Towards a European research hub on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life and culture

The EU has announced a grant opportunity titled "Towards a European research hub on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life and culture," which falls under the Horizon Europe program for 2025. This initiative aims to establish a research hub focused on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish culture in Europe, fostering collaboration among researchers and organizations involved in social sciences and humanities.

Eligible applicants include research institutions, universities, non-governmental organizations, and cultural entities with expertise related to the grant's focus. The call mandates the formation of consortiums that must collaborate, involving at least three entities from different EU member states or associated countries.

The primary funding type is a grant, specifically designed as a Coordination and Support Action, characterized as a non-repayable financial support model aimed at fostering networks and building capacity within the field. The funding amount for this grant can range from €3 million to €3.5 million, based on similar Horizon Europe initiatives.

Geographically, the opportunity is open to entities in EU member states and associated countries. Exceptional participation from non-associated third countries is permitted under specific conditions. The grant focuses on several key sectors, including education, history, culture, and Holocaust remembrance, specifically targeting the study of contemporary antisemitism and the promotion of Jewish life.

The project is in the development and validation stage, focusing on creating sustainable infrastructure and identifying gaps in existing research while enhancing collaboration between academic research and policymaking. The expected outcomes include establishing a network of practitioners, providing training and career opportunities, formulating methodological standards, and enhancing links between research and policy.

The application process is structured as a single-stage open call, with a deadline for submissions set for September 16, 2025. The proposal must align with the EU’s strategy to combat antisemitism, which encompasses education, research, and Holocaust remembrance. While the grant does not impose explicit co-funding requirements, proposals that demonstrate plans for securing additional long-term funding will be prioritized.

The initiative seeks to create a dynamic research community around antisemitism and Jewish life in Europe, encouraging innovative research and fostering deeper understanding and support for Jewish communities across the continent. The hub aims to ensure lasting impacts, including new academic positions, for effective study and promotion of Jewish life.

The EU is offering a grant opportunity called "Towards a European research hub on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life and culture" under the Horizon Europe program, specifically the Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society call for 2025. The grant aims to establish a research hub in the form of a network of researchers focused on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life in Europe. This hub will bring together a critical mass of researchers from Member States and Associated Countries, fostering the research field's identity and supporting training and career opportunities, particularly for early career researchers.

The expected outcomes of the projects funded by this grant are:

Establishment and development of a network of practitioners and researchers in the field of contemporary antisemitism and research on Jewish life, creating a dynamic space for academic conversations, training, and career opportunities.
Identification of research gaps and relevant research centers to further develop research on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life in Europe, with a focus on underrepresented regions.
Facilitation of discussion and formulation of methodological standards in the field to foster high-quality empirical work.
Provision of strategic planning for the field on a Europe-wide level, including a concrete action plan for the network's sustainable growth into a research institution.
Deepening the links between research and policymaking within and for Jewish communities, as part of the broader effort to nurture Jewish life in Europe.

The scope of the grant is aligned with the EU's strategy to combat antisemitism and foster Jewish life (2021-2030). It addresses the rising concern of antisemitism in Europe and beyond. The grant supports the third pillar of the EU strategy, which focuses on education, research, and Holocaust remembrance. The research hub is expected to:

Recruit, train, and retain expert capacity in research on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life.
Ensure that research generated by the field informs policy formulation at national and European levels.
Prepare for the sustainability of the hub by exploring further funding opportunities and potential development into a permanent research infrastructure or European partnership.
Embed the hub within an existing research community for optimal synergy.
Provide opportunities for in-person meetings through conferences, seminars, and events across Europe.
Establish a governance structure with an executive board, a professional secretariat, and support from professionals in social research, policy, training, event management, and communications.
Maintain a strong online presence to promote the field and attract students, researchers, and policymakers.
In the long term (5-10 years), the hub is expected to:

Stimulate interest in the field and attract talent at all career stages.
Oversee an internship program for postgraduate researchers and/or start a summer school program.
Build a program to establish and distribute research grants for PhDs and training grants for researchers.
Help create new academic positions focused on contemporary antisemitism and European Jewish life.
Provide a space for position-holders to network and increase the impact of their research.
Establish an annual prize for outstanding established scholars and early career researchers.
Work with major foundations to promote existing field research and offer grants to Jewish community organizations for specific research projects.
Organize at least one international conference gathering researchers, community leaders, and policymakers, with a strong encouragement to establish an annual conference.
Publish annual reports summarizing new research and research trends in a format accessible to policymakers.
Encourage international cooperation, given the global dimension of antisemitism.
Applicants are encouraged to consider data offered by European Research Infrastructures, particularly EHRI (European Holocaust Research Infrastructure). The minimum project duration is 36 months.

The general conditions of the grant include:

Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit of 33 pages for Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) using lump sum funding, with a mandatory detailed budget table.
Eligible Countries: As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries.
Other Eligible Conditions: Legal entities from non-associated third countries may participate under certain conditions.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: As described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award: The granting authority can fund a maximum of one project, following the processes described in Annexes D and F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
Legal and financial set-up: Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum, as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021.

The application process involves:

Using application form templates available in the Submission System, specifically the standard application form for HE CSA.
Evaluation will be based on standard evaluation forms for HE CSA, with necessary adaptations.
Guidance is provided through the HE Programme Guide, Lump Sum MGA, call-specific instructions, and a detailed budget table template.
Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2025, HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and various guidance documents and online manuals.

The budget overview for the HORIZON-CL2-2025-01 call includes various topics related to democracy, heritage, and transformation, with opening dates on 15 May 2025 and deadlines on 16 September 2025. The contributions and indicative number of grants vary by topic, ranging from Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) with budgets of 2,000,000 to 3,500,000 EUR and Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) with budgets from 7,000,000 to 15,000,000 EUR, to Innovation Actions (IA) with a budget of 26,000,000 EUR.

In summary, this Horizon Europe grant opportunity aims to establish a sustainable European research hub focused on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life. It seeks to create a network of researchers, promote high-quality research, inform policy, and foster a deeper understanding of Jewish life in Europe, with a total budget of 3,500,000 EUR and an indicative number of one grant to be awarded. The call is a single-stage process, opening on May 15, 2025, and closing on September 16, 2025.

In simpler terms, this grant is about creating a central place for researchers to study antisemitism and Jewish culture in Europe. The EU wants to fund a project that will build a network of experts, train new researchers, and make sure their findings are used to help shape policies and support Jewish communities. The project should also find ways to keep the research going in the long term, possibly by becoming a permanent research center. The EU is putting up a lump sum of money for this project, and researchers from different countries are encouraged to work together to apply. The main goal is to make Europe a place where Jewish life can thrive, free from antisemitism.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated but can be inferred to include researchers, research institutions, and potentially other legal entities from Member States and Associated Countries of the European Union. The call aims to establish a network of researchers, suggesting that universities, research centers, and similar organizations are primary targets. The mention of Jewish community organizations implies that these may also be eligible, potentially in partnership with research institutions. The possibility of non-EU/non-Associated Countries participation widens the range of eligible applicants.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, which falls under the broader category of Coordination and Support Actions (CSA).

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium. The goal is to establish a research hub in the shape of a network of researchers, implying that multiple entities must collaborate to form a consortium. The text specifies bringing together a critical mass of such actors, further reinforcing the consortium requirement.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility focuses on entities from EU Member States and Associated Countries. However, the opportunity also allows for the exceptional participation of legal entities from non-associated third countries, expanding the geographic scope. The project's activities are centered on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life in Europe, indicating a focus on European beneficiaries, though international cooperation is encouraged.

Target Sector: The program targets the following sectors: Education, research, Holocaust remembrance, culture, creativity, and inclusive society. Specifically, it focuses on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life in Europe, encompassing history, sociology, education, literary/media studies, demography, culture, and heritage. The program also aims to bridge research and policymaking, involving community leaders and policymakers.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the opportunity focuses on Europe, EU Member States, and Associated Countries. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries are also mentioned as potentially eligible under specific provisions.

Project Stage: The project stage is primarily focused on establishing and developing a research hub, which suggests a development and implementation stage. The call aims to create a network of practitioners, identify research gaps, formulate methodological standards, and strategically plan for the field's future, indicating activities beyond basic research. The long-term goals include attracting talents, creating academic positions, and distributing research grants, suggesting a focus on sustainability and growth of the research field.

Funding Amount: The funding amount is variable, with the call HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-DEMOCRACY-06 having a budget of EUR 3,500,000 and an indicative contribution between EUR 3,000,000 and EUR 3,500,000.

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.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rate is not explicitly mentioned, but the granting authority can fund a maximum of one project, suggesting a highly competitive environment.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is not explicitly mentioned as a requirement. However, proposals should demonstrate the capacity of the consortium to secure funding beyond the project’s lifetime, implying that applicants should consider long-term financial sustainability through various funding sources.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-DEMOCRACY-06, aims to combat antisemitism and foster Jewish life by establishing a European research hub. The hub will function as a network of researchers focused on contemporary antisemitism and Jewish life in Europe. The EU is providing a grant, with a budget of 3.5 million EUR, to support the creation of this research hub. The hub's goals include fostering academic conversations, providing training and career opportunities for researchers, identifying research gaps, formulating methodological standards, and developing a strategic plan for the field. The hub is expected to act as an interface between research and policy, organizing conferences and publishing reports for policymakers. The project should have a minimum duration of 36 months. The call is open to researchers and research institutions from EU Member States and Associated Countries, with the possibility of participation from non-EU/non-Associated Countries under specific provisions. The application process involves a single stage, and the granting authority can fund a maximum of one project. The project is expected to contribute to the EU's strategy on combating antisemitism and promoting Jewish life, as well as to the broader goals of education, research, and Holocaust remembrance.