Stop wasting your time chasing calls for proposals and identify the most promising opportunities for you in Horizon Europe without feeling overwhelmed
Are you eyeing Horizon Europe, the EU's key funding programme for research and innovation?
You should! With its vast scope and €95 billion budget, Horizon Europe offers incredible opportunities. But it can also feel overwhelming.
Maybe you don't know wich call is the best fit for your idea? Where to concentrate your energies and attention? Which ideas has the best chance? If you meet eligibility requirements?
So how do you navigate this complex landscape without getting lost in the details? Let's break it down and create a map to help you focus on the opportunities that align with your research goals.
The three pillars of Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe is built on three main pillars, each with distinct objectives:
1. Excellent Science
Objective: To push the boundaries of scientific knowledge and strengthen the EU's scientific base
Key components:
- European Research Council (ERC) for frontier research proposed by the best researchers
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) for researcher mobility and training
- Research Infrastructures, for world-class integrated and interconnected research infrastructures
Approach: Often bottom-up
2. Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Objective: To address specific global issues and boost EU's industrial competitiveness
Key components: Organized into six clusters, with Cluster 1 focusing on Health
Approach: Typically top-down, with predefined work programmes and calls
3. Innovative Europe
Objective: To make Europe a frontrunner in market-creating innovation
Key components: European Innovation Council (EIC), European Innovation Ecosystems, European Institute of Innovation and Technology
Approach: A mix of the two approaches, depending on the calls
Key considerations for finding your fit
When faced with numerous calls and opportunities, remember that you don't need to scrutinize every call that comes your way. Instead, consider these factors to narrow down your focus and identify the best opportunities for you within Horizon Europe:
1. Assess your research focus and career stage.
Depending on the focus of your research and your career status, you might be interested in different aspects: diversifying your education, consolidating your research group, or bringing your innovative solutions to the market. Do you have clarity about what you want to achieve in your project and for your career? If not, start from here.
2. Consider your preference for individual or collaborative projects.
Another key aspect to consider is whether a call requires a consortium or is open to individual applications. Collaborative calls in Pilllar 2 necessitate forming partnerships with other institutions, whereas individual calls, such as those within the ERC or MSCA programmes, provide opportunities for solo applicants.
3. Evaluate your comfort with predefined topics vs. open-ended research.
While some calls allow you to shape the project focus based on your expertise (bottom-up), others require your proposal to align closely with predefined aims and impacts (top-down). Grasping the distinction between these two approaches in Horizon Europe calls is crucial to direct your efforts towards the calls that are best suited to you.
By focusing on programme parts that match your expertise and career goals, you can cut through the noise and identify the most promising opportunities without feeling overwhelmed.