European Project Funding
The European Union provides various funding programs that are publicly advertised and open to scientists of any nationality.
The Grants Office of the University of Basel, which acts also as the Euresearch Regional Office Basel supports researchers who are interested in applying for EU funding. Additionally, the Euresearch Mandate includes advising institutions outside the university, e.g. companies and start-ups, foundations, public authorities and other organizations.
On CORDIS, the EU's database for research projects, you find an overview of the projects with the participation of the University of Basel in the former European Research and Innovation Framework Programme "Horizon 2020".
Horizon Europe at present
The European Commission has fully activated the transitional arrangements as of 1 January 2025. This enables researchers and innovators in Switzerland to participate as “beneficiaries” in almost all calls for proposals from Horizon Europe and the Euratom programme and in addition also the calls of the Digital Europe Programme. This means that, for Calls from the 2025 programme year, participants in Switzerland :
- can submit project proposals in the role of coordinator
- must prepare project proposals as a beneficiary and apply directly to the EU for funding (request EC contribution).
- must include their budget in the total amount of funding requested by the consortium from the EU.
This regulation also includes ERC and MSCA calls. Currently excluded are calls in areas considered strategic by the EU (e.g. Quantum and Space), as well as Specific Objectives 3 (Cybersecurity) and 6 (Semiconductors) of Digital Europe. Further information can be found here, an overview of the expected call for proposals here.
Please note that for calls from 2024, i.e. with 2024 in the Call/Topic Identifier, Swiss partners remain Associated Partners and funding is provided by SERI, even if the deadline for the call is in 2025.
For further information on the situation, please visit the Horizon Europe website of the SERI.
Sould you have further questions please contact the Grants Office: grants@unibas.ch, 061 207 60 53
Horizon Europe Structure
-
Horizon Europe Structure, © European Union, 2020link.zoom
Pillar 1 – Excellence Science
Pillar 1 supports excellent research projects, either for a single beneficiary or consortia, with topics chosen by the researchers (bottom-up):
-
ERC - European Research Council: Frontier research by the best researchers and their teams. Further information: Is the ERC for me? and ERC at the University of Basel
-
MSCA - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions: to equip researchers with new knowledge and skills through mobility and training.
-
Research Infrastructure: to develop integrated and inter-connected world-class research infrastructures.
Pillar 2 – Global Challenges & European Industrial Competitiveness
In Pillar 2 there will be several calls for collaborative projects (joint projects) in the following six clusters:
- Health
- Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
- Civil Security for Society
- Digital, Industry and Space
- Climate, Energy and Mobility
- Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
The topics are defined by the European Commission (top-down) and aim at boosting key technologies and solutions underpinning EU policies & the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Additionally five missions are part of pillar 2:
- Adaptation to Climate Change
- Cancer
- Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities
- Ocean, Seas and Waters
- Soil Health and Food
The EU missions aim at tackling societal challenges with systemic solutions, leading to societal transformations and social impact.
Pillar 3 – Innovative Europe
In Pillar 3 the European Innovation Council (EIC) is divided in three main sections:
- EIC Pathfinder: With calls for collaborative projects, either topics selected by researchers (bottom up) or predefined research areas by the European Commission
- EIC Transition: To further develop results from H2020 FET and ERC Proof of Concept projects
- EIC Accelerator: Where Start-ups, SMEs and entrepreneurs may apply for funding
The European Innovation Ecosystem (EIE) aims at closing the gap between various innovation ecosystems and ensuring the inter-operability of local innovation support and EU-innovation support.
The European Institute of Technology (EIT) is not part of Horizon Europe, but there will be joint initiatives to bring together key actors (research, education and business) around a common goal for nurturing innovation.
Additionally researchers may apply for actions in the part of Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area. This section of Horizon Europe aims at building the necessary capacity for Research and Innovation across Europe and will seek synergies with the programme parts on European Innovation Ecosystems and the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT).
-
University of Basel Grants Office
