Pillar I: Building institutional capacities for ethical, equitable, open, and inclusive ERA

The Horizon Europe opportunity HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-02 is a funding initiative aimed at enhancing institutional capacities within Research and Innovation (R&I) organizations in Europe. With a total budget of €9 million, the program is designed to foster effective structural changes that align with European Research Area (ERA) priorities. Applicants can range from research-performing organizations, higher education institutions, public bodies, to research assessment agencies.

The funding type is a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, specifically targeting grants between €1.5 million and €2 million per project, with an expected total of six projects to be funded. The call is structured around four thematic areas: advancing ethics and integrity in research, implementation of inclusive gender equality plans, promoting equity in open science practices, and enhancing the quality of peer-review processes for scientific publishing.

The application process requires the formation of a consortium consisting of at least three independent legal entities established in different EU Member States or Associated Countries, with at least two of those entities from Member States. The expected project duration is between two to three years, focusing on capacity building through activities such as training, tool development, and policy recommendations.

The call will open for submissions on December 10, 2025, and proposals must be submitted by March 12, 2026, in a single-stage application process. Co-funding is not a requirement for this initiative, although partners within consortia may contribute their resources.

Overall, this initiative seeks to create a more ethical, equitable, open, and inclusive European Research Area by supporting the adoption of ERA policies through proactive capacity-building measures.

This is a Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-02, under the Enhancing the European R&I system. It aims to foster effective and sustainable structural institutional changes within Research and Innovation organizations, aligning with the European Research Area (ERA) priorities. The call supports the adoption of ERA policies and practices through capacity-building activities, including tools, resources, recommendations, training, and exchange of good practices.

The call is structured around four main areas, each contributing to a specific ERA policy:

Area 1: Capacity booster for ethics and integrity: addressing digital transition and ensuring digital inclusion for all. This area focuses on promoting research ethics and integrity principles in an increasingly digitalized world. It aims to develop ethical guidelines to foster institutional change, build a robust ethics and integrity framework, and mitigate risks of digital exclusion, particularly for vulnerable groups like children. Projects should build on existing projects and cooperate with the Embassy of Good Science and relevant European networks. Activities should target researchers, ethics committees, research integrity offices, and policymakers. Expected outcomes include a reinforced institutional ethics framework, multidisciplinary networks, and increased awareness of ethical challenges in digital research.

Area 2: Mutual learning and mentoring for the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of inclusive gender equality plans. This area supports the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of inclusive Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) through peer mentoring. It matches organizations with strong track records in GEP implementation with those needing guidance, especially from countries classified as emerging or moderate innovators. Project activities should target research performing organizations, higher education institutions, and public bodies. Consortia should justify their collaboration based on common challenges and thematic focus. Expected outcomes include increased capacity to design, implement, monitor, and evaluate inclusive GEPs, and increased uptake and effectiveness of GEPs in less advanced organizations.

Area 3: Address equity and inclusion in capacities for open science. This area aims to generate actionable recommendations and toolkits to support capacities for open science, prioritizing equitable contribution to and benefits from open science. Proposals should build on past or ongoing initiatives and involve actors such as research organizations, funding agencies, research infrastructures, universities, researchers, innovators, and policymakers. Expected outcomes include a consolidated evidence base on equity and inclusion in open science, support for researchers in adopting open science practices, and training material addressing specific equity needs.

Area 4: Improving quality, efficiency and equity in peer-review for scientific publishing. This area focuses on enhancing the quality, transparency, and fairness of peer review processes. Proposals should cover disciplines from at least two of the six Frascati fields of science and technology and consider the emerging challenge of AI in peer review. Project activities should involve actors such as editors, scholarly societies, research organizations, and national research evaluation agencies. Expected outcomes include improved quality and increased transparency in peer review, and increased awareness of the need for a transparent and equitable peer review process. The Frascati fields of science and technology are: 1) Natural sciences; 2) Engineering and technology; 3) Medical and health sciences; 4) Agricultural and veterinary sciences; 5) Social sciences; 6) Humanities and the arts.

The call is a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. The deadline model is single-stage. The planned opening date is 10 December 2025, and the deadline date is 12 March 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The budget overview for the call is as follows:
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-01 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 6,000,000 EUR, Contributions 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 2
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-02 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 9,000,000 EUR, Contributions 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 6
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-03 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 6,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 2,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 3
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-04 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 4,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 2,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 2
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-05 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 2,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 1,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 2
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-06 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 3,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 3,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-07 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 6,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 6,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-08 - HORIZON-RIA: Budget 16,000,000 EUR, Contributions 1,500,000 to 2,500,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 8

The general conditions for admissibility, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, exclusion, evaluation, award, legal and financial setup are described in the Annexes of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. Applications must be submitted by a consortium including participation, as beneficiaries, of at least three independent legal entities: Each established in a different Member State or Associated Country; and two of which are established in a Member State.

Application forms, evaluation forms, model grant agreements, and additional documents such as the HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme, EU Financial Regulation, and Funding & Tenders Portal guidelines are available in the Submission System and the Funding & Tenders Portal.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call invites proposals for Coordination and Support Actions aimed at fostering structural changes within R&I organizations to align with ERA priorities. Applicants must select one of four areas addressing ethics and integrity, gender equality, or equity in open science and peer review. Projects should build on existing knowledge, involve relevant stakeholders, and promote inclusive gender equality. Funding will be provided as a lump sum, and consortia must include at least three independent legal entities from different Member States or Associated Countries. The call aims to create a more ethical, equitable, open, and inclusive European Research Area.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types include research performing organisations, higher education institutions, public bodies, researchers, ethics experts, local ethics bodies/committees, European networks in research ethics, research management/integrity offices, ethics officers in research performing organisations, scholarly societies, editors/editorial boards, research assessment agencies, research infrastructures, universities, innovators, and policymakers. The call targets a wide range of stakeholders involved in the research and innovation ecosystem.

Funding Type: The funding type is primarily a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, under HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA). Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium. Applications must be submitted by a consortium including participation, as beneficiaries, of at least three independent legal entities. Each entity must be established in a different Member State or Associated Country, and two of these entities must be established in a Member State.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes Member States and Associated Countries of the Horizon Europe Programme. 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.

Target Sector: The program targets multiple sectors including ethics and integrity in research and innovation, digital transition, gender equality, inclusiveness, open science, and scientific publishing. It aims to foster structural institutional changes within R&I organizations. The Frascati fields of science and technology are also relevant, including: 1) Natural sciences; 2) Engineering and technology; 3) Medical and health sciences; 4) Agricultural and veterinary sciences; 5) Social sciences; 6) Humanities and the arts.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions EU Member States and Associated Countries to the Horizon Europe Programme. It also refers to non-EU/non-Associated Countries that have made specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on development, capacity building, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies and practices. It supports the adoption of ERA policies and practices within institutions.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call:
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-01: EUR 2,000,000 to EUR 3,000,000 (2 grants)
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-02: EUR 1,500,000 to EUR 2,000,000 (6 grants)
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-03: Around EUR 2,000,000 (3 grants)
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-04: Around EUR 2,000,000 (2 grants)
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-05: Around EUR 1,000,000 (2 grants)
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-06: Around EUR 3,000,000 (1 grant)
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-07: Around EUR 6,000,000 (1 grant)
HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06-ERA-08: EUR 1,500,000 to EUR 2,500,000 (8 grants)

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant to support their projects.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the potential success rate.

Co-funding Requirement: The need for co-funding is not explicitly mentioned.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call (HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-06) aims to enhance the European Research and Innovation (R&I) system by fostering effective and sustainable structural institutional changes within R&I organizations. The call supports the adoption of ERA policies and practices through capacity-building activities. Applicants must form a consortium of at least three independent legal entities from different Member States or Associated Countries and select one of four key areas: ethics and integrity in R&I, gender equality and inclusiveness, equity and inclusion in open science, or improving peer-review processes. Projects are expected to last 2-3 years and will be funded through lump sum grants, with varying budget allocations depending on the specific topic. The call encourages synergies between different topics and emphasizes the importance of reaching large communities of stakeholders with wide geographical coverage, inclusivity, and accessibility. The overall goal is to create a more ethical, equitable, open, and inclusive European Research Area.