Supporting the creation or upgrade of centres of excellence in low R&I performing countries that were established by partnerships with leading scientific institutions.
What is Teaming?
Teaming offers co-funding for the establishment or upgrade of R&I centres of excellence in low R&I performing countries (“Widening Countries“) in any chosen domain by at least two organisations established in different countries, one of which one was established in a Widening Country.
The excellence centres will contribute to the development of R&I system reforms at national or regional levels, and to the growth potential and socio-economic outreach to excellence centres in the host country or region.
Type of action
Coordination and Support Action (CSA), funding networking, coordination or support services, policy dialogues and mutual learning exercises and studies
Who can apply?
At least two applicants (“Beneficiaries”) – the coordinator and the advanced partner:
Coordinator: The main applicant organisation should be a university or a research organisation, a national/regional authority or a research funding agency from a Widening Country.
Advanced partner: At least one university or research organisation from a different country, established in an EU member state or a Horizon Europe associated country (e.g. Israel), with an outstanding international reputation in research and innovation excellence in the chosen scientific domain.
Expected outcomes:
- Increased scientific capabilities of the beneficiary institution and the host country, enabling them to successfully apply for competitive funding in the EU and globally.
- Improved R&I culture of the country hosting the coordinator (indicators such as research intensity, innovation performance, values towards R&I) through centers of excellence as lighthouses and role models
- Stimulus for institutional and systemic reforms and R&I investments at the national level, taking into account the enabling conditions on governance of smart specialisation introduced under cohesion policy programmes as far as applicable.
- Strengthened and mutually benefitting collaboration with partners from leading scientific institutions abroad
- Development and promotion of new research strands in relevant domains
- Developed and enhanced research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies
- Contribution to the achievement of the specific objectives of the supporting national/regional/EU programme as complementary funding
- Enhanced innovation and integration of planned processes, services and products of the centre
- Enhanced co-operation and synergies with other EU projects
Scope highlights
- Well-defined strategy for a state-of-the-art excellence R&I centre
- Demonstration of the growth potential and the socioeconomic outreach of the centre for the benefit of the host country/region
- Elaboration of the benefits the coordinator willgain from a partnership led by an institution from abroad, and the win-win benefits for the rest of the participating organisations
- Demonstration of how the centre will have full autonomy in decision-making and operations
- Presentation of the competitive recruitment conditions the centre will offer its personnel
- Elaboration on the steps to make the centre self-sustainable after the EU funding duration
- Attention to gender equality objectives, in line with Horizon Europe obligation to Gender Equality Plan (GEP) submissions
Funding and duration:
Project duration: Up to six years.
Complementary funding obligation: Applicants should have complementary funding for the project from additional resources (private, national or regional funding). The complementary funding should equal the requested support from the Horizon Europe Teaming Programme. In-kind contributions are not considered complementary funding.
Eligible costs:
Start-up and implementation of the centre: The grant awarded from the Horizon Europe budget will provide substantial support for the start-up and implementation phase of the future Centre of Excellence, including the recruitment of the administrative, technical and scientific personnel. The grant will not support infrastructure costs.
Recruitment, travel, and management costs: The grant will also cover expenses related to team members of the future Centre of Excellence, such as salaries, recruitment costs, management and travel costs and subsistence costs.
Research: Necessary consumables, small equipment nd personnel for a minor preparatory research project. The requested support will not exceed more than 10% of the total Horizon Europe grant. The small preparatory research project will be aligned with the objectives of the Teaming action and serve the purpose of developing and testing new methodologies and instruments and/or the integration of new scientific personnel.
Expected EU contribution per project: Varies in accordance with call’s budget.
For more information please refer to the full Teaming for Excellence – Widening 2023-2025 Work Programme.
Calls:
Two-stage call: First stage approved projects are invited to submit to the second stage an investment plan that includes a binding commitment for the complementary funding.
How ISERD can assist you:
- Proofreading and evaluation feedback. Full proposals must be submitted at least one month in advance of the call’s deadline.
- Guidance and support
- Partner search
Further Information:
- Widening Useful Information and Events
- Teaming for Excellence call for proposals application page
Contact Us
For questions regarding the call and its submission requirements please contact the Widening team at ISERD.