Strengthening the human capital managing research infrastructures, including in international context

Overview

This summary presents an overview of a Horizon Europe funding opportunity focused on enhancing human capital in managing research infrastructures. The key information is as follows:

Eligible applicants for this funding include research organizations, universities, research institutes, and associations involved in European research infrastructures, particularly those with expertise in training development and management. The funding mechanism is a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, specifically designed for Coordination and Support Actions (CSA).

A consortium of multiple applicants is required, emphasizing collaboration across various European institutions and infrastructure operators. Geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries, with specific mention of support for Ukrainian research infrastructures as part of broader capacity-building initiatives targeting "widening and candidate countries."

The target sector is primarily research infrastructures, focusing on training and skill development in areas such as management, governance, data stewardship, and sustainability. The total funding amount for this initiative is set at €2,000,000, intended to cover comprehensive training program development and dissemination activities. Applications are due through a single-stage submission process opening on March 10, 2026, and closing on June 16, 2026.

The opportunity also involves both financial and non-financial support, including training curricula development and strategic guidance on managing research infrastructures. Proposals are evaluated based on established criteria regarding project excellence, implementation quality, and potential impact. While specific success rates are not disclosed, success rates for similar initiatives typically range from 10% to 25%.

There is no co-funding requirement stated, making the funding fully comprehensive. Overall, this initiative aims to fulfill a significant need for skilled professionals capable of managing complex pan-European research infrastructures, thus positioning Europe to maintain a competitive edge in the global research landscape.

Detail

This is a summary of multiple Horizon Europe funding opportunities related to research infrastructures, specifically focusing on training, development, and technological advancements. The calls are part of the Horizon-INFRA-2026-01 program, with a planned opening date of March 10, 2026, and a deadline of June 16, 2026. All calls are single-stage submissions. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

The opportunities are broken down into several key areas:

1.  EOSC (European Open Science Cloud):
 *  HORIZON-INFRA-2026-01-EOSC-01: A Research and Innovation Action (RIA) with a budget of 40,000,000 EUR. The expected contribution is around 40,000,000 EUR, with one indicative grant.
 *  HORIZON-INFRA-2026-01-EOSC-02: A Coordination and Support Action (CSA) with a budget of 10,000,000 EUR. The expected contribution ranges from 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 EUR, with two indicative grants.

2.  Development (DEV):
 *  HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-01: An RIA with a budget of 10,000,000 EUR. The expected contribution ranges from 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 EUR, with four indicative grants.
 *  HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-02: An RIA with a budget of 40,000,000 EUR. The expected contribution ranges from 4,000,000 to 8,000,000 EUR, with six indicative grants.
 *  HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-03: An RIA with a budget of 9,900,000 EUR. The expected contribution ranges from 3,000,000 to 4,500,000 EUR, with three indicative grants.
 *  HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-04: A CSA with a budget of 2,000,000 EUR. The expected contribution is around 2,000,000 EUR, with one indicative grant. This topic, "Strengthening the human capital managing research infrastructures, including in international context", aims at specialized training for research infrastructure staff, broader understanding of EU research infrastructure policy, and shared understanding of EU funding instruments. It supports training, exchanges of staff, development of curricula, scholarships for Ukrainian staff, and addresses topics like socioeconomic impact, data management, and research security.
 *  HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-05: An RIA with a budget of 8,000,000 EUR. The expected contribution is around 8,000,000 EUR, with one indicative grant.
 *  HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-06: A CSA with a budget of 8,000,000 EUR. The expected contribution ranges from 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 EUR, with five indicative grants.
 *  HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-07: An RIA with a budget of 10,000,000 EUR. The expected contribution ranges from 1,000,000 to 4,000,000 EUR, with three indicative grants.

3.  Services (SERV):
 *  HORIZON-INFRA-2026-SERV-01-01: An RIA with a budget of 32,000,000 EUR. The expected contribution is around 32,000,000 EUR, with one indicative grant.

4.  Technology (TECH):
 *  HORIZON-INFRA-2026-TECH-01-01: An RIA with a budget of 110,000,000 EUR. The expected contribution ranges from 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 EUR, with eleven indicative grants.
 *  HORIZON-INFRA-2026-TECH-01-02: An RIA with a budget of 15,000,000 EUR. The expected contribution ranges from 5,000,000 to 7,500,000 EUR, with two indicative grants.

General conditions for participation include:

*  Admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits and layout, as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form.
*  Eligible countries as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific provisions may apply to non-EU/non-Associated Countries.
*  Other eligible conditions as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
*  Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria as described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
*  Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
*  Submission and evaluation processes as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
*  Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
*  Legal and financial setup of the grants, with eligible costs taking the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021.

Applicants should consult the specific topic descriptions in the Work Programme and utilize the application forms available in the Submission System. Additional guidance and documentation are available, including the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to bolster research infrastructures by investing in training, development, and technological advancements. It seeks to equip research infrastructure staff with the skills needed to manage complex infrastructures, engage with diverse stakeholders, and navigate the evolving research landscape, with a particular emphasis on digitalization, internationalization, and sustainability. The funding is distributed across various actions, including research and innovation actions and coordination and support actions, each with specific objectives and budget allocations.

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Breakdown

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity is open to a wide range of applicants including universities, research institutions, national agencies, ERICs (European Research Infrastructure Consortia), international organizations, and other relevant stakeholders involved in the management, operation, and use of research infrastructures. The call specifically mentions engagement with universities. The call also targets widening and candidate countries, and Ukrainian research infrastructures.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, as indicated by the Type of MGA (Model Grant Agreement) being HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. The actions are HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA).

Consortium Requirement: The text suggests that a consortium of multiple applicants is preferred, especially given the complexity of research infrastructures and the need for European and international cooperation. The call mentions engaging with pan-European research infrastructures such as those prioritised by ESFRI, ERICs and EIROforum.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU member states, associated countries, widening countries, candidate countries, and specifically mentions Ukrainian research infrastructures. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries may also be eligible if they have made specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Target Sector: The primary target sector is research infrastructures, with a focus on training and upskilling the staff managing these infrastructures. The program also touches on areas like digitalization, AI, internationalization, geopolitical changes, industry collaboration, data management, FAIR principles, research security, and the long-term financial and environmental sustainability of research infrastructures.

Mentioned Countries: Ukraine is explicitly mentioned as a target for dedicated scholarships for staff in Ukrainian research infrastructures. Widening and candidate countries are also mentioned as beneficiaries of training opportunities. The opportunity is open to EU member states and associated countries.

Project Stage: The project stage targets development and professionalization of existing curricula, upskilling of research infrastructure managers, and sustaining specific education curricula and courses. This suggests a focus on development, validation, and demonstration stages, rather than purely basic research or initial idea phases.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €2,000,000 to €110,000,000. For the specific topic "Strengthening the human capital managing research infrastructures, including in international context HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-04", the budget is €2,000,000. Other topics have different budget ranges, as detailed in the "Budget overview" section.
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-01-EOSC-01 - HORIZON-RIA: €40,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-01-EOSC-02 - HORIZON-CSA: €10,000,000 (Contributions: €3,000,000 to €5,000,000)
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-01 - HORIZON-RIA: €10,000,000 (Contributions: €2,000,000 to €3,000,000)
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-02 - HORIZON-RIA: €40,000,000 (Contributions: €4,000,000 to €8,000,000)
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-03 - HORIZON-RIA: €9,900,000 (Contributions: €3,000,000 to €4,500,000)
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-04 - HORIZON-CSA: €2,000,000 (Contribution: around €2,000,000)
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-05 - HORIZON-RIA: €8,000,000 (Contribution: around €8,000,000)
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-06 - HORIZON-CSA: €8,000,000 (Contributions: €1,000,000 to €1,500,000)
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-07 - HORIZON-RIA: €10,000,000 (Contributions: €1,000,000 to €4,000,000)
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-SERV-01-01 - HORIZON-RIA: €32,000,000 (Contribution: around €32,000,000)
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-TECH-01-01 - HORIZON-RIA: €110,000,000 (Contributions: €5,000,000 to €10,000,000)
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-TECH-01-02 - HORIZON-RIA: €15,000,000 (Contributions: €5,000,000 to €7,500,000)

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process. The planned opening date is 10 March 2026, and the deadline is 16 June 2026.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant to support their projects. The grant is intended to cover eligible costs associated with the training and upskilling activities.

Application Stages: The application process consists of a single stage, meaning applicants submit a full proposal by the deadline, which is then evaluated.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight. For example, HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-04 aims to award 1 grant with a budget of 2,000,000 EUR, while HORIZON-INFRA-2026-TECH-01-01 aims to award 11 grants with a budget of 110,000,000 EUR.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement. However, it is common in Horizon Europe projects that beneficiaries may need to demonstrate financial commitment or in-kind contributions to the project.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call focuses on strengthening the human capital involved in managing research infrastructures, with a particular emphasis on training and upskilling staff. The call aims to enhance the skills of research infrastructure personnel in areas such as planning, user engagement, EU research infrastructure policy, international cooperation, data management, and sustainability. It also seeks to develop and sustain education curricula and courses relevant to pan-European research infrastructures. The call is structured around several topics, each with its own budget and specific objectives, ranging from developing the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) to technological advancements in research infrastructures. The geographic scope includes EU member states, associated countries, widening and candidate countries, and Ukraine. Eligible applicants include universities, research institutions, national agencies, and international organizations. The funding is provided as lump sum grants, and the application process involves a single-stage submission. The call encourages collaboration and engagement with existing initiatives and pan-European research infrastructures.

Short Summary

Impact
This funding aims to strengthen the human capital managing research infrastructures, enhancing skills in planning, user engagement, EU research infrastructure policy, international cooperation, data management, and sustainability.
Applicant
Applicants should possess expertise in research infrastructure management, training development, and international research cooperation, particularly in developing and delivering specialized training curricula.
Developments
The funding will support training and upskilling of staff managing research infrastructures, focusing on human capital development, management training, and institutional capacity building.
Applicant Type
This funding is designed for research organizations, universities, institutes, and other stakeholders involved in managing research infrastructures.
Consortium
A consortium of multiple applicants is required for this Coordination and Support Action (CSA).
Funding Amount
The funding amount for this specific topic is €2,000,000 as a fixed lump sum grant.
Countries
The funding is relevant for EU Member States, Associated Countries, and specifically mentions Ukraine for dedicated scholarships for research infrastructure staff.
Industry
This funding targets the research infrastructures sector, focusing on training, education, and capacity building.

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