6th REINFORCING Open Call (Incubators Call) on “Responsible Innovation” Tipologia:
Internazionale Programma:
HORIZON-WIDERA-2022-ERA
Introduction REINFORCING supports organizations and institutions in Europe to transition to a new paradigm where responsibility and openness drive research and innovation (R&I) processes. The green and digital transitions have become of paramount importance to address the societal challenges that European societies currently face. The twin transition will bring enormous benefits but also undesired externalities and implications. In this regard, EU institutions and territories need to shift to more open and transparent R&I practices in which all actors share responsibility to develop services and products that are acceptable, sustainable, and bring social satisfaction. The Open and Responsible Research and Innovation (ORRI) approach promotes collaborative efforts, sharing research outputs as early as possible for engaging citizens in co-creation processes and opening R&I to the whole society. Implementing Open and Responsible Research and Innovation (ORRI) can seem a daunting task. Over the past decade, many resources and tools have been created, but an effort to systematize, curate, and create a single-entry point was still missing. REINFORCING is this much-needed European central hub for ORRI. The REINFORCING platform (https://reinforcing.eu/oss-platform) is the entry point to knowledge, training, ORRI skills matchmaking, and capacity building for organizations interested in starting or continuing their journey to creating an inclusive R&I ecosystem. Furthermore, the project brokers unique networking opportunities for organizations, institutions, and territories interested in becoming part of the European ecosystem that is transforming the R&I system by bringing it closer to society and societal needs. To support this change, REINFORCING has ring-fenced funding to invite institutions from around Europe to develop projects aiming at implementing new modes of doing R&I that drive more just transitions. All the Calls have supported and will support territories and organizations experimenting with ORRI for the first time (ORRI Incubator Open Calls) as well as those scaling up their ORRI activities (ORRI Booster Open Calls).
Call requirements and details Proposals applying for the REINFORCING 6th Open Call must revolve around practices of Responsible Innovation. The European Union stands at a critical juncture in the evolution of its research and innovation (R&I) ecosystem. The proposed “Fifth Freedom,1” encompassing the free circulation of research, innovation, data, education, and competences, responds to this challenge by placing the generation and diffusion of knowledge at the core of Europe. Yet, realising the promise of the Fifth Freedom requires more than structural reforms and investment in infrastructure. It demands a sound approach to how research and innovation are conceived and conducted that ensures alignment with societal needs, democratic values, and ethical standards. Responsible Innovation is both a well-rooted and a necessary framework to guide this transformation, grounding scientific and technological advancement in principles of transparency, inclusiveness, responsiveness, and anticipation. Moreover, Responsible Innovation supports the creation of a truly “European Knowledge Commons” where open science, ethical standards, and public participation converge. It reinforces Europe’s position not only as a regulator of technologies but as a proactive co-shaper, along with its citizens, of socially relevant R&I. Thus, Responsible Innovation plays a crucial role, enabling research to navigate complex ethical landscapes and multidimensional challenges through cross-sectoral, interdisciplinary, and participatory approaches.
The REINFORCING Sixth Open Call, as an Incubator, has specific and mandatory requirements to comply with:
While designing your proposal, please bear in mind that REINFORCING does not fund:
Applications proposing such activities as listed above will be rejected in the initial phases of the evaluation process, as they will be considered ineligible. For the 6th REINFORCING Open Call, no more than 8 consortia implementing projects lasting 12 months will be supported with grants of up to 60,000 euros each. Please note that different durations of the projects (less or more than 1 year) are not possible and will not be considered eligible. Furthermore, please consider that all the funded projects will start on 15th January 2026 and end on 14th January 2027. No change in these dates can be negotiated. Information on application procedures is available on the REINFORCING website, where the Guide for applicants, the Frequently Asked Questions, and the Checklist for Applicants can be downloaded: https://reinforcing.eu/open-calls/current-calls
Task descriptionActivities to address Responsible Innovation Projects applying for the REINFORCING 6th Open Call should consist of several activities, examples of which could be proposed are listed below. Please note that the list is non-exhaustive and should serve as inspiration rather than a task list. Applicants can perform different complementary activities within the 12 months of the supported project, not necessarily just one particular activity. Potential activities:
Furthermore, through the proposed actions, applicants must demonstrate how they intend to embed and institutionalize ORRI within their organisation or territory, in order to ensure long-term commitment to Responsible Innovation. The MLE on Public Engagement in R&I reports, the Code of Practice on Citizen Engagement for Knowledge Valorisation, and the Code of Practice on the management of intellectual assets should be considered relevant sources of reference. Bando:
Scadenza: 2 dicembre 2025 (02 December 2025 17:00 (Brussels time))
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MSCA Choose Europe for Science 2025 (HORIZON-MSCA-2025-COFUND-02) Tipologia:
Internazionale Programma:
Horizon Europe (HORIZON) Topic description Expected Outcome For supported researchers:
For participating organisations:
Scope: The objective of this new scheme is to tackle brain drain and precarity of researchers' careers to make Europe more attractive to the most promising young talents. Applicants submit proposals for talent recruitment programmes that will provide researchers holding a doctoral degree with excellent research and academic opportunities, potentially coupled with management activities, to lead them to concrete and attractive career prospects. This will have an impact on the enhancement of human resources in R&I at institutional, regional, national or international level. These programmes will be co-funded by MSCA Choose Europe for Science. The programmes will be divided into two phases. A first phase (24-36 months) in which the EU funding is equivalent to the minimum gross salary for the recruited researcher during this phase and a second phase (24 months) in which the applicant is expected to continue to employ the researcher, set salaries attractive at a national level and ensure availability of the necessary internal or external funds. Proposed programmes can cover any research disciplines. The selection procedure for candidates must be open, competitive, merit-based and with a transparent international peer-review in line with the European Charter for Researchers[1]. Alignment with the principles outlined in the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment[2] is also encouraged. Selection criteria should be based primarily on excellence. Additional selection criteria require clear alignment with local human resources needs identified in the relevant institutional, regional or national strategies. These must be described in the proposal and must be listed in the vacancy notice (to be widely advertised internationally, including on the EURAXESS website[3]) alongside the gross salaries applicable to the two programme phases (net salary + employee’s taxes and contributions). Selected fellows will be able to work in research, teaching or management positions and, where relevant, define their own research topic at their host institution(s). The programmes should aim at offering excellent working conditions to researchers, including salary, professional resources, and career development. The career development should incorporate transversal skills but also job-specific skills and, where relevant, language courses to ensure that the training is in line with the career opportunities offered following the fellowship. These opportunities must include concrete and attractive long-term career prospects, such as pathways towards open-ended contracts, which can be subject to assessment and evaluation. There must be a fair, equal, inclusive, transparent, structured career accession and progression system providing access to these opportunities in line with the Council Recommendation of 18 December 2023 on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe, the European Charter for Researchers in its annex and the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. A Career Development Plan must be maintained throughout the period of the Choose Europe for Science programme. In addition to research objectives, this Plan comprises the researcher's career development needs, including training on languages, transferable skills, teaching, planning for publications and participation in conferences and events. The Plan should outline the projected career progression paths in the host institution. [2] agreement_final.pdf (coara.eu) [3] EURAXESS | Topic destinations MSCA Co-funding of regional, national and international programmes (2023/24) MSCA COFUND co-finances new or existing doctoral programmes and postdoctoral fellowship schemes with the aim of spreading the best practices of the MSCA including international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary research training, as well as international and cross-sectoral mobility of researchers at all stages of their career. In practice, MSCA COFUND provides complementary funding for doctoral or postdoctoral programmes managed by entities established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Those co-funded programmes must follow MSCA’s good practice in terms of international recruitment and minimum standard of employment for the recruited fellows as described in the European Charter for Researchers. Expected impact Proposals under this Action should contribute to the following expected impacts:
Deadline mode: single-stage Planned opening dat: 01 October 2025 Deadline dat: 03 December 2025 17:00:00 Brussels time Bando:
Scadenza: 3 dicembre 2025 (03 December 2025 17:00:00 Brussels time)
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Next generation distribution substation for increasing the system resilience Tipologia:
Internazionale Programma:
Horizon Europe (HORIZON) Topic description Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
Scope: Projects are expected to:
The demonstration, test and validation of the activities should be carried out in at least two pilots in different EU Member States and/or Associated Countries. The projects should propose a set of best practices and recommendations on effective overarching principles and operational measures for: (i) building smart distribution substations, and (ii) integrating them into a more resilient, intelligent, and responsive distribution grid which is able to tackle disturbances and address net congestion. Projects are expected to include at least five distribution system operators (DSOs) operating across different geographies and climate conditions. This total number of DSOs per project could be distributed across the different pilots of a particular project. Additionally, collaboration is encouraged with the following entities:
This collaboration (minimum number of entities) is sought per project in total and does not necessarily apply per each pilot in particular. The selected projects are expected to contribute to the BRIDGE initiative[1], actively participate in its activities. [1] https://bridge-smart-grid-storage-systems-digital-projects.ec.europa.eu/ Planned opening dat: 16 September 2025 Deadline dat: 17 February 2026 17:00:00 Brussels time Bando:
Scadenza: 17 febbraio 2026 (17 February 2026 17:00:00 Brussels time)
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