Research Management Facility

Opened

Programme Category

EU Competitive Programmes

Programme Name

Horizon Europe (2021-2027)

Programme Description

Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.

Programme Details

Identifier Code

HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-04-WIDENING-01

Call

Research Management Facility

Summary

This action aims at creating a research management facility to provide support services including trainings to research institutions and their staff in Widening countries that want to establish or upgrade existing capacities and competencies in research management. The project should establish a facility inviting research performing organisations from Widening countries to support them in assessing their needs for excellent research management capacities, and develop implementation plans to improve their institutional and human capacities. The facility may also support successful applicants of ERA Research Manager actions in identifying leading research manager internationally.

Detailed Call Description

Proposals are expected to cover at least the following activities:

  • Support the assessment of institutional needs in research management, administration and training in close collaboration with the research performing institutions that express interest in their expertise;
  • Support the development of a tailor-made implementation plans to establish or upgrade research management capacities at institutional level;
  • Facilitate peer exchange and best practice sharing between Widening countries and more experienced institutions to support sustainable capacity building;
  • Deliver training modules for research managers in Widening countries to strengthen their skills and professional competences, in line with the European Competence Framework for Research Managers;
  • Facilitate networking opportunities for research managers from Widening countries at European and international levels, to strengthen peer exchange, promote best practice sharing, and enhance their integration into the broader research management ecosystem.

Proposals should provide an estimate on the number of institutions and individuals they target during the action that is commensurate to the requested Union contribution. They should describe how they plan to prioritise their support if the demand exceeds the project’ resources. In their proposals, applicants should demonstrate how they will ensure the full geographical coverage of their activities for all Widening countries including Outermost Regions and the relevant Associated Countries.

Documentation and reporting on the support provided, their follow-up and impacts are considered key to the Research Management Facility. Proposals should include a methodology on documentation and feedback to the European Commission on the profiles of the institution supported, the support provided including recommendations developed, follow-up actions implemented by the institutions, and impacts achieved. In view of continuous improvement of support, and gathering and communicating of transferable outcomes, adequate dissemination and communication activities need to be part of the activities.

Proposals should demonstrate the collective competences and capacities, including relevant experiences in the field that are necessary to carry out the activities and achieve the expected outcomes.

Call Total Budget

€7.000.000

Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan

100%

Thematic Categories

  • Education and training
  • Employment
  • Public Administration
  • Research, Technological Development and Innovation

Eligibility for Participation

  • Educational Institutions
  • International Organisations
  • Legal Entities
  • Legal Entities under Public Law
  • National Contact Points - NCPs
  • Non Profit Organisations
  • Private Bodies
  • Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
  • Semi-governmental organisations
  • Services Providers
  • State-owned Enterprises
  • Training Centres

Eligibility For Participation Notes

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. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

The conditions are described in General Annex B. The following exceptions apply:

To achieve the expected outcomes, participation as coordinators is limited to legal entities established in Widening countries, as defined in the Horizon Europe regulation.

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.

Due to the specific nature of the call, organisations hosting WIDERA NCPs in Widening countries are exceptionally eligible to participate.

Call Opening Date

23/04/2026

Call Closing Date

24/09/2026

National Contact Point(s)

Research and Innovation Foundation
Address:
 29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia, P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Websitehttps://www.research.org.cy/en/

Persons to Contact:

Ms. Marcia Trillidou
Scientific Officer A’
Legal and Financial Issues
Email: trillidou@research.org.cy