International research funding circular – 14 March 2025

News

 

1. NEW: Warsaw Declaration on the strategic role of the future EU R&I framework programme: https://polish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/media/r5fa13v5/warsaw-declaration_final.pdf

EU research ministers call for the next Framework Programme, FP10, to be a standalone research and innovation programme and not part of a broader European Competitiveness Fund (see news piece for summary).

2. NEW: Leaked Horizon 2026/27 plans set priorities for biodiversity, food and environment calls: https://sciencebusiness.net/biodiversity/leaked-horizon-plans-set-priorities-biodiversity-food-and-environment-calls

Draft 2026-27 work programme maintains focus on topics ranging from biodiversity to resilient farming.

3. NEW: Deepening collaboration between academia and industry: https://sciencebusiness.net/news/universities/deepening-collaboration-between-academia-and-industry

Experts at the Science|Business annual conference emphasized the need for stronger, long-term partnerships between higher education institutions and industry to enhance Europe’s innovation and competitiveness.

 

4. 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

 

5. NEW: Overview of Horizon Europe Information Session, Tuesday 8th April, 12:00-13:15, Clement Stephenson Lecture Theatre, Agriculture Building

Horizon Europe is the ambitious EU research & innovation framework programme for 2021-2027 with a budget of €95.5 billion. There are many opportunities within it, both at individual level and to develop consortia, from frontier research to challenge-driven research to innovation. Join us for this session by the Research Funding Development team that presents an overview of the existing framework programme, timescale for upcoming calls and how to engage with them, and the latest on the future framework programme. Please register your attendance.

6. NEW: Bridging the Atlantic – Health 2025: Virtual matchmaking opportunity on 27 March 2025: https://go-eit.eu/global-platform/bridging-the-atlantic-health-2025/

Bridging the Atlantic is a virtual matchmaking programme that brings together innovation leaders in Health such as the private sector, research institutes, hospitals, universities and others, from Europe and Canada, to help them find the right partners and win Horizon Europe grants. As part of the series, participants from Europe and Canada will participate in discussions on Horizon Europe Health calls, create working groups/consortia, and enhance their chances of winning Horizon Europe grants. The event will take place on 27 March. Registrations close on 26 March.

 

7. 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.

8. 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/

9. Horizon Europe info days by European Commission (mostly online)

European related funding

 

10. 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.

 

11. 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

 

12: 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.

 

13. 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

 

14. 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

 

15.  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.

 

16.  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.

17.  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

 

18.  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.

 

19. 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

 

20.  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

 

21. NEW: EPSRC Japan-UK joint call for collaborations in advancing human-centred AI: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/japan-uk-joint-call-for-collaborations-in-advancing-human-centred-ai/

Based on the implementation principles of the ASPIRE program in Japan, this partnership programme aims to support internationally competitive collaborative research projects between Japan and the UK focusing on the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and data science. This programme will create leading international research networks, and nurture early career researchers to invigorate the AI sector in each country. Up to £1.5M (for UK component) over 5 years available. Deadline 22 May 2025.

 

22. NEW: Google PhD Fellowships in Computer Science: https://research.google/programs-and-events/phd-fellowship/

The Google PhD Fellowships support outstanding graduate students undertaking exceptional and innovative research as part of a PhD in computer science or related field. The awards range from $10,000 to $85,000 per year, depending on location, to fund stipend, tuition, fees and research costs over a maximum three year period. Fellows will also be allocated a Google Mentor to provide support for the duration of the fellowship. Fields of interest for the 2025 application round include: Computer architecture. Health research.             Human-computer interaction.        Machine learning and ML foundations.  Machine perception.        Natural language processing.     Privacy, safety and security.             Quantum computing.     Software engineering and programming languages.             Systems, networking and cloud computing. In Europe, institutions may nominate up to three eligible students so please let jarlath.mckenna@newcastle.ac.uk know if you are interested in making a nomination by 28 April 2025 to coordinate demand. The Google deadline is 15 May 2025.

 

23. NEW: SCAR, COMNAP, CCAMLR and IAATO Antarctic Schemes: https://funding.myresearchconnect.com/News/View/GRUKRES!N26580

The SCAR, COMNAP, CCAMLR and IAATO Antarctic Fellowship and Scholarship schemes run in parallel and are offered to early career researchers, engineers, environmental managers and other professionals to strengthen international capacity and cooperation in a range of fields concerned with Antarctic research. Various deadline between June and August 2025.

 

24. NEW: Ivano Bertini Award for Achievement in Integrated Structural Biology 2026: https://instruct-eric.org/submit-call/bertini-award-2026

Instruct-ERIC offers a biennial award in memory of Ivano Bertini, who pioneered innovative methodologies in the field of NMR spectroscopy and championed technology integration as a foundation for correlative structural biology. The award recognises scientists who have undertaken frontier research utilising an integrative structural biology approach that aligns with the Instruct vision. Awardees receive an unrestricted grant of €15,000, a personalised certificate and will deliver a lecture at the Instruct Conference. Deadline 31 July 2025.

25. REMINDER: 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.

26. 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

 

27. 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.

 

28. 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.

29. 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

 

30. 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.

 

31. 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

 

32. 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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