF research collaboration grants 2025: https://opportunities-insight.britishcouncil.org/short-articles/opportunities/stay-tuned-ispf-research-collaboration-grants-2025

Get ready to submit your expression of interest for the research collaboration grants, opening on 2 June and closing on 23 June 2025, as part of the International Science Partnerships Fund. This third call for Research Collaboration invites UK institutions to partner with counterparts in Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey. A total of £1.4 million is available for UK institutions to support up to 24 bilateral projects across 6 countries/territories. Deadline is 23 June 2025.

21. NEW: Royal Society International Science Partnerships Fund International Collaboration Awards, Japan: https://royalsociety.org/grants/international-collaboration-awards-ispf/

The International Science Partnerships Fund International Collaboration Awards, Japan will provide funding to enable outstanding emerging research leaders in the UK and Japan jointly to develop bilateral research collaborations. Royal Society covers science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Applications can apply to the Royal Society for up to £225,000 over three years (£75,000 per year). Deadline 08 July 2025.

22. NEW: 2025 BrightFocus Foundation Macular Degeneration Research Programme: https://www.brightfocus.org/about/for-scientists/apply-for-a-research-grant/macular-degeneration-research-request-for-proposals/

The Macular Degeneration Research programme was established in 1999 to support research into the causes and potential prevention strategies and treatments of macular degeneration disease. It is now accepting applications for its 2025 call. Researchers from around the world are eligible for this funding. The programme offers the following types of awards:

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards ($100,000/year over two years)
  • New Investigator Grant Programme in Macular Degeneration Research ($150,000/year for up to three years)
  • Innovative Research Grants in Macular Degeneration Research ($200,000/year for up to three years)

Letters of Intent must be submitted by 17 July 2025.

23. Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Equity in Access Research Program: https://www.lls.org/research/equity-access-research-grants

We are reissuing the RFP Building Evidence for Effective Interventions to Increase Therapeutic Cancer Clinical Trial Accrual: Promoting Access for Patients from Underrepresented Groups. Awards will be a maximum of $2.5 million each over 5 years. Specifically, we seek proposals that will implement and evaluate interventions designed to:

·         Mitigate multilevel barriers to therapeutic clinical trial accrual for underrepresented groups

·         Quantitatively measure the impact of these interventions on patient accrual

We are particularly interested in proposals that address systemic, institutional, and/or clinician-related barriers that impede clinical trial participation. It is not necessary for applicants to have previously conducted research in blood cancer. The due date for Letters of Intent is September 11, 2025, at 3 pm ET. Join us on June 18, 2025 at 12pm ET for a pre-application webinar that will provide an overview of the RFP, including objectives, application instructions, and review criteria. You can register for the webinar here.

24. L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science (FWIS) International Awards: Launch of 2026 Prize: https://www.forwomeninscience.com/challenge/show/139

The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science (FWIS) International Awards recognise outstanding contributions to the advancement of science by female scientists. The L’Oréal charitable foundation and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) offer five jointly financed International Awards, which alternate each year between the Life and Environmental Sciences and Physical/Computer/Engineering Sciences. One award is presented per geographical region, which includes: Africa and the Arab States; Asia and the Pacific; Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; North America. Nominations will be assessed according to the candidate’s outstanding contribution to the general advancement of science, the impact of the candidate’s research, recognition of the candidate by peers in the same discipline, and recognition of the candidate’s commitments to education, teaching activities, mentoring and/or to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals more broadly. For the 2026 FWIS International Awards, nominees are sought from the life and environment sciences. Nomination deadline 04 July 2025.

25. OECD International Event Sponsorship and Individual Travel Fellowship Awards: https://www.oecd.org/en/about/programmes/co-operative-research-programme.html

The OECD’s Co-operative Research Programme: Sustainable Agricultural and Food Systems (CRP) exists to strengthen scientific knowledge and provide relevant scientific information and advice that will inform future policy decisions related to the sustainability of agriculture, food, fisheries and forests. We welcome applications from anyone interested in organising an event (conference, workshop or symposium) on state-of-the-art research issues in agriculture, food, fisheries or forests or who would like to spend time working with researchers in another country. Deadline 10 September 2025.

26. JSPS International Fellowships for Research in Japan: https://www.jsps.go.jp/file/storage/j-fellow/j-fellow_14/application_requirements/2026/2026_applicationguideline_e.pdf

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) is the leading research funding agency in Japan, established by the Japanese Government for the purpose of contributing to the advancement of science. Our Invitational Fellowships provide the opportunity for researchers based outside of Japan to conduct collaborative research activities with leading research groups at Japanese universities and research institutions for single visits of between 14 days to 10 months. Eligible applicants need to be established researchers with an excellent record of research achievements. Eligible research fields are not limited. A JSPS invitational fellowship can be awarded to the same researcher multiple times. Deadline: 29 August 2025

27. Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation (GBSF) grant funding: http://www.gbsf.org.uk/grants/overview/

The Foundation’s aim is to develop good relations between the United Kingdom and Japan by advancing the education of the people of both nations in each other’s culture, society and achievements. It seeks to promote mutual understanding and cooperation through financial support for activities in the following fields: • Arts and Culture • Humanities and Social Issues • Japanese Language • Medicine and Health • Science, Technology and Environment • Sport • Youth and Education. The Foundation’s awards are intended to provide “pump-priming” and not core funding of projects. Standard travel grants between the UK and Japan are £2,000, and up to £2,500 for visits of more than two weeks. This also includes travel for PhD students from UK universities wishing to visit Japan for dissertation research or to complete fieldwork. Applications for longer-term fieldwork of six months or more in Japan can be considered, with grants of up to £5,000. The UK office holds three annual awards meetings, with remaining application deadlines on 15th September and 15th December.

28. Australia-UK platform studies in areas of unmet clinical need: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/australia-uk-platform-studies-areas-unmet-clinical-need/97018

The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Australia, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australia and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) UK are inviting applications for ambitious platform studies in areas of unmet medical need. The platform must be internationally collaborative, with joint leads based in Australia and the United Kingdom. The total funding is $30m AUD (equivalent to £15.5m GBP) up to 1 to 3 platforms over up to 7 years. The Australian components can each receive up to $5m AUD per platform, while the UK component can receive up to £7.8m GBP (around £2.6m per award). Stage one application deadline 23 July 2025.

Project Initiation Form (PIF): https://www.cognitoforms.com/NewcastleUniversity1/NewcastleUniversityNuTHProjectInitiationFormV2

If you’re in the process of developing a research proposal please ensure you submit a PIF as soon as possible. The PIF is not just a mechanism to initiate a costing, it enables the research support team to identify and engage on your behalf the varying types of research and business support beneficial to your bid. Please note you don’t need to define all resources required before engaging with the team. To maximise the support available to you, PIF submission is advised at your earliest convenience.

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