ERA Fellowships

The HORIZON-WIDERA call, known as the ERA Fellowships, is a part of the Horizon Europe program, targeting host organizations situated in Widening countries. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the research and innovation landscape in these regions by attracting excellent researchers through competitive grants. Eligible applicants include postdoctoral researchers of any nationality who wish to engage in research and innovation projects within Widening countries. The application must be submitted jointly with a legal entity from either the academic or non-academic sector based in a Widening country. The opportunity emphasizes cross-border mobility, allowing researchers to either relocate from any country globally or move from another EU country. The program supports a range of research domains without any sectoral restrictions. Funding amounts range from €100,000 to €500,000 per project, with a total budget of €8 million allocated to support approximately 50 projects. The application process is a single-stage open call, with the planned opening date set for April 7, 2027, and the deadline for submissions on September 8, 2027. The fellowships are designed to not only provide monetary support but also to include career development components such as structured training activities and the establishment of a Career Development Plan, co-created by the researcher and their supervisor. This component will focus on improving transferable skills, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, and promoting Open Science practices. Additionally, the fellowship allows researchers to include a secondment phase of up to one-third of the fellowship duration in any country globally, as well as placements in the non-academic sector within EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries. These placements should be essential components of the fellowship proposals, demonstrating value for both the project's objectives and the professional development of the researchers. The call aligns with the overarching goals of the Horizon Europe framework to strengthen research capacity and support underperforming regions in the European Research Area. The initiative aims to enhance the quality and sustainability of research training, attract competitive talent, and improve working conditions for researchers in Widening countries. Overall, the ERA Fellowships provide a significant opportunity for researchers to advance their careers while contributing to the growth of research and innovation ecosystems in Widening countries.

The HORIZON-WIDERA call, titled HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships European Fellowships, is part of the Horizon Europe program and specifically targets host organizations located in Widening countries. This action builds upon the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027 initiative (HORIZON-MSCA-PF-2027). The call aims to provide fellowships to excellent researchers, promoting cross-border mobility and enhancing research and innovation capacity in Widening countries. The expected outcomes for supported ERA Fellows include an increased set of research and transferable skills, new mindsets and approaches to R&I work, and enhanced networking and communication capacities. For participating organizations in Widening countries, the expected outcomes are increased alignment of working conditions for researchers, enhanced quality and sustainability of research training, increased global attractiveness, and stronger R&I capacity. For Widening Countries, the expected outcome is attracting more postdoctoral researchers with competitive grants and attractive working conditions. The scope of the call involves fellowships provided to excellent researchers undertaking cross-border mobility. Applications must be made jointly by the researcher and a legal entity in the academic or non-academic sector located in a Widening country. ERA Fellowships should take place in a Widening Country and are open to researchers of any nationality. Researchers may include a secondment phase within their fellowship, not exceeding one-third of the standard duration. This secondment can occur in any country worldwide and may be divided into shorter mobility periods, aligning with project objectives and adding value to the fellowship. ERA Fellowships can also provide an additional period of up to six months for placements in the non-academic sector within an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. This placement should be an integral part of the proposal, explaining the added value for the project and the researcher's career development. Training activities should include training for key transferable skills, foster innovation and entrepreneurship, promote good scientific conduct, and promote Open Science practices. A Career Development Plan should be established jointly by the supervisor and the researcher, comprising research objectives, training needs, and plans for publications and participation in conferences. The call has a single-stage submission process with a planned opening date of April 7, 2027, and a deadline of September 8, 2027, at 17:00 Brussels time. The total budget for the topic is €8,000,000, with contributions ranging from 100,000 to €500,000 and an indicative number of 50 grants. Admissibility conditions, eligible countries, and financial and operational capacity are detailed in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. The host organization must be located in a Widening country to be eligible. Seals of Excellence will be awarded to high-quality applications that cannot be funded due to budget limitations. Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including the Standard application form (HE MSCA PF). Evaluation form templates, such as the Standard evaluation form (HE MSCA), will be used with necessary adaptations. Guidance documents include the HE Programme Guide, HE Unit MGA, and the HE-MSCA-PF Guide for Applicants. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, the HE Programme Guide, the HE Framework Programme 2021/695, the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and various rules and agreements related to Horizon Europe. Partner search announcements are available for those seeking collaborators. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header. The call aims to strengthen the European Research Area by supporting postdoctoral fellowships in Widening countries, enhancing research capacity, and promoting researcher mobility and career development. It is designed to foster excellence in research and innovation, particularly in regions that need to catch up in terms of research and innovation performance. The ERA Fellowships provide a unique opportunity for researchers to advance their careers, gain international experience, and contribute to the growth of research and innovation in Widening countries.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicants are excellent researchers of any nationality who wish to engage in R&I projects by either coming to the EU from any country in the world or moving within the EU to a Widening country, applying jointly with a legal entity (academic or non-academic) located in a Widening country. The target group are host organisations located in Widening countries.

Funding Type:The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Unit Grant.

Consortium Requirement:A consortium is required, consisting of a researcher and a legal entity (host organisation) in a Widening country.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries, and Widening countries. Researchers of any nationality are eligible, but the host organization must be located in a Widening country. Secondments can take place in any country worldwide. Placements in the non-academic sector must be in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.

Target Sector:The program targets all sectors of research and innovation (R&I), with an emphasis on increasing research and transferable skills, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, promoting Open Science practices, and enhancing career development.

Mentioned Countries:EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries, and Widening Countries are mentioned. 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.

Project Stage:The expected maturity of the project is postdoctoral research, as the fellowships are aimed at excellent researchers undertaking cross-border mobility.

Funding Amount:The contributions range from €100,000 to €500,000. The total budget for the topic is €8,000,000, with an indicative number of 50 grants.

Application Type:The application type is a single-stage open call.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant. They will also receive non-monetary services through training activities and career development support.

Application Stages:The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates:The success rate cannot be determined from the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement:The text does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

The HORIZON-WIDERA call, under the ERA Fellowships program, aims to provide funding for postdoctoral fellowships in Widening countries within the Horizon Europe framework. This initiative builds upon the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships, targeting host organizations in Widening countries. The program's primary goal is to enhance the research and innovation landscape in these countries by attracting excellent researchers, fostering their skills and career development, and promoting knowledge transfer.

The fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality who wish to conduct R&I projects in a Widening country, either by relocating from any country worldwide or moving from another EU country. Applications must be submitted jointly by the researcher and a host organization (academic or non-academic) located in a Widening country. The program supports cross-border mobility and offers opportunities for secondments in any country worldwide, as well as placements in the non-academic sector within EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries.

The ERA Fellowships emphasize training activities to develop key transferable skills, foster innovation and entrepreneurship, promote good scientific conduct, and encourage Open Science practices. A Career Development Plan, jointly created by the supervisor and the researcher, is a crucial component, focusing on the researcher's training and career needs.

The funding ranges from €100,000 to €500,000 per grant, with a total budget of €8,000,000 allocated for approximately 50 grants. The application process is a single-stage open call, with a planned opening date of 07 April 2027 and a deadline of 08 September 2027. This call represents a significant opportunity for researchers to advance their careers while contributing to the strengthening of research and innovation in Widening countries.