International Research Funding Circular -19 June 2026

News

1. NEW: EIC Expands Funding to Defence and Dual-Use Technologies: https://eic.ec.europa.eu/news/european-innovation-council-opens-defence-and-dual-use-technologies-2026-06-17_en

The European Innovation Council (EIC) has expanded its remit to include defence and dual-use technologies, following an amendment to its 2026 work programme. This marks a significant shift in EU innovation policy, enabling direct support for technologies with both civilian and military applications.

2. NEW: What’s new in Horizon Europe work programmes in 2027: https://sciencebusiness.net/news/horizon-europe/whats-new-horizon-europe-work-programmes-2027

The European Commission’s draft work programme update includes preparations for the next Horizon Europe and a biodiversity mega-call. In the final year of the current programme, the Commission will invest €193 million in actions that prepare the research community for innovations in the next Horizon Europe.

 

Events

 

3. REMINDER: MSCA Doctoral Networks (DN) Workshop 2-Thursday 25 June 2026, 13:00–14:30,  PGR Learning Lab (HDB.6.19)

Researchers planning to apply to the MSCA Doctoral Networks are invited to attend this practical workshop, which will provide a step-by-step walkthrough of the proposal. The session will guide participants through the structure and key sections, offering useful insights for preparing a strong submission. To register your interest, please email Jarlath.mckenna@newcastle.ac.uk  indicating your wish to attend.

4. REMINDER: FMS Horizon Europe Symposium 2026, Date: Thursday 9th July, Dame Margaret Barbour Building, 3.17, (10.00-12:30)

Interested in European funding for research and innovation? Join us at the FMS Horizon Europe Symposium to explore collaborative funding opportunities. The event will provide an overview of Horizon Europe, how to identify and interpret relevant call topics, and build effective EU partnerships. You will also hear first-hand from colleagues with experience of Horizon Europe projects during a panel discussion, sharing insights on working in consortia, delivering impact, and lessons learned. The session will be followed by lunch and a chance to network.  Please register your attendance using this form so we can manage numbers and share follow-up materials and information. Full agenda available on the registration form.

 

5. NEW: Horizon Europe Reapply Masterclass: In-person, London 23^rd June 2026, Birmingham 30 June 2026: https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/events/horizon-europe-reapply-masterclass-2026/

Have you applied for Horizon Europe but didn’t secure funding? Innovate UK and the UK National Contact Points are hosting two in-person Horizon Europe Masterclass events for experienced applicants who were unsuccessful in previous submissions. Taking place in London (23 June 2026) and Birmingham (30 June 2026), the sessions will help participants strengthen future proposals through sector-specific exercises, collaborative workshops, and guidance on improving applications. Aimed at those planning to reapply to Pillars 2 and 3, the events offer practical support to increase chances of success. Register here.

 

6. Getting Started with COST Actions, Tuesday 14th July, 12:00-13:00, Online, https://www.cost.eu/

Join us for a one-hour online session exploring COST Action networking grants and how they can help researchers, especially early career, build international networks and get started with European funding. The session will include input from the UK Representative on the COST Scientific Committee, along with short talks from academics sharing their experiences of taking part in COST Actions. This session is aimed at researchers who are interested in developing international collaborations and future funding opportunities. Full agenda on the registration form

7. The British Academy, Social Sciences and Humanities in Horizon Europe Pillar 2 Workshop, Tuesday 30^th June, In-person or online (places limited): https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/social-sciences-and-humanities-opportunities-in-horizon-europe-pillar-2-tickets-1990447377688?aff=oddtdtcreator

The British Academy will host a one-day workshop on 30 June 2026 for UK-based social sciences and humanities (SSH) researchers interested in Horizon Europe Pillar 2 opportunities under the 2026–27 Work Programme. The session will explore how SSH expertise contributes across Pillar 2 clusters, with input from the European Commission (DG RTD) and stakeholders on building competitive proposals and navigating the programme. Open to researchers and research support staff, the workshop can be attended in person or online (places limited). Registration closes 29 June 2026.

8. June Free Webinar Week: Practical Insights for EU-Funded Projects, 22–26 June, 11:00 CES: https://freewebinars.europamediatrainings.com/2026-june-free-webinars?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=June%20Free%20Webinar%20Week:%20Practical%20Insights%20for%20EU-Funded%20Projects&utm_campaign=EMTNL20260602

Europa Media have prepared a special week of free live webinars where they will share practical lessons learned directly from their own experience managing, coordinating and implementing Horizon Europe projects:

• Mon 22 June- Stress-free Communication & Dissemination Reporting
• Tue 23 June- Why Nobody Wants to Talk About Exploitation: Creative Methods to Engage Horizon Europe Partners
• Wed 24 June- Designing and Managing Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) in Horizon Europe
• Thu 25 June- Personnel Cost Calculation Challenges Across Horizon Europe, Digital Europe and Other EU Funding Programmes
• Fri 26 June- From the Detailed Lump Sum Budget to the Integrated Part A Forms: A New Challenge Ahead

Feel free to join one session that matches your immediate needs or attend multiple. Please register here

9. mERCury’s Project’s ERC Starting Grant Webinar, 26 June 2026, 10:00-12:00, UK time, https://www.ukro.ac.uk/events/mercurys-erc-starting-grant-webinar/

The network of ERC National Contact Points (mERCury) is organising an online event for researchers interested in the ERC Starting Grant. This webinar provides guidance for researchers preparing an ERC Starting Grant proposal, including insights into the application process, evaluation criteria and tips for success. Suitable for early-career researchers planning to apply. Register to attend.

10. ERC Starting Grant 2027 Webinar, 2 July 2026, 10:00-12:00:https://www.ukro.ac.uk/events/erc-starting-grant-2027-webinar/

This webinar provides guidance for researchers preparing for the ERC Starting Grant 2027 call, including eligibility, application requirements and the evaluation process. Register to attend.

 

European related funding

 

11. REMINDER: Horizon Europe Travel Fund: https://forms.office.com/e/R7Swf3Ag2X

A small pot of funding has become available for the Horizon Europe Travel Fund and is now open to support Newcastle University staff developing grant proposals. The fund offers small awards (e.g. £500-£1,000) to cover travel and subsistence for meeting EU partners, National Contact Points or brokerage events. We will consider requests in two rounds, the first deadline is 17 June 2026 and the second is 8 July 2026 (if funds are still remaining). All expenditure must be made by 31 July 2026, even if trips occur afterwards. Please submit your request here.

If you have any questions, please contact sarah.urquhart@newcastle.ac.uk.

12. NEW: Grants for short-term STEM post-graduate study at University of Padova:  https://newcastle.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/hub/rai/rfd/IQCkwKsEl0qoSZi3rrXBS6IMAcRKHHEKgxPfXG6xLVt-VKg?e=0J4wGS

The Fondazione Ing. Aldo Gini, at the University of Padova, Italy, has released a call for grant applications to support short-term PG study in Padova.  The grants are specifically for students who already hold a Masters qualification, so could be suitable for many of our current PGR students in SAgE who might relish the opportunity to work in Italy for a short time next academic year – for example, to continue with their PhD research under the supervision of an academic at Padova, or perhaps to pause their studies here at Newcastle to undertake a period of adjacent study at Padova. Only STEM disciplines are included in the call – specifically Agriculture, Engineering, and  Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences. For more details and how to apply, download this document. Application deadline 15 September 2026.

13. NEW: EU Award for Gender Equality Champions Opens for 2026: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/prizes/eu-award-gender-equality-champions_en

The European Commission has launched the 2026 Horizon Europe Award for Gender Equality Champions, recognising organisations with strong outcomes from implementing Gender Equality Plans (GEPs). Open to universities and research organisations across eligible countries, the award promotes inclusive policies and institutional change. Applicants may apply to one of three categories—Sustainable, Newcomer, or Inclusive Champions—with four prizes of €100,000 available. Deadline: 29 September 2026.

14. NEW: 2026 Sophie Germain Funding Scheme: https://uk.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/node/71/cooperation-higher-education-research-and-innovation

The 2026 call will support projects on two priority themes: artificial intelligence (AI) and health. These two themes are cross-disciplinary and open to all disciplines, including the humanities and social sciences. Initiated on a bilateral level, these projects are intended to lead to broader cooperation on a European scale, as part of an application to the Horizon Europe programme. For the 2026 call, projects will receive up to €50,000 in funding. Deadline: 13 July 2026.

15. NOW OPEN: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/postdoctoral-fellowships

The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 call will open in April. Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF) target researchers holding a PhD with up to eight years of research experience who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers. PFs help researchers gain experience in other countries, disciplines and non-academic sectors.  If you are interested in hosting (as named supervisor) a MSCA Postdoctoral Fellow currently based overseas we encourage you to reach out to them and get in touch with sarah.urquhart@newcastle.ac.uk. Deadline: 9 September 2026.

 

16. Wiko Early Career Fellowships Open for Researchers Across Disciplines Worldwide: https://www.wiko-berlin.de/en/becoming-a-fellow/wiko-early-career-calls

The Institute for Advanced Study Berlin (Wiko) is inviting applications for its Early Career Fellowship Programme, which offers residential fellowships in Berlin for outstanding postdoctoral researchers aiming to advance a defined research project. The programme includes two streams: humanities and social sciences, and life and natural sciences. Applicants must hold a PhD and demonstrate strong publication records, such as a monograph for humanities scholars or multiple high-impact articles for science and social science candidates. Fellowships last 10 months for humanities and social sciences, and three to five months for life and natural sciences, with financial support provided through teaching replacement costs of up to €60,000. Deadline: 1 September 2026 for humanities and social sciences, and 1 November 2026 for life and natural sciences.

 

17. Virtual Institute for the Carbon Cycle (VICC) — Notice of upcoming Expressions of Intent (EOI): https://www.schmidtsciences.org/

The goal of VICC is two-fold: (a) improve understanding and reduce uncertainty of both natural and anthropogenic components of the global carbon budget to inform (detect/attribute) mitigation in carbon emissions, and (b) improve understanding and reduce uncertainty on future changes in the global carbon cycle, including carbon-climate feedbacks, to inform climate policies. VICC is soliciting short EOIs for projects that will enable these two goals. They aim to support several multidisciplinary and international teams of researchers by providing sustained funding for up to 5 years and networking support to pursue research with revolutionary promise. Projects may hinge on improving mechanistic understanding of key components of the carbon cycle, modeling, observational, or data assimilation improvements, or any combination thereof. Anticipated EOI release is mid-June 2026 with anticipated deadline in mid-August 2026. For any questions about this notice, email carbon@schmidtsciences.org  with “VICC EOI” in the subject line.

18. 80 new COST Actions, that will officially start in Autumn 2026:  https://www.cost.eu/80-new-cost-actions-oc20251/

These new networks cover topics as wide and varied as phychosis prevention, silent fans, neuromorphic computing, vaccines for overall health benefits, artificial intelligence, conservation of modern art, and parental and children well-being. From Friday 12 June 2026 these new COST Actions (OC- 2025-1), including all Memorandums of Understanding, will be available on the COST website, so if you see a network that is of interest then you can apply to join. Potential applicants are also reminded that the COST 2026 Open Call opens on 31 July at noon CET and closes 28 October at noon CET with the COST Association advising applicants to ensure familiarity with the changes to the application process since the 2025 Open Call.

19. Jérôme Lejeune Foundation – Autumn 2026 Call (Down Syndrome Research): https://www.fondationlejeune.org

The Jérôme Lejeune Foundation invites applications for its Autumn 2026 call supporting research on Down syndrome (trisomy 21). Grants fund fundamental, translational and clinical projects aimed at advancing understanding or developing new therapeutic approaches. Two grant types are available: pilot grants (up to €50,000) and advanced grants (up to €80,000). Applicants must hold a PhD, MD (or equivalent) and a permanent position at an academic institution. Open internationally. Deadline: 14 August 2026

20. ERC Plus Grant Launched 2026: https://www.ukro.ac.uk/news/erc-plus-grant-2026/

The European Research Council has introduced the ERC+ Grant 2026 to provide additional support to leading researchers building on ERC-funded projects. The scheme aims to strengthen research impact and capacity. Further details on eligibility and implementation are expected. The submission deadline is on 2 September 2026.

 

21. Henry Jacques Le Même Architecture Writing Prize 2026: https://sfa.wiin.io/fr/
The Société française des architectes (SFA) invites submissions for the 2026 Henry Jacques Le Même Prize, an architecture writing competition exploring the relationship between writing and the built environment. Applicants must submit a text (max. 20,000 characters, in French) offering a detailed depiction of a place centred on a constructed building; entries may be in any literary genre and submitted individually or in teams of up to three. The competition is open to all, regardless of nationality. Prizes are €2,500 for first place, €1,000 for second, and €500 for third. Deadline: 7 September 2026.

 

22. SPRIND Launches FUNKE Quantum Challenges for Sensing Data Integration: https://www.sprind.org/en/actions/challenges

Bundesagentur fur Sprunginnovationen (SPRIND, German Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation) has opened applications for two FUNKE challenges focused on quantum sensing and data use. The FUNKE Quantum-Driven Intelligence Challenge focuses on connecting high-precision quantum sensor data with existing data sources, models and sensor systems to derive decision-relevant information that is not otherwise accessible. Supported projects are expected to develop practical applications or scenarios where quantum sensing integration materially improves existing systems, models or analytical methods. Stage 1 will support 15 teams for four months at €200,000 per project. Stage 2 will support 10 teams for two months at €100,000 per project. The FUNKE Quantumsense Exploration Challenge supports teams developing methods to identify and leverage new quantum sensors or quantum systems for sensing applications more rapidly, systematically and at greater scale. Possible approaches include AI-supported exploration based on physical simulations and systematic, AI-assisted analysis of cross-disciplinary scientific literature. This second challenge will support 10 teams in Stage 1 for five months at €450,000 per project, followed by Stage 2 support for seven teams for two months at €150,000 per project. Deadline: 6 September 2026

23. Horizon Europe – FINAL Work Programmes 2026-27 published

The European Commission has published the final versions of the 2026-27 call topics for all the clusters and missions and a number of the other main funding instruments (to download work programmes see here: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/horizon-europe-work-programmes_en ). For convenience, we have put together summary tables of all call topic titles in the ​​ linked Excel spreadsheet​​​ ​which has been updated to reflect the final work programmes – please use these to browse any topics that are of interest to you and that you may be able to contribute to (if you have looked at earlier versions, please check in case of changes). Once you have identified a topic(s) of interest, please search their call reference within the relevant full Work Programme PDF for full details. Many of the 2026 call topics have deadlines in March-April with some later around September — while we advise you to already start taking action for the 2027 calls. [For reference, you can find historic and future draft work programmes at: https://sciencebusiness.net/horizon-papers] They include:

• Cluster 1 – Health: FINAL
• Cluster 2 – Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society: FINAL
• Cluster 3 – Civil security for society:  FINAL
• Cluster 4 – Digital, industry, space: FINAL
• Cluster 5 – Climate, energy and mobility: FINAL
• Cluster 6 – Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment: FINAL
• Missions: FINAL
• New European Bauhaus Facility: FINAL
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions: FINAL
• European Research Council: 2026 (2027 is expected around May 2026)
• European Innovation Council: FINAL
• European Innovation Ecosystems: FINAL
• WIDERA (Widening, European Research Area): FINAL
• Research infrastructures: FINAL
• Horizontal activities: FINAL

For reference: General Introduction and General Annexes

**Please do reach out to the Research Funding Development team for support: jarlath.mckenna@newcastle.ac.uk or sarah.urquhart@newcastle.ac.uk**

 

24. Opportunities for Researchers from the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) in Horizon Europe: https://horizoneuropencpportal.eu/sites/default/files/2026-01/ssh-opportunities_2026-27_final.pdf

A guide that maps all Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) funding opportunities for 2026–2027, including an in‑depth analysis of SSH‑relevant topics across the entire Work Programme has been released.

25. NOW OPEN: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks 2026: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/doctoral-networks

MSCA Doctoral Networks fund doctoral programmes, consisting of a European consortium recruiting up to 15 PhD studentships, designed to respond to identified needs in various research and innovation areas. MSCA Doctoral Networks design doctoral programmes to develop entrepreneurial, innovative doctoral candidates. The aim is to equip these candidates with the right combination of research-related and transferable competencies, enhancing their career perspectives both within and outside academia. The funded Doctoral Networks will hold open recruitment procedures throughout the course of the maximum 48-month project and the recruited candidates must meet specific eligibility criteria outlined in the MSCA Work Programme. Please reach out to jarlath.mckenna@newcastle.ac.uk if interested with the next annual deadline 24 November 2026.