Funding Opportunities - Open Call

The Analysis and Planning Unit of the MAECI supports, through grants for research projects, the activities of public and private entities engaged in research and analysis in international affairs. Grants are awarded in accordance with Article 23-bis of Presidential Decree No. 18 of 5 January 1967, and are based on the thematic priorities established each year by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Ministerial Decree, following consultation with the relevant Parliamentary Committees. Research projects proposed by interested entities must comply with the requirements set out in the annual public notice and are evaluated by a Committee, which assesses their quality and relevance for the MAECI according to specific criteria.

The Ministry of University and Research has published the PRIN 2026 HYBRID Call (Projects of Significant National Interest) for the public funding of fundamental research projects, with the aim of strengthening the national research system and fostering collaboration among universities, research institutions, and AFAM institutions.

The guiding principles of the PRIN 2026 HYBRID program are as follows:

the promotion of excellence, impact, and efficiency in the implementation of research projects;
the eligibility for funding of projects related to the themes listed above;
the adequacy of financial support provided by the Ministry.
The PRIN 2026 Hybrid call supports projects that, in line with the strategic priorities of the European Union and the objectives of strengthening the competitiveness of the national system, address the following thematic areas:

quantum technologies;
high performance computing (HPC);
artificial intelligence;
cybersecurity;
technologies and innovative approaches in the healthcare sector.
The total budget available for the "PRIN 2026 Hybrid" program amounts to €56,640,000.00, which will be distributed among the five thematic areas listed above.

Each project proposal, with a duration of three years, must request funding in the range of €1,200,000.00 to €1,700,000.00, and the research team must consist of a minimum of four and a maximum of six research units from different universities, institutions, or organizations.

The PRIN 2026 Hybrid call is open to all PIs, alternate PIs, and unit coordinators who have not submitted an application under the PRIN 2026 Call. A quota equal to 15% of the available funding is reserved for projects submitted by PIs under 40 years of age at the date of this call, or by PIs meeting the eligibility criteria for extension.

Applications may be submitted by the PI starting from 3:00 pm on April 20, 2026, exclusively via the web-based procedure available at the following link: https://prin.mur.gov.it/ .

The deadline for submitting proposals is 3:00 pm on June 4, 2026.

For further information and to consult the official documentation, please visit the section dedicated to the call at the following link: Bando PRIN Hybrid 2026

The PRIN 2026 Call (Projects of Relevant National Interest) has been published, promoted by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR), aimed at funding basic research projects, with the goal of strengthening the national research system and fostering interactions between universities, research institutions, and AFAM institutions.

The program funds three-year projects that, due to their complexity and characteristics, require the collaboration of multiple research units.

The main guiding principles of PRIN 2026 are:

   the promotion of scientific excellence, impact, and efficiency in the execution of the projects;
   support for proposals in all areas of research;
   the adequacy of the financial support guaranteed by MUR.
   The funding allocated to each project ranges from 1,000,000 to 1,200,000 euros.

Project proposals, which must be drafted exclusively in English, must be submitted through the dedicated platform, starting from 3:00 PM on April 17, 2026.

Projects must be submitted by groups consisting of a minimum of four and a maximum of six research units, belonging to different universities or institutions. A share equal to 15% of the available resources is reserved for projects submitted by Principal Investigators under 40 years of age.

The deadline for submitting applications is set at 3:00 PM on June 1, 2026.

For further information and to consult the official documentation, please visit the section dedicated to the call at the following link: https://www.mur.gov.it/it/atti-e-normativa/decreto-direttoriale-n-2298-del-10-04-2026

Public notice for the submission of research projects aimed at deepening knowledge in Antarctica and obtaining a better understanding of the interaction and connection processes among the different compartments of the Earth system (cryosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere).

The call regulates the procedures for funding research activities aimed at deepening knowledge in Antarctica, and also obtaining a better understanding of the interaction and connection processes among the various compartments of the Earth system (cryosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere). In order to enable suitable comparisons and/or integrations, research activities may also concern areas outside the Antarctic region.
In line with the three-year strategic programming PNRA 2024-2026, research proposals will primarily address the following scientific topics:

• land/ice/climate interactions; Antarctic ocean, lithosphere, and atmosphere
• life in Antarctica; evolution, adaptation, biodiversity, and biocenosis
• astronomy, astrophysics, and space weather
• human impact and environmental contamination
• biomedicine and psychology
• technology in Antarctica

The MUR encourages the submission of broad, coordinated proposals, fostering, in line with the aforementioned strategic programming of the PNRA, international collaboration in polar research and the development of research projects of supranational dimensions and interests, also with the aim of achieving savings and streamlining in the use of infrastructural and logistical support resources. In this perspective, and also in view of participation in the upcoming International Polar Year 2032, the submission of projects that can connect to international initiatives and programs promoted by SCAR (Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, Home | SCAR) is encouraged, an International Science Council body that coordinates integrated scientific research in Antarctica and provides independent scientific advice to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM). In addition, the submission of projects that can be part of the international initiative Antarctica InSync is also encouraged.