Research and innovation to provide evidence that support reforms of research assessment

The Horizon Europe grant opportunity HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-03 is focused on enhancing the European Research and Innovation (R&I) system by improving research assessment practices. The primary aim is to foster responsible assessment metrics that go beyond traditional metrics like the Journal Impact Factor, advocating for a broader recognition of diverse research outputs and activities.

Eligible applicants primarily include research institutions, universities, and public entities located within the EU's Widening countries, which are nations with lower research and innovation performance under the Widening Participation initiative. The grant is categorized as a grant that is non-repayable financial support under Horizon Europe, specifically designed for Research and Innovation Actions (RIA).

Although the call allows for single applicants, it is suggested that collaboration with other entities may enhance proposals. Geographically, the grant is accessible to Widening countries, which could include nations like Bulgaria, Croatia, and others. The focus is also directed at research policy and assessment reform, with direct ties to the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA).

Project funding amounts vary but are expected to be around 2 million euros for the specific action, with total grants typically ranging from 0.8 million to 1.5 million euros for related themes. The application process is structured as an open call with a single-stage submission, scheduled for opening on May 15, 2025, and closing on September 18, 2025.

Successful project outcomes aim to provide significant contributions to understanding the limitations and biases of existing assessment tools, generating evidence to support reform initiatives. The action is expected to encourage knowledge sharing and inclusivity, acknowledging the need for collaboration among different stakeholders, including those from the Social Sciences and Humanities.

There are no specific co-funding requirements noted, as Horizon Europe grants usually cover 100% of eligible costs. The expected impacts include enhancing the quality, performance, and overall effectiveness of research through more responsible assessment systems. The projects funded will actively engage in reviewing existing literature and evidence on assessment practices, identifying gaps, and implementing necessary research activities to support reforms aligned with the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment.

In summary, the grant seeks to provide monetary support to projects aiming to substantiate reforms in research assessment, thus promoting a holistic evaluation system that improves the quality and impact of research throughout Europe while focusing on inclusivity and collaboration across various research sectors.

This is a Horizon Europe grant opportunity focused on enhancing the European Research and Innovation (R&I) system by reforming research assessment. The call, Enhancing the European R&I system (HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06), is part of the Horizon Europe program. The primary goal is to promote more responsible assessment of researchers, research projects, and research organizations, moving beyond traditional metrics like the Journal Impact Factor to consider a broader range of research outputs and activities.

The expected impacts of successful proposals include: More responsible assessment of researchers, research projects and research organisations based on a broader range of research outputs, practices and activities than publications and publishing and Improved quality, performance and impact of research, researchers and institutions due to more responsible research assessment systems.

The expected outcomes of the projects are: Increased scientific knowledge on assessment tools and methods, their potential biases and limitations, and corresponding solutions; Increased scientific knowledge on methods to reform research assessment; Evidence supporting the implementation of the commitments of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment available to policy makers and research organisations involved in research assessment.

The scope of the grant involves addressing the global movement to enhance the evaluation process for researchers and research institutions. It acknowledges initiatives like the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), the Leiden Manifesto, the Latin American Forum on Research Assessment (FOLEC-CLACSO), the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment, and the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). These initiatives aim to shift away from the over-reliance on the Journal Impact Factor and instead recognize diverse research practices and outputs.

The action aims to provide evidence for the practical implementation of research assessment reforms. Proposals should gather and evaluate existing evidence and conduct additional research activities to support the commitments of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment, aligning with its 10 principles. The action consists of three parts: Review existing literature, data and evidence on research assessment practices and evaluate their validity and robustness for implementing the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. Identify gaps in knowledge and prioritise areas that require further research activities to support reforms of research assessment in line with the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. Implement research activities in the prioritised areas.

Proposals should ensure synergies and cooperation with CoARA, the CoARA Boost project, DORA, and other relevant initiatives, providing open access to results and ensuring relevance to diverse and underrepresented groups. The action may require the contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines and experts. The project duration should not exceed 3 years.

The call includes several specific topics:

HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-01: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) with a budget of 26,000,000 EUR, aiming for 13 grants with contributions ranging from 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-02: HORIZON CSA with a budget of 2,000,000 EUR, aiming for 1 grant with a contribution of around 2,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) with a budget of 2,000,000 EUR, aiming for 1 grant with a contribution of around 2,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-04: HORIZON RIA with a budget of 2,000,000 EUR, aiming for 1 grant with a contribution of around 2,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-05: HORIZON CSA with a budget of 4,000,000 EUR, aiming for 2 grants with contributions of around 2,000,000 EUR each.

HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-06: HORIZON CSA with a budget of 2,000,000 EUR, aiming for 1 grant with a contribution of around 2,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-07: HORIZON CSA with a budget of 6,000,000 EUR, aiming for 1 grant with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR.

The call is a single-stage submission process, with the opening date set for May 15, 2025, and the deadline for submissions on September 18, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

General conditions for admissibility, eligibility, financial and operational capacity, exclusion, evaluation, award, and legal and financial setup are detailed in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application forms, evaluation forms, and model grant agreements are available in the Submission System. Additional documents include the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Framework Programme, Specific Programme Decision, EU Financial Regulation, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, and various guidance documents and privacy statements.

Applicants can find partners through the Partner Search function on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Support is available through the Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, and CEN-CENELEC/ETSI Research Helpdesks.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call seeks to fund projects that will provide evidence-based support for reforming research assessment practices, moving towards a more holistic and responsible evaluation system that considers a wider range of research outputs and activities, promotes inclusivity, and enhances the quality and impact of research. It aims to foster a global movement towards better research assessment by supporting initiatives like DORA and CoARA and encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing among research organizations and policymakers.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the context of Horizon Europe and the nature of Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), eligible applicants can include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other organizations capable of conducting research and innovation activities. The call also mentions the importance of SSH disciplines and experts, suggesting that institutions and experts in Social Sciences and Humanities are encouraged to apply.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is grant funding, specifically through HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA). The type of Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG].

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scope and nature of Horizon Europe projects, it is highly likely that a consortium of multiple applicants is preferred, especially for the HORIZON-RIA actions, to bring together diverse expertise and resources. The partner search announcements further suggest that consortia are expected.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility is for EU member states and associated countries, as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. However, the text also mentions that a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries have made specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Therefore, some third-country participation is possible.

Target Sector: The program targets the research and innovation sector, specifically focusing on enhancing the European Research and Innovation (R&I) system. The thematic areas include research assessment, science policy, social sciences and humanities (SSH), and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data practices.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned. The eligibility extends to EU member states, associated countries, and potentially some non-EU/non-associated countries with specific funding provisions. The Latin American Forum on Research Assessment (FOLEC-CLACSO) is mentioned, indicating some relevance to Latin America, but not direct funding.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is variable, depending on whether it is a Research and Innovation Action (RIA) or a Coordination and Support Action (CSA). RIAs typically involve activities ranging from research to demonstration, while CSAs focus on networking, coordination, and dissemination. Therefore, the project stage can range from development to validation and demonstration.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary by topic:
HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-01: EUR 26,000,000 (contributions of EUR 1,500,000 to EUR 2,000,000)
HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-02: EUR 2,000,000 (contribution around EUR 2,000,000)
HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-03: EUR 2,000,000 (contribution around EUR 2,000,000)
HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-04: EUR 2,000,000 (contribution around EUR 2,000,000)
HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-05: EUR 4,000,000 (contribution around EUR 2,000,000)
HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-06: EUR 2,000,000 (contribution around EUR 2,000,000)
HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-07: EUR 6,000,000 (contribution around EUR 6,000,000)

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

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants to support their research and innovation activities.

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. For example, HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06-ERA-01 aims to award 13 grants, while others aim for only 1 or 2. Success rates in Horizon Europe are typically competitive, and further analysis would be needed to estimate them accurately.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. As a standard practice in Horizon Europe, co-funding might be expected, especially for certain types of activities. However, this would need to be confirmed in the specific call documentation.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, "Enhancing the European R&I system (HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-06)," aims to improve research assessment practices and the overall quality and impact of research in Europe. It seeks to move away from an over-reliance on metrics like the Journal Impact Factor and instead promote a broader range of research outputs and activities. The call is structured around several topics, each with a specific budget and number of grants available, covering both Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA). Eligible applicants include universities, research institutes, SMEs, and other organizations capable of contributing to research and innovation. The call encourages synergies with initiatives like CoARA and DORA and emphasizes the importance of open access to research results and the inclusion of SSH disciplines. The application process is a single-stage open call, with funding provided in the form of grants. The geographic scope is primarily EU member states and associated countries, with potential participation from some third countries. The projects funded under this call are expected to contribute to increased scientific knowledge on assessment tools and methods, the implementation of research assessment reforms, and the availability of evidence to support policy makers and research organizations.