Horizon Europe - News, Updates, Calls for Researchers in Switzerland
This year researchers based in Switzerland can apply to almost all Calls from Horizon Europe, thanks to a transitional arrangement agreed with the European Commission. If all goes well on the political side, the contract confirming Switzerland’s Association to Horizon Europe for the remaining period (until 2027) should be signed by the end of the year.
For now, the new status for Switzerland means:
- you can now coordinate Horizon Europe projects
- you can apply for ERC, EIC and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) grants
- you should apply for EU funding and include the budget for your part of the work in the budget table (both a breakdown per category and total requested EC Contribution)
- the University of Basel should be added as “beneficiary” in the proposal
It’s important that you apply as “beneficiary” and request EU funding, for the 2025 Calls onwards there will be no direct funding provided by the Swiss government. (Please note that the finances for already approved SERI financed projects are not affected).
Collaborative Projects
Horizon Europe collaborative projects address global challenges via Calls with topics that are pre-defined by the European Commission. The Calls for 2025 will open soon with many deadlines in the autumn. You can find a link to the draft Work Programmes with the detailed (draft) topics here. The final official topics will be announced at the EC Info Days taking place in May:
Main Horizon Europe Info Days page
- Cluster 1 - Health: 22 May
- Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society: 15 May
- Cluster 4 - Digital, Industry & Space: 13-14 May
- Cluster 5 - Climate, Energy & Mobility: 6 May
- Cluster 6 - Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment: 20-21 May
- WIDERA: 20 May
- EU Missions: 22-23 May
- EIC Pathfinder Challenges: 4 April
The Euresearch Network office organizes regular introductory Horizon Europe events. The next event will take place on 1 April (online): Euresearch Introduction to Horizon Europe.
Here in Basel, we are organizing an event together with the Responsible Digital Society network, where evaluators and successful applicants will inform you about the application process for Horizon Europe collaborative projects and ERC Grants. Further information and registration on the Intranet.
If you plan to coordinate a Horizon Europe project or have a major role in the preparation of the proposal and subsequent project, you can apply to the university's Research Fund for Seed Money.
Please contact us for further information about the individual topics and if you are planning to apply to one of the open calls: Grants Office website and email
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Calls
The changes for Switzerland mean that you can once again host MSCA Postdoctoral Fellows. The Call is due to be published on 8 May with an expected deadline on 10 September.
Our colleagues from the Euresearch are organising:
- An information event on 15 April
- Applicants Workshop on 1 July and 5 August. (Registrations to open in April)
Please note that we can no longer act as “outgoing host” for MSCA Global Fellowships. However, you can host both European and Global MSCA fellows as main host.
Under the MSCA umbrella you can continue to participate and now also coordinate Doctoral Networks.The Call is expected to open on 28 May with a deadline on 25 November.
- Euresearch is organizing an online information event on 10 June.
European Research Council (ERC)
All ERC CAlls are open to applicants with a Swiss host institute. The deadlines are as follows:
Join our panel discussion on 5 June to learn more about the ERC application process from successful Grantees and past ERC panel members. Further information and registration on the Intranet.
European Innovation Council
The EIC Pathfinder schemes support breakthrough technologies and disruptive innovations.
The Next deadlines are:
EIC Pathfinder Open: Deadline 21 May
EIC Pathfinder Challenges: Call opening in July with a deadline 29 October
The Topics for the Pathfinder Challenges 2025 are the following:
- 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
EIC Transition: Deadline 17 September
EIC Transition grants are open to SMEs, start-ups and organisations that have identified EU-funded project results with promising commercial potential.
