Enhancing the European R&I system

Home Funding Calls for proposals Pillar II: Talent ecosystems for attractive early research careers Pillar II: Talent ecosystems for attractive early research careers HORIZON-WIDERA-2027-05-ERA-02 Topic Call for proposal Internal navigation General information Topic description Destination Conditions and documents Budget overview Partner search announcements Start submission Topic Q&As Get support General information Programme Horizon Europe (HORIZON) Call Enhancing the European R&I system (HORIZON-WIDERA-2027-05) Type of action HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions Type of MGA HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Forthcoming Deadline model single-stage Planned opening date 08 December 2026 Deadline date 11 March 2027 17:00:00 Brussels time Topic description Expected Outcome: Proposals will deliver on the impact of “Improved research careers and mobility, based on the European framework for research careers, fostering knowledge flows and career interoperability across sectors and countries”[1], contributing to the ERA Structural Policy “Making research careers more attractive and sustainable, and support mobility”. Project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: Creation of talent ecosystems, as integrated networks where cross-sectoral public and private organisations have established close and coordinated cooperation, fostering among others the employability, skills, career development, mobility, career interoperability, and well-being of researchers and other R&I staff; Implementation of organisational changes by participating organisations to mainstream the principles of the European framework for research careers and of the European Charter for Researchers, resulting in researchers benefitting from attractive working and employment conditions and diversified career development opportunities, with spillover effects on other R&I staff; Well-connected talent ecosystems through regular cooperation between different projects established under this topic and other ongoing actions[2]; Enhanced talent ecosystems, enabling a substantial number of researchers and other R&I staff to develop attractive careers and attracting international talents and European diaspora scientists. Scope: The topic supports consortia in creating ‘talent ecosystems’ where both training providers and employers of researchers, especially from the non-academic sector, cooperate closely to promote attractive and sustainable careers for researchers, in particular for early-career researchers. Cooperation between actors should focus on ensuring, on the one hand, that a large pool of researchers, and where relevant other R&I staff, benefits from attractive working and employment conditions as a result of the implementation of the European Charter for Researchers at organisational level; on the other hand, making sure that researchers and other R&I staff are trained according to the needs of businesses, industry, and, more generally, to the needs of the labour market. This should help close existing gaps between R&I talents and the labour market, ensuring that businesses and industry benefit from a substantial and highly skilled workforce, especially in sectors with high demand for talent or specific R&I skills. Cooperation should create conditions for interoperable careers for researchers and for continuous and multidirectional talent circulation between the various sectors within the ecosystem. A talent ecosystem may be established around a specific sector (e.g., AI, health, digital, climate, clean tech, energy, deep tech, automotive, defence, space) or be comprehensive in nature. The talent ecosystems and the cooperation among partners and sectors are expected to be designed to last beyond the duration of the project and benefit researchers and other R&I staff both within the consortium and beyond. Participating organisations are expected to have received the HR Excellence in Research Award[3] or commit to applying the new Charter for Researchers and commit to its implementation (i.e., start the process towards the Award) within the grant duration, as far as relevant for their operations related to the employment of researchers[4]. This action does not support salaries and mobility of individual researchers or teams of researchers. Activities may include (non-exhaustive list) mapping challenges, developing action plans to bring the organisations in line with the Charter for Researchers, upskilling (including on the basis of ResearchComp and RM Comp), involving the non-academic sector in the design and implementation of training programmes for researchers and other R&I staff, establishing career development and mentoring services, developing services for the well-being of researchers and other R&I staff, creating conditions for interoperable careers between countries and sectors, supporting incoming mobile researchers, networking and relationship-building to connect talent ecosystem partners, and outreach activities to attract international researchers to the ecosystem. Expected project duration is up to 3 years without prejudice to a longer duration if justified. [1] Council Recommendation of 18 December 2023 on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe; includes Charter for Researchers, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/C/2023/1640/oj. [2] See projects funded under HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-02-03. [3] https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/hrexcellenceaward. [4] The European Charter for Researchers, while being applicable to all organisations employing researchers, is particularly relevant for those organisations which, because of their size, structure, and number of researchers employed, need to have dedicated expertise, capacity, and resources to manage and implement institutional human resources strategies and policies. This is typically linked to those organisations having a human resources department. Show more Topic destination Reforming and enhancing the EU research and innovation system (2026-27) The guiding policy framework of this destination is the Communication "A New ERA for Research and Innovation"[1], the Council Recommendation on the Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe (Pact for R&I)[2], and the European Research Area (ERA) Policy Agenda (2025-2027)[3]. The funded actions will strengthen the ERA by promoting the freedom of movement of researchers, scientific knowledge, and technology and by providing new evidence for better-informed policymaking. More details on the ERA policy framework are in the introduction to the WIDERA work programme 2026-2027. The EU Member States, Associated Countries, R&I stakeholders, and the Commission work together to implement the ERA. This process is steered by the ERA Policy Agenda, which identifies specific ERA Actions (time-limited initiatives) and Structural Policies (long-term policies) designed to tackle concrete challenges faced by R&I communities in Europe. This work programme is designed to support this process. The funded actions will build knowledge and capacities at the level of institutions and ecosystems to adopt reforms and practices in line with the ERA Policy Agenda, thereby contributing to the implementation of the ERA. The destination will be implemented in synergy with the European Higher Education Area and the European Education Area, especially in relation to R&I careers and institutional changes in universities and research organisations. Several call topics and other actions will also contribute to the implementation of the European framework for research careers[4]. The destination includes two calls with 13 topics in total as well as other actions, targeting a wide range of R&I stakeholders, e.g., universities, research performing and funding organisations, research evaluation agencies, networks of researchers, publishers, industry and start-ups, policymakers, local authorities, and public bodies. The effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines is encouraged under this destination, including the involvement of SSH experts, institutions, and the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, to enhance the societal impact of project activities. The ERA Platform showcases results from Horizon Europe-funded projects, making them available to a wide range of stakeholders to facilitate progress in ERA policy areas. Applicants are encouraged to consider these results as well as propose new tools, resources, and visual material that can be featured on the platform. All topics in the 2026 and 2027 ERA calls are organised around four pillars, designed to enable the funded projects to strengthen R&I capacities across four complementary dimensions while addressing selected ERA Actions and Structural Policies. The table below summarises this approach, making it easier for applicants to choose their preferred policy area and type of activity. Each call topic title refers to its corresponding pillar. 2026 and 2027 ERA calls: pillar structure Pillar I: Institutional changes for ERA Pillar II: Ecosystems for ERA Type: coordination and support actions Focus: capacity building and support to foster adoption of ERA policies/practices within institutions. Activity types: providing tools, resources, training, services, and policy advice. Policy areas: Equity in open science Inclusive gender equality Research assessment reform Research ethics and integrity Open access policies Type: coordination and support actions Focus: building and reinforcing networks and partnerships to foster broad uptake of ERA policies/practices. Activity types: exchanging knowledge and practice, networking and cooperative actions. Policy areas: Research ethics and integrity Environmentally sustainable science Knowledge valorisation Open science practices Research careers Pillar III: Citizens and science in ERA Pillar IV: New knowledge for ERA Type: coordination and support actions Focus: connecting R&I with citizens and other stakeholders. Activity types: implementing and promoting participatory approaches, such as citizen engagement and citizen science. Policy areas: Trust in science Knowledge valorisation Citizen and societal engagement Type: research and innovation actions Focus: creating new knowledge that supports design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and practices. Activity types: conducting analyses, developing and testing new methods and practices. Policy areas: Reproducibility in research Research ethics and integrity Inclusive gender equality Research careers Global approach to R&I Proposals under this destination should set out a credible pathway to one or several of the following expected impacts: Effective and sustainable structural institutional changes aligned with the ERA priorities; Sustainable ecosystems established around the ERA priorities through enhanced cooperation, coordination and alignment; Increased trust in science and alignment of R&I with society’s needs; Strengthened evidence base for advancing the implementation of the ERA; Increased reproducibility, trustworthiness and transparency of scientific research; A more open, equitable and inclusive research and innovation ecosystem; A research ethics and integrity ecosystem continually enhanced with robust methodologies that encourage benefit sharing and prevent ethics dumping; Systemic reform of research assessment through the recognition of the diverse outputs, practices, and activities which maximise the quality and impact of research; Improved research careers and mobility, based on the European framework for research careers, fostering knowledge flows and career interoperability across sectors and countries; Stronger translation of R&I results into society and economy; Enhanced gender equality and inclusiveness, leading to research excellence and more innovative, socially relevant, and economically impactful outcomes; Increased uptake, effectiveness and impact of [... συνέχεια στην επίσημη πρόσκληση]