Horizon Europe (2021 - 2027)

Talent ecosystems for attractive early research careers – pilot

Last update: 10 days ago Last update: May 14, 2025

Details

Location:EU 27
EU 27
Contracting authority type:Development Institution
Status:Awarded
Budget: EUR 20,000,000
Award ceiling:N/A
Award floor:N/A
Sector:Labour Market & Employment, Science & Innovation, Research
Languages:English
Eligible applicants:Unrestricted / Unspecified
Eligible citizenships:Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, A ...
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Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dem. Rep. Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Commonwealth of, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Eswatini (Swaziland), Ethiopia, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, French Southern Territory, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, North Macedonia, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine / West Bank & Gaza, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Date posted: May 16, 2024

Attachments 7

Description

Topic updates

13 February 2025

HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-02

EVALUATION results

Published: 29 March 2024

Deadline: 25 September 2024

Available budget: EUR 28 million

The results of the evaluation for each topic are as follows:



HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-02-03

Number of proposals submitted (including proposals transferred from or to other calls)

49

Number of inadmissible proposals

1

Number of ineligible proposals

0

Number of above-threshold proposals

34

Total budget requested for above-threshold proposals

64.248.254,75

Number of proposals retained for funding

10

Number of proposals in the reserve list

5

Funding threshold

13

Number of proposals with scores lower or equal to 15 and higher or equal to 14

4

Number of proposals with scores lower than 14 and higher or equal to 13

9

Number of proposals with scores lower than 13 and higher or equal to 10

21



Summary of observer report:

The evaluation of the HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-02 Call has covered 91 proposals submitted to three Topics. A total of 34 experts (evaluators), 10 dedicated rapporteurs and one independent observer were involved in the process, which was coordinated and managed by a highly experienced team of EC staff members from the Research Executive Agency (REA).

The evaluation was a complex process that extended throughout several months and required a strong coordination between all participants. This complexity led, however, to high quality results, i.e., funding decisions taken against clearly established criteria after comprehensive and well-organised discussions.

Experts proved to be very knowledgeable on the topics under discussions. During the individual remote and the consensus phases, experts behaved very professionally and did not allow consensus to be reached without robust exchange of views. All proposals were assessed and treated in a similar way in accordance with the evaluation procedure.

The transparency of the procedures was evident throughout the process, and the throughput time was sufficient to adequately undertake the evaluation process. No specific issues were raised as regards to impartiality of the participants, and confidentiality aspects were clearly managed.

The evaluation process fulfilled the high quality standards of the Horizon Europe evaluation procedures.

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We recently informed the applicants about the evaluation results for their proposals.

For questions, please contact the Research Enquiry Service.


 

10 October 2024

Call HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-02 has closed on the 25 September 2024.

91 proposals have been submitted.

The breakdown per topic is:
HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-02-03: 49 proposals
Evaluation results are expected to be communicated in February 2025


 

Talent ecosystems for attractive early research careers – pilot

TOPIC ID: HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-02-03

Type of grant: Call for proposals

General information

Programme: Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)

Call: Enhancing the European R&I system (HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-02)

Type of action: HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions

Type of MGA: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]

Status: Open for submission

Deadline model: single-stage

Opening Date: 15 May 2024

Deadline dates: 25 September 2024 17:00 (Brussels time)

Topic description

ExpectedOutcome:

The 2020 Commission Communication on ‘A New ERA for Research and Innovation’ underlined the importance of adequate framework conditions to support research careers in Europe. Action 4 of the ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024 – “Promote attractive and sustainable research careers, balanced talent circulation and international, transdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility across the ERA” - annexed to the November 2021 Council Conclusions on the ‘Future governance of the European Research Area’ foresees the development of a European framework for research careers, together with the upgrade of existing instruments and initiatives, including the revision of the Charter for Researchers. It also includes amongst its expected outcomes the development of new instruments to support research careers, such as the one proposed with this call topic.

This action will promote implementing the standards for attractive careers as laid down in the new Charter for Researchers and the Council recommendation on a European framework for research careers[1], responding to the political call for "labour market players to join forces for attractive careers”. It will support cooperation between academic, private and public sector entities at organisational level to create ecosystems that ensure attractive early research careers perspectives, provide researchers with skill sets that match labour market requirements, thus providing the talent pool needed for a truly functioning internal market for knowledge. Projects are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:

  • Establishment of ecosystems for research positions, in particular for early stage researchers, in academia, R&I performing institutions and businesses, connecting research training providers (in particular academia) and the researchers’ labour market (such as businesses, universities, research and technology organisations and government entities), supplying employers with skilled research talent that match labour market needs, including skills needs from the Green Deal, digital transition, and deep tech;
  • Wide implementation of the standards for attractive researcher careers as laid out in the new Charter for Researchers, leading to more attractive, more diverse and more interoperable careers for researchers across all sectors, contributing to a better-balanced and sustainable circulation of skilled and entrepreneurial workforce;
  • Improved early careers researchers’ competences and employability within and beyond academia, as well as career interoperability between sectors.

Scope:

The action supports consortia to create ‘talent ecosystems’ with a large pool of research and innovation positions operating under good training and working conditions in line with the new Charter for Researchers and the Council recommendation on a European framework for research careers, providing non-academic organisations, particularly businesses, with well-skilled researchers and other R&I talents, thereby increasing employability of early career researchers and improving interoperability of their careers between sectors.

This action particularly supports whole organisations and innovation ecosystems to implement the standards for attractive research careers laid down in the Charter for Researchers. A special focus is placed on organisational change in support of early career researchers[2], to offer them more and better career opportunities, including through strengthened coordination of measures at European, national, and regional level and increased cooperation between academia, industry, government and public sector.

The action is expected to be implemented by consortia consisting of both training providers (in particular academia) and employers of researchers (academia and organisations from non-academic sector, in particular businesses[3]) from across the European Research Area, creating connected “talent ecosystems” that allow the free flow of talents and create attractive perspectives for researchers’ careers within this ecosystem and beyond. A talent ecosystem for researchers is to be understood as a cohesive and interdependent system that encompasses various elements related to HR management of research talent. It can be thematic (e.g., targeted to R&I on climate, pharma, automotive, music industry) or have a more comprehensive target. It is designed to adapt to the evolving needs of the researcher labour market and the different occupations for researchers across sectors along the R1-R4 profiles, ensuring more customised training, career development and talent flowthrough. Such ecosystem is built around delivering a better employee experience and aligning with frequently changing priorities; it is agile and flexible to environmental shifts in the R&I system, such as changing labour market dynamics and skills needs. It provides distinct strategies for managing different research profiles, essential for competing in the global labour market, while delivering skilled research talent that match European labour market needs.

Consortia are expected to mainstream the Charter’s principles and good working conditions across all participating organisations, which need to demonstrate in the application a high ambition as to the number of (new or existing) research positions that will benefit from the organisational change within the duration of the grant, ultimately leading to coverage of all its research staff. Participating organisations are expected to have received the HR Excellence in Research Award (HRS4R[4]) or commit to apply the new Charter for Researchers and commit to its implementation (i.e., start the HRS4R process) within the grant duration, as far as relevant for their operations linked to the employment of researchers.

This action does not support salaries and mobility of individual researchers or teams of researchers. Instead, this action supports activities that lead to organisational change for more attractive research careers in line with the needs of R&I labour market players, towards the creation of sustainable talent ecosystems.

Funding will support implementation of good working conditions and reinforce flowthrough of talents between sectors, towards better employability of talent trained as researcher and increased interoperability of research careers between academia and non-academic sector entities. Activities can include (non-exhaustive list) the mapping of challenges, the development of action plans to bring the organisations in line with the new Charter for Researchers, scaling excellence in HR, and networking and relationship building for connecting the talent ecosystem partners. On a more practical level, activities could include the roll out of ResearchComp[5] in the organisational training and career development activities, the establishment of career services and training systems for early career researchers, the involvement of non-academic sector in the training of researchers, and relationship building between sectors for talent circulation.

This action is a pilot, testing the principles for a future investment strategy for attractive research careers at whole organisation and ecosystem level. Actions are therefore expected to provide policy feedback to the European Commission and Member States on the progress made, the success generated, and the obstacles encountered. Grants can have a duration of up to 3 years; a longer duration is possible if duly justified.

[1]Charter for Researchers, annexed to the Council recommendation C/2023/1640 of 18 December 2023 on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe (OJ C, C/2023/1640, 29.12.2023), https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:C_202301640.

[2]Early career researchers: First Stage Researchers, doing research under supervision up to the point of a PhD or equivalent level of competence and experience, and Recognised Researchers, with a PhD or equivalent level of competence and experience who are not yet fully independent in their ability to develop their own research, attract funding, or lead a research group; R1 and R2 profiles in the Council recommendation (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:C_202301640). R1 and R2 profiles should be considered early-career researchers.

[3]Non-academic sector means any socio-economic actor not included in the academic sector e.g., industry, SMEs, independent research infrastructures (e.g., ERICs), government, non-academic public bodies, private research organisations, civil society organisations, international organisations, cultural institutions, hospitals, etc. Academic sector means public or private higher education establishments awarding academic degrees, public non-profit research organisations for whom one of the main objectives is to pursue research or technological development, and International European Research Organisations (IERO).

[4]HR Excellence in Research Award: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/hrs4r.

[5]ResearchComp: skills and competencies framework for researchers (https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/jobs-research/researchcomp-european-competence-framework-researchers_en).

 

Topic destination

Reforming and enhancing the EU research and innovation system (2023/24)

Introduction

Horizon Europe has a new level of ambition – to maximise the impact of the European Union's research and innovation funding for European science, the economy and the wider society. It marks a paradigm change in the design of the European R&I framework programmes (FP) from an activity-driven to an impact-driven programme. Coupled to this ambition is the relaunch of the European Research Area (ERA) as described in the Commission Communication “A new ERA for Research and Innovation” (COM/2020/628 final of 30.09.2020).

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of R&I cooperation to provide solutions to society’s most demanding needs. With the priority on delivering Europe’s recovery as well as on the green and digital twin transitions, a new level of ambition, linking R&I better with the economy, and with education and training, is needed to match these challenges and put scientific knowledge to work.

The new ERA calls for deepening existing priorities and creating new initiatives by strengthening the mobility of researchers and the free flow of knowledge and technology, to improve access to excellence, boost market uptake and prioritise investment and reform. Working together has been the philosophy of the ERA since its launch; however, the green and digital transitions and the COVID recovery call for more and closer cooperation between the Commission, the Member States and stakeholders. They require the setting of new priorities, launching ambitious joint initiatives and developing common approaches between policies.

To address these requirements, Destination 3 of part 11 of the Horizon Europe work programme will support efforts to reform and enhance the European R&I system. Destination 3 is built around four strands corresponding to the four objectives set out in the ERA Communication:

  1. Prioritising investments and reforms in research and innovation;
  2. Improving access to excellence, progressing towards excellence across the whole EU and striving for stronger research and innovation systems;
  3. Translating R&I results into the economy to meet the digital and green transition objectives, and boost the resilience and competitiveness of our economies and societies;
  4. Deepening the ERA, to further progress the free circulation of knowledge and to ensure an upgraded, efficient and effective R&I system.

The principle of excellence, meaning that the best researchers with the best ideas that offer the best solutions to the societal challenges obtain funding, remains the cornerstone for all investments under the ERA.

Strand 1 recognises the importance of prioritising investments and reforms to accelerate the green and digital transformation and to increase competitiveness as well as the speed and depth of the recovery. It offers support for policy-makers and addresses the need for better analysis and evidence, including simplifying and facilitating the inter-play between national and European R&I systems.

Strand 2 addresses the need to improve access to excellence and to increase the performance of R&I systems, building on dedicated Horizon Europe measures as well as complementarities with smart specialisation strategies under the Cohesion Policy.

Strand 3 focuses on the importance of translating R&I results into the economy. R&I policies should aim to boost the resilience and competitiveness of our economies and societies.

Strand 4 addresses the challenge of deepening the ERA and includes Open Science, Higher Education and Researchers, Citizen Science, Science Education, Gender and Ethics. It aims at underpinning a new ERA benefitting from knowledge creation, circulation and use. This empowers higher education institutions and research organisations to embrace a transformative process; where a highly skilled workforce can circulate freely; and where research outputs are shared; where gender equality is assured; where the outcomes of R&I are understood, trusted and increasingly used, by educated informed scientists and citizens to the benefit of society.

Expected impact:

Proposals for topics under this Destination should set out a credible pathway to contributing to the following expected impacts, focussing on those that are most relevant to the respective topic:

  1. Reform and enhance of the European R&I system;
  2. Prioritisation of investments and reforms, accomplish the recovery and the twin transitions;
  3. Improved access to excellence;
  4. High quality scientific production and stronger translation of R&I results into the economy;
  5. Deepen the ERA;
  6. Coordinated national and regional R&I programmes by pooling national resources and contributing to the alignment of national research and innovation policies;
  7. Improved knowledge for policy making about the networking patterns of research support staff and research management;
  8. Synergies between research & innovation and higher education policies and programmes;
  9. Modernised higher education sector, adressing higher education, research, and innovation;
  10. Increased number of interconnected knowledge ecosystems, strong in knowledge creation, circulation and use;
  11. Researchers benefitting from attractive careers;
  12. Inclusive gender equality is promoted in the European research and innovation system;
  13. A more open and inclusive research and innovation system;
  14. Increased capacity in the EU R&I system to conduct open science and to set it as a modus operandi of modern science;
  15. Increased engagement of citizens with research and innovation;
  16. Increased alignment of strategic research with societal needs, expectations and values;
  17. Identify synergies between second and third level education, and between education and business;
  18. Increased trust in science and R&I outcomes, and greater two-way communication between science and society;
  19. Knowledge and a highly skilled workforce circulate freely;
  20. Improved capacities within the EU R&I system to conduct open science.

 

General conditions

1. Admissibility conditions: described in Annex Aand Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes

Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System

2. Eligible countries: described in Annex Bof the Work Programme General Annexes

A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

3. Other eligibility conditions: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes

The following additional eligibility criteria apply: Applications must be submitted by a consortium.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes

5.Evaluation and award:

  • Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex Dof the Work Programme General Annexes

  • Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual

  • Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants: described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes

Specific conditions

7. Specific conditions: described in the specific topic of the Work Programme

Start submission

To access the Electronic Submission Service, please click on the submission-button next to the type of action and the type of model grant agreement that corresponds to your proposal. You will then be asked to confirm your choice, as it cannot be changed in the submission system. Upon confirmation, you will be linked to the correct entry point.

To access existing draft proposals for this topic, please login to the Funding & Tenders Portal and select the My Proposals page of the My Area section.

 

Get support

Online Manualis your guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing your grant.

Horizon Europe Programme Guidecontains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe.

Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ– find the answers to most frequently asked questions on submission of proposals, evaluation and grant management.

Research Enquiry Service– ask questions about any aspect of European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular.

National Contact Points (NCPs)– get guidance, practical information and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. There are also NCPs in many non-EU and non-associated countries (‘third-countries’).

Enterprise Europe Network– contact your EEN national contact for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs. The support includes guidance on the EU research funding.

IT Helpdesk–contact the Funding & Tenders Portal IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc.

European IPR Helpdeskassists you on intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk–the European Standards Organisationsadvise you how to tackle standardisation in your project proposal.

The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment– consult the general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, employers and funders of researchers.

Partner Search Serviceshelp you find a partner organisation for your proposal.

 
 
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