Horizon Europe programme structure
ERC (European Research Council)
The European Research Council, set up by the EU in 2007, is the premiere European funding organisation for excellent frontier research.
It provides attractive and flexible funding to enable talented and creative individual researchers, with an emphasis on early stage researchers, and their teams to pursue the most promising avenues at the frontier of science, on the basis of EU-wide competition based solely on the criterion of excellence.
More information here and at European Research Council website
Contact person at FSS: Mgr. Eva Kicková
Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions fund the development of excellent doctoral and postdoctoral training programmes and collaborative research projects. They achieve a structuring impact on higher education institutions, research centres and other organisations way beyond academia by widely spreading excellence and setting standards for high-quality researcher education and training.
Areas of intervention
- supporting researchers in their training, skills and career development
- fostering trans-national, cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary mobility
- funding excellent doctoral and postdoctoral programmes, collaborative projects
- promoting public outreach
More information here and at Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions website.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions work programme 2021-2022
Contact person at FSS: Mgr. Eva Kicková
Collaborative projects
Most collaborative projects respond to European and global challenges are grouped into six clusters, in which work programs with topics for 2-3 years will be announced.
A common feature of collaborative projects is the participation of at least 3 institutions from 3 different EU countries or countries associated with the program (eg Israel, Switzerland, Norway, Western Balkans).
As a new concept, Horizon Europe will incorporate research and innovation missions to increase the effectiveness of funding by pursuing clearly defined targets:
- cancer
- adaptation to climate change including societal transformation
- healthy oceans, seas coastal and inland waters
- climate-neutral and smart cities
- soil health and food
Cluster 1 - Health
Health
The aims of this cluster include improving and protecting the health and well-being of citizens of all ages by generating new knowledge, developing innovative solutions and integrating where relevant a gender perspective to prevent, diagnose, monitor, treat and cure diseases.
Further aims include developing health technologies, mitigating health risks, protecting populations, promoting good health and well-being in general and at work, to make make public health systems more cost-effective, equitable and sustainable, prevent and tackle poverty-related diseases and support and enable patients' participation and self-management.
Areas of intervention:
- health throughout the life course
- environmental and social health determinants
- non-communicable and rare diseases
- infectious diseases including poverty-related and neglected diseases
- tools, technologies and digital solutions for health and care including personalised medicine
- health care systems
Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive society
Culture, Creativity and Inclusive society
The cluster aims to strengthen European democratic values, including rule of law and fundamental rights; to safeguard and promote our cultural heritage; and to promote socio-economic transformations that contribute to inclusion and growth.
Areas of intervention:
- democracy
- cultural heritage
- social and economic transformations
Cluster 3 - Civil security for society
Civil security for society
This cluster responds to the challenges arising from persistent security threats, including cybercrime, as well as natural and man-made disasters.
Areas of intervention:
- disaster-resilient societies
- protection and security
- cybersecurity
Cluster 4 - Digital, Industry and Space
Digital, Industry and Space
Progress in digital and industrial technologies, including in space, shape all sectors of the economy and society.
The main priorities:
- transformation of European industry enabling a clean, climate-neutral, circular, resilient and competitive economy
- strengthening leading position and strategic autonolmy in Key Enabling Technologies
- deploying technologies and innovation that serve citizens
Areas of intervention:
- manufacturing technologies
- key digital technologies including quantum technologies
- emerging enabling technologies
- advanced materials
- artificial intelligence and robotics
- next generation internet
- advanced computing and Big Data
- circular industries
- low carbon and clean industries
- space including earth observation
Cluster 5 - Climate, Energy and Mobility
Climate, Energy and Mobility
This clusters aims to fight climate change by better understanding its causes, evolution, risks, impacts and opportunities, and by making the energy and transport sectors more climate and environment-friendly, more efficient and competitive, smarter, safer and more resilient.
Areas of intervention:
- climate science and solutions
- energy supply
- energy systems and grids
- buildings and industrial facilities in energy transition
- communities and cities
- industrial competitiveness in transport
- clean, safe and accessible transport and mobility
- smart mobility
- energy storage
Cluster 6 - Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
This cluster aims at reducing environmental degradation, halting and reversing the decline of biodiversity on land, inland waters and sea and better managing natural resources through transformative changes of the economy and society in both urban and rural areas.
It will ensure food and nutrition security through knowledge, innovation and digitalisation in agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture and food systems and steer and accelerate the transition to a low carbon, resource efficient circular economy and sustainable bioeconomy, including forestry.
Areas of intervention:
- environmental observation
- biodiversity and natural resources
- agriculture, forestry and rural areas
- seas, oceans and inland waters
- food systems
- bio-based innovation systems in the EU's bioeconomy
- circular systems