MASTER: 2nd Open Call

The MASTER project's 2nd Open Call invites applicants to develop educational content and validate the MASTER-XR platform, focusing on extended reality (XR) applications in robotics education for manufacturing. Successful candidates may include educational institutions, SMEs, and professional training services, forming smaller teams or micro-consortia to apply. The total funding available is €2.4 million, with individual project grants ranging from approximately €40,000 to €300,000.

The application process is a single-stage submission, beginning on April 7, 2025, and closing on June 12, 2025, at 18:00 Brussels time. Proposals must be submitted through the designated MASTER online system. The project spans nine months, segmented into three phases: designing educational materials in the first four months, implementing them on the MASTER-XR platform in the fifth month, and validating them with students during the final three months. Throughout the project, selected participants will receive technical and educational mentoring from MASTER consortium partners, who possess the necessary expertise and resources.

The open call encourages applicants to address existing challenges within the project’s scope or to propose their own. Applications will undergo an evaluation process conducted by independent experts, who will score based on excellence, impact, and implementation. The evaluation will include eligibility checks, expert reviews, and possibly a consensus meeting to finalize scoring and rankings.

No co-funding is required, and all project costs will be fully covered by the grant. The primary sectors targeted are education, robotics training, and XR technologies, with an emphasis on creating innovative educational materials that enhance learning experiences.

For submission details and further inquiries, applicants can refer to the official MASTER website or contact the project's email address. This initiative under the Horizon Europe program aims to foster innovation and bridge skills gaps within the industrial sector through advanced educational solutions.

The MASTER project's 2nd Open Call is seeking applicants to create educational content and validate the MASTER-XR platform and related technologies with students in schools or professional training services. The call encourages applicants to address existing challenges within the MASTER project's scope or propose their own.

The opening date for submissions is April 7, 2025, and the deadline is June 12, 2025, at 18:00 Brussels time. This is a single-stage submission process. The total funding available is 2,400,000.00 EUR. The project acronym is MASTER, and the full name of the EU-funded project is "Mixed reality ecosystem for teaching robotics in manufacturing." The grant agreement number is 101093079. The relevant topic is HORIZON-CL4-2022-HUMAN-01-19 - eXtended Reality Learning - Engage and Interact (IA).

Selected projects will run for 9 months, divided into three stages: Months 1-4 focus on designing and creating educational material, Month 5 involves implementation on the MASTER-XR platform, and Months 6-9 are dedicated to educational validation. MASTER consortium partners will provide technical and educational mentoring throughout the project. Winning applicants will receive training on XR tools and didactic materials developed during Open Call 1 and on using the platform. MASTER will monitor the progress of applications and evaluate their excellence and market potential.

Proposals must be submitted through the MASTER submission system at https://www.master-xr.eu/open-calls/. The submission period will be longer than 2 months. Applicants must identify the specific challenge they are addressing. Late submissions and those submitted by other means will be rejected.

The application form for the 2nd Open Call includes the following sections: Cover Page, Basic information, Targeted challenge (selection of one), Legal information for coordinator and members, Consortium composition, Project abstract, Scientific/Technological Excellence (scored), Impact (scored), Implementation (scored), and IP and Ethical Issues. The coordinator must also provide an informed consent form from all entities in the micro-consortium, confirming agreement with the Open Call documents and declaring any potential conflicts of interest. Additional materials not specifically requested in the online form will not be considered.

The MASTER consortium will keep provided data confidential, but applicants are responsible for marking confidential information. Two independent experts will evaluate each proposal, scoring each section (excellence, impact, and implementation) from 1 to 5. Evaluation guidelines will be provided to the evaluators.

The evaluation process includes: Eligibility check by consortium members, Assignment of proposals to experts, Evaluation by two independent experts, Nomination of a rapporteur to provide the Evaluation Summary Report (ESR), Review and rating of proposals remotely, Consensus audio meeting if there is a discrepancy between reviewers, Preparation of the ESR by the rapporteur, Ranking of proposals and allocation to challenges based on scores, Communication of the ESR and initial decision to applicants, One-week period for applicants to submit a redress document, Analysis of redress documents by MASTER, Communication of the final decision to the EC and applicants.

MASTER partners possess the technologies, resources, and experience to create innovative XR components and educational materials for teaching and education. The project focuses on innovations across five pillars of the MASTER methodology. External contributions are needed to achieve all project objectives. The goal of the 2nd Open Call is to attract candidates who can create educational content and validate the platform and technologies developed within the project, using students in schools or professional training services.

For further information, visit https://www.masterxr.eu/open-calls/ or contact info@master-xr.eu.

In summary, this open call is an opportunity for external parties to contribute to the MASTER project by developing educational content and validating the project's XR platform and technologies. Successful applicants will receive funding, mentoring, and training to support their projects, which should focus on creating and implementing educational materials for use in schools or professional training settings. The project aims to advance the use of mixed reality in education, particularly in the field of robotics and manufacturing.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly defined, but the call aims to attract candidates able to create educational content and validate the platform with students, suggesting that schools, professional training services, and potentially other educational institutions or organizations are eligible. The mention of a "micro-consortium" suggests that smaller entities or teams can apply.

Funding Type: The funding type is cascade funding, as indicated by the text "GrantCascade funding". This implies that the MASTER project, funded by the EU, is distributing funds to third parties through this open call.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity mentions a "micro-consortium," suggesting that while single applicants might be considered, a small consortium is also a viable option. The application requires an informed consent form from all entities involved in the micro-consortium.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated, but given that it is an EU funding opportunity under the Horizon Europe program (HORIZON-CL4-2022-HUMAN-01-19), it is highly likely that applicants from EU member states and associated countries are eligible. Further details would need to be confirmed on the MASTER-XR website or by contacting the provided email address.

Target Sector: The target sector is education, specifically focusing on the creation of educational content and validation of the MASTER-XR platform with students. The project focuses on eXtended Reality (XR) Learning, teaching robotics in manufacturing, and engaging and interacting with educational materials. This includes technologies and resources for creating innovative technological XR components and educational materials that exploit XR technologies for teaching and education.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the reference to "Brussels time" suggests a European focus. Given the funding source (EU Horizon), it is implied that the opportunity is primarily targeted at entities within the EU and associated countries.

Project Stage: The project stage is validation and demonstration. The call aims to validate the MASTER-XR platform and technologies developed within the project through the creation and implementation of educational content. The execution involves the design of educational material, its implementation to the MASTER-XR platform, and its educational validation.

Funding Amount: The total funding available is €2,400,000.00. However, the funding amount per project is not specified in the provided text.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, specifically the "2nd Open Call for Applicants." Proposals must be submitted through the MASTER submission system.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money, as it is a cascade funding mechanism. They will also receive non-monetary services, including technical and educational mentoring from the MASTER consortium during the execution period and training on the XR tools and didactic materials developed during Open Call 1.

Application Stages: The application process involves multiple stages:
1. Submission of the proposal through the online system.
2. Eligibility check by the MASTER consortium.
3. Assignment of proposals to two independent experts for evaluation.
4. Review and rating of proposals by the experts.
5. Consensus meeting if there is a discrepancy between reviewers.
6. Preparation of an Evaluation Summary Report (ESR).
7. Ranking of proposals and allocation to challenges.
8. Communication of the ESR and initial decision to applicants.
9. Submission of a redress document (optional).
10. Analysis of redress documents and final decision.
11. Communication of the final decision to the EC and applicants.
Therefore, there are at least 11 stages in the application process.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This is the 2nd Open Call for Applicants under the MASTER project, which aims to foster the creation of educational content and validate the MASTER-XR platform, focusing on eXtended Reality (XR) learning for teaching robotics in manufacturing. The call is open to entities such as schools, professional training services, and potentially other educational institutions or organizations that can form a micro-consortium. The total funding available is €2,400,000.00, distributed through cascade funding to successful applicants. The selected projects will run for 9 months, involving the design, implementation, and educational validation of XR-based educational materials on the MASTER-XR platform. Applicants will receive technical and educational mentoring, as well as training on XR tools and didactic materials. The application process is single-stage, requiring submission through the MASTER online system and involving a multi-stage evaluation process by independent experts. The call seeks to address specific challenges within the scope of the MASTER project, or applicants can propose their own challenge. The project falls under the Horizon Europe program, specifically targeting eXtended Reality Learning and engaging and interacting with educational materials.