International Research Funding Circular – 07 March 2025

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

 News

 1. NEW: EU research commissioner invites India to join Horizon Europe: https://sciencebusiness.net/horizon-europe/zaharieva-invites-india-join-horizon-europe

While India’s decision is pending both sides agreed to launch joint R&D calls for projects worth €60 million.

 2. NEW: NU Research Funding News Highlights Winter 24/25: https://sway.cloud.microsoft/FWSoIikmFyKitBWm?ref=Link&loc=play

The Research Funding News Highlights presents the strategic developments, policy news and key appointments, shaping the research funding landscape over the past 3 months.

 Events

3. REMINDER: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025 Information Session, Wednesday 2nd April, 13:00-14:00, Stephenson Building 2.024 https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/postdoctoral-fellowships

The objective of the MSCA PFs is to support research careers and foster excellence in research. Postdoctoral Fellowships offer funding for living allowance, research, training, and networking costs as well as management and indirect costs. The information session is aimed at prospective supervisors and current MSCA supervisors at the university will share their experiences. Attendees can register here.

4. NEW: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship workshop, by CONNECTS-UK and NCL Europe, online 15:30-17:00 on 27 March 2025

Interested in securing an MSCA Individual Fellowship? Join our interactive workshop on 27th March 2025 to gain expert insights and first-hand experiences from successful fellows. Hosted by CONNECTS-UK, in collaboration with EURAXESS and Newcastle University (NCL Europe), this session will cover:

  • A comprehensive overview of the MSCA programme and Individual Fellowships
  • Key insights into the application process, eligibility, and funding
  • Personal experiences from senior MSCA recipients across research fields
  • A chance to engage directly with speakers and gain tailored advice

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and take the next step in your research career. Register now! Link to website and registration form: https://connects-uk.org/event/informative-session-workshop-on-msca-individual-fellowships/

5. NEW: Horizon Europe info days by European Commission (mostly online)

6. NEW: ALICE ETP Brokerage Event, 2-3 April, Brussels

ALICE ETP (Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Cooperation in Europe Technology Platform) is recognised by the European Commission as ‘the voice’ of the sector in Europe and have quite a degree of influence when it comes to stimulating future Horizon Europe competitions. They are holding a Brokerage Event on 2nd and 3rd April in Brussels to help organisations meet potential partners for collaborative projects.

7. Registrations are open for the 2025 edition of the EIC Summit, 2nd-3rd April, Brussels,  https://eu.eventscloud.com/ereg/newreg.php?eventid=200286263&

The 2025 EIC Summit will take place on 2 & 3 April 2025 in Tour & Taxis, Brussels. Day 1 (2 April), will be fully dedicated to EIC beneficiaries with workshops, pitching sessions and networking opportunities. Day 2 (3 April) will be open to the public and bring on stage discussions and  fireside chats on different topics. Throughout the event, participants will have several opportunities for networking and meeting the EIC projects showcasing in the exhibition.

European related funding

 

7. NEW: 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.

 

8. REMINDER: European Innovation Council Pathfinder Open 2025 https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-eic-2025-pathfinderopen

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. A total of €142 million is available to enable applicants to realise an ambitious vision for radically new technology, with potential to create new markets and/or to provide solutions for global challenges. Submissions may be made by consortia of at least three different independent legal entities (such as research organisations, universities, SMEs, start-ups, industry, natural persons) established in at least three different eligible countries (EU Member States and Associate Countries including the U.K), of which at least one must be an EU Member State. Deadline 21 May 2025

 

Meanwhile, 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

 

9: REMINDER: Further updates to Horizon Europe Draft Work Programmes

There have been further leaks to Horizon Europe 2025 Work Programmes (and early 2026-2027 notes) as published by Science Business news, 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. Formal 2025 Work Programmes are expected to be finalised and published in April 2025:

2026-27 Work Programmes

2025 Work Programmes

In addition (confidentially) please see:

 

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

 

10. VolkswagenStiftung Launches New Funding Programme for Science Buddy Tandems https://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/en/funding/funding-offer/night-science-space-creative-mind

The Night Science – Space for the Creative Mind funding programme aims to provide researchers with the freedom to focus more on creativity in order to strengthen disruptive research approaches. Funding is provided for the regular interdisciplinary exchange of two researchers (‘science buddies’) in natural, life and technical sciences for a period of a year. The programme allows the two scientists to step back from their regular research activities and devote more time to their creativity and the exchange of ideas within the tandem. The Foundation grants up to €200,000 per tandem. The funding period starts on 1 April 2026. Deadline 5 June 2025

11. Project Grants for Clinical and Basic Studies of Autoimmunity in Type-1 Diabetes https://www.europeandiabetesfoundation.org/workshops/132-efsd-and-sanofi-european-diabetes-research-programme-autoimmunity-type-1-diabetes.html

The European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD) is inviting proposals for the 2025 round of the European Diabetes Research Programme on Autoimmunity in Type 1 Diabetes, which offers support for basic and clinical research aimed at improving current knowledge of any aspect of autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes, including pathogenesis, screening and monitoring, clinical course and interventions. Grants of up to €100,000 are available for projects hosted by single non-profit institutions, or groups of institutions, based in Europe or associated countries. Deadline 15 May 2025

 

12. Fondation Maladies Rares and CMT-France Launch Joint Call on Charcot-Marie-Tooth Diseases https://fondation-maladiesrares.org/le-financement-des-projets-scientifiques/

Fondation Maladies Rares and CMT-France have launched a joint call for proposals to support innovative basic, translational or clinical research programmes on CMT diseases. All disciplines in the biomedical sciences or the humanities and social sciences are eligible. The programme seeks to support at least one project for the development of therapeutic strategies and at least one project focused on improving CMT patients’ quality of life.The call will provide up to €25,000 for a project with a maximum duration of 24 months. Deadline 22 May 2025

 

13.  MSCA COFUND Doctoral/Postdoctoral Fellowships: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/news/msca-opens-eu1018m-call-to-co-fund-doctoral-and-postdoctoral-programmes

Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) applications are now being accepted under the co-funding of regional, national and international programmes (COFUND) scheme, which provides funding for regional, national and international programmes for training and career development through co-funding mechanisms. The programme supports new or existing doctoral programmes and postdoctoral fellowship schemes managed by entities established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries with the aim of spreading the best practices of the MSCA. This includes international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary research training, as well as international and cross-sectoral mobility of researchers at all stages of their career. COFUND projects should last for up to five years and should recruit at least three researchers. MSCA are open to all domains of research and innovation. Any type of organisation can apply as long as they have the operational and financial capacity to carry out the tasks they propose. The budget for the 2025 call is €101.82 million. A beneficiary can receive a maximum of €10 million per call. COFUND funding helps host organisations cover for each supported researcher with a fixed amount (COFUND allowance) equivalent to the minimum salary that researchers should receive. This allowance can be used to support any cost items of the programme. Deadline 24 June 2025.

 

14.  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.

15.  Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) calls 9 and 10 launched: https://www.ihi.europa.eu/apply-funding/future-opportunities

IHI call 9 – a single-stage, applicant driven call:

The following topics were launched under IHI call 9 on 16 January 2025. The final versions of the call texts are available on the IHI call 9 page – applicants should read them carefully.

  • Topic 1 (SO1): Boosting innovation for a better understanding of the determinants of health
  • Topic 2 (SO2): Boosting innovation through better integration of fragmented health R&I efforts
  • Topic 3 (SO3): Boosting innovation for peopled centred integrated healthcare solutions
  • Topic 4 (SO4):Boosting innovation through exploitation of digitalisation and data exchange in healthcare
  • Topic 5 (SO5):Boosting innovation for better assessment of the added value of innovative integrated healthcare solutions

IHI call 10 – a standard, two-stage call:

The following topics were launched under IHI call 10 on 16 January 2025. The final versions of the texts are available on the IHI call 10 page – applicants should read them carefully.

  • Digital label: one source of comprehensive information for medical technology products
  • Enabling and safeguarding innovation in secondary use of health data in the European Health Data Space (EHDS)
  • Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure, emissions, and end of life management in the healthcare sector

 

16.  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.

 

17. 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 within 3 months of a request being approved. 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

 

Official development assistance (ODA) related funding

 

18.  Global Health Research – Health Policy and Systems bands 1 to 3: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/global-health-research-health-policy-and-systems-bands-1-3/97033

The Global Health Research (GHR) Health Policy and Systems (HPS) programmes will soon be looking for applications to this new, annual funding opportunity. GHR-HPS funds research to improve the understanding and effectiveness of health systems and health policy in low and middle income countries (LMICs) on the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list. Research must address evidence needs relating to health systems that are locally identified and prioritised, and must promote health equity, aligning with the aims of Sustainable Development Goal 3. Applications can span from broad, ambitious programmes of research to projects with a narrower scope. The GHR-HPS programmes replace the previously run Global Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) Programme and now commissions research through 3 programme bands. Through this opportunity, funding ranges from £0.25 to £4 million, over a period up to 5 years, depending on the band you apply for. The is a webinar on 20 January 2025. Calls will open 26 February with a deadline of 18 June 2025.

 

General international

 

19. NEW: International 3Rs Prize: https://nc3rs.org.uk/international-3rs-prize#

An annual Prize awarded for a paper that describes outstanding and original work that has or could have major impacts on the replacement, reduction or refinement of the use of animals in research. This prestigious award consists of a £28k prize grant and a £2k personal award. A £20k contribution is provided by GSK with all remaining funds, including the personal award made by the NC3Rs. Deadline 01 May 2025

 

20. NEW: WADA Scientific Research Grants to Combat Doping in Sport: https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/2024-06/2025_scientific_research_grants_signed_0.pdf

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) provides Scientific Research Grants to support projects developing new and improved detection methods for prohibited substances and methods, and that study emerging doping threats (e.g. gene doping). Grants may have a duration of between one and three years. No minimum or maximum funding levels are stated by the funder. However, in 2023, average grant values were of $115,000, with individual awards ranging from $35,000 to $500,000. Expressions of Interest (EoIs) are accepted at any time during the year. WADA operates three cycles per year during which applications are considered, aligned with its executive committee meetings. The next cut-off date for EoIs to be received is 4 July 2025.

 

21. Bilateral Japan-UK Call to Develop Long-Term Collaborations in Quantum Technologies Research https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/japan-uk-joint-call-for-quantum-technologies-for-innovation/

Funding will support research related to quantum computers and quantum technology which contributes to the realisation of a productivity revolution, and research on quantum materials with innovative functions. Applications will have a project lead based at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding and a project lead based at a Japanese research organisation eligible for Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) funding. The ambition is to fund approximately three collaborations for projects of five years’ duration. The total fund value on the UK side is £5.625 million at 100% full economic cost (FEC). Deadline 8 May 2025.

 

22. ResMed Foundation Clinical Research Grants 2025 Deadlines https://www.resmedfoundation.org/funding/scientific-research.php

Clinical Research Grants are available for novel research as well as public and physician awareness of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and other respiratory disorders, with a primary focus on positive airway pressure and ventilation-based treatments. The annual available budget for all types of grants provided by the ResMed Foundation is $1,350,000. The size of each grant is determined on a case-by-case basis.

23. 18th NRF Singapore Science and Technology Fellowships https://www.nrf.gov.sg/grants/nrff/

The NRF has launched the 18th edition of its fellowship programme, intended to support projects that exhibit high likelihood of a research breakthrough. The edition will fund fellowships starting in 2026.Eligible applicants are outstanding young scientists and researchers of all nationalities. The applicant must hold a PhD holders and have research experience in any discipline of science and technology . Each award provides a research grant of up to SGD 3.25 million (inclusive of 30% general overheads) over five years to enable the recipient to assemble and lead a small research team at a Singapore-based research organisation of choice. Deadline 7 May 2025

 

24. NERC Global Partnerships Seedcorn Fund 2025: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/environmental-sciences-global-partnerships-seedcorn-fund-2025/

Apply for funding to create new and sustainable global partnerships within NERC remit of environmental sciences. Applications must include at least one new international partner, focus on activities that require international expertise, and show long-term potential. The full economic cost (FEC) is £100,000 for up to two years. Applications including partners in Brazil or Taiwan may be eligible for co-funding from FAPESP or NSTC, respectively. Deadline 3 April 2025.

 

25. International Einstein Foundation Award: https://award.einsteinfoundation.de/

The award is given to researchers, teams, institutions or organisations that have demonstrated excellence in areas such as fostering research integrity, developing quality-improving interventions, or increasing diversity in research. Achievements in the following four areas are considered: Reproducibility and Research Quality, MetaScience, Research Assessment and Incentives, and Accessibility and Inclusion. This may include measures such as promoting Open Science and Team Science, implementing innovative approaches to prevent misconduct, ensuring long-term data archiving, or addressing systemic factors affecting research integrity. The award also recognises contributions to reproducibility studies and the teaching of good research practices, as well as efforts to develop more appropriate methods for assessing research quality beyond purely quantitative measures. The award is presented in three categories: • Individual Award (€150k) • Institutional Award (€100k) • Early Career Award (€100k). Deadline 30 April 2025.

 

26. Spencer Foundation Research Grant Programs: https://www.spencer.org/research-grants

The Spencer Foundation invests in education research that cultivates learning and transforms lives: ‘The goal of all of our research grants is to support rigorous, intellectually ambitious and technically sound research that is relevant to the most pressing questions and compelling opportunities in education. We value work that fosters creative and open-minded scholarship, engages in deep inquiry, and examines robust questions related to education. We seek to support scholarship that develops new foundational knowledge that may also have a lasting impact on policy-making, practice, or educational discourse.’. Grants include:

  • Racial Equity Research Grants – intent to apply deadline in May 2025, with proposal deadline June 2025
  • Research Grants on Education: Large – intent to apply deadline is 14 January 2025, with proposal deadline 11 February 2025 (EXPIRED)
  • Research Grants on Education: Small – open mid-February with proposal deadline in mid-April 2025

 

27. Global 3Rs Awards 2025: https://www.aaalac.org/awards/global-3rs-awards/

The Global 3Rs Awards programme recognises significant innovative contributions towards the 3Rs of animal research to advance ethical science. The 3Rs are the Replacement, Reduction and Refinement of animal use. The scheme is open to any researcher in academia or industry working in any area of biology (eg basic science, discovery, development, teaching, testing, manufacture of new medicines, vaccines, medical devices, or healthcare products for humans and animals). Up to four regional awards are available: North America, Europe, Pacific Rim and the Rest of the World. Award nominations must be based on a primary research paper that advances any of the 3Rs and has been published in a peer-reviewed journal in the last three years. Candidates may be nominated or can self-nominate. Up to four awards of $10,000 each are available. Nominations must be submitted by the deadline of 1 June 2025 (16:00 EDT).

 

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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