All posts tagged: Horizon Europe

How NCP_WIDERA.NET supports applicants and National Contact Points

How NCP_WIDERA.NET supports applicants and National Contact Points

Published by skeptic

We learn more about the NCP-WIDERA.NET project and how it supports applicants and NCPs with the widening aspect of the Horizon Europe programme Across Europe, building a more inclusive and competitive research and innovation ecosystem remains a central priority. While Horizon Europe provides a wide range of funding opportunities, participation levels still differ significantly between countries. Bridging this gap is a core objective of the WIDERA programme – and one that the NCP_WIDERA.NET, a project coordinated by the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) in Poland, is actively supporting. By strengthening National Contact Points (NCPs), improving proposal quality, and enabling international collaboration, NCP_WIDERA.NET supports applicants across Horizon Europe, with a particular focus on WIDERA and Pillar II opportunities. Empowering National Contact Points At the heart of the project, there is a clear idea: effective support for applicants begins with well-equipped National Contact Points. NCP_WIDERA.NET is a transnational network focused on enhancing the capacity of WIDERA NCPs. These professionals act as key intermediaries between the Horizon Europe programme and potential applicants, providing guidance on calls, …

€22m Horizon Europe funding opens for research and innovation projects

€22m Horizon Europe funding opens for research and innovation projects

Published by skeptic

Researchers, universities and innovation institutions across Europe can now apply for €22m in new Horizon Europe funding under three freshly launched calls focused on strengthening research capacity in lower-performing regions. The European Commission confirmed the opportunities as part of its “Widening participation and spreading excellence” programme. The new Horizon Europe funding package includes support for postdoctoral fellowships, collaboration between Centres of Excellence, and the development of research management infrastructure. Deadlines for applications fall in September 2026, with funding expected to support both individual researchers and institutional partnerships across the EU. The result is a significant boost for organisations in so-called “Widening countries”, where research and innovation performance has historically lagged behind the EU average. Officials expect the calls to improve long-term competitiveness, attract international talent and strengthen Europe’s scientific ecosystem. What Is Horizon Europe? Horizon Europe is the European Union’s flagship research and innovation programme, running from 2021 to 2027 with a total budget of more than €93.5bn. The programme funds scientific research, technological development, and cross-border innovation projects across EU member states and associated …

On the cusp of new opportunities

On the cusp of new opportunities

Published by skeptic

Vicki Thomson, Chief Executive of The Group of Eight – which comprises Australia’s leading research-intensive universities – stresses what association to Horizon Europe would mean for Australia’s research and innovation landscape Australia is closer than ever to becoming an associate country to Horizon Europe – the world’s largest and most influential public research and innovation programme. After years of deep collaboration with European partners, we are now on the cusp of formal association. This moment matters – not just because of what association would unlock, but because of the cost of delay. For Australia’s research system, the question is no longer whether we collaborate with Europe – we already do. The question is whether we embed that collaboration in a stable, long-term framework that allows Australian researchers, universities and industry to compete, lead, and plan with confidence. For the Group of Eight – Australia’s leading research-intensive universities – the answer is clear: this is an opportunity Australia should seize, and quickly. Australia and Europe: A longstanding relationship Australia’s research relationship with Europe is mature and …

Interdependencies in Europe’s digital–energy transition and sovereignty

Interdependencies in Europe’s digital–energy transition and sovereignty

Published by skeptic

Alexandra Garatzogianni examines how Europe’s energy transition reflects the growing intersection of digital and energy infrastructures. Artificial intelligence and data-driven services generate higher electricity demand, while power systems deploy digital tools to integrate renewables and manage variability. The resulting energy interdependencies raise policy questions on resilience, competitiveness, and strategic autonomy. The Digital–Energy Nexus: Systemic interdependencies The convergence of digital and energy infrastructures transforms Europe’s energy transition. Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and data-intensive services, alongside expanding data centre capacity, drive higher electricity consumption. Electricity systems rely substantially on digital tools to integrate renewables, forecast demand, and manage variability. This emerging digital-energy nexus introduces trade-offs between efficiency gains and rising pressure on energy infrastructure, as digitalisation may alleviate certain operational constraints while shifting strains elsewhere in the energy system, particularly to network capacity, flexibility, and investment needs. Governance gaps in a sectoral policy framework These interdependencies expose limitations in governance arrangements. Energy and digital policies remain largely structured along separate institutional tracks, despite broad recognition of the need for enhanced coordination. Existing frameworks face challenges in capturing …

A strong 2040 EU energy efficiency framework is an imperative for energy security, competitiveness and affordability

A strong 2040 EU energy efficiency framework is an imperative for energy security, competitiveness and affordability

Published by skeptic

In the midst of a new energy crisis resulting from the war in the Middle East, the EU starts its reflections on the design of the energy efficiency framework for the next decade. The post-2030 energy efficiency rules must build on the successes of the current legislation and ensure that energy efficiency remains the starting point for achieving EU energy independence by helping citizens to cut their bills and fossil fuel dependency. In legislative terms, 2040 is just around the corner and the European Commission is expected to present the energy efficiency framework for the next decade by the end of this year, making this a crucial moment to reflect on what energy efficiency policy has achieved, why it is still needed and how it can be further improved. Is energy efficiency policy delivering in the EU? Without energy efficiency, EU energy use in 2023 would have been 29% higher than in 2000, making the EU even more dependent on fossil fuels import. Annual energy savings have grown considerably since 2020, well above the 2000-2014 …

the race to secure Africa’s water future

the race to secure Africa’s water future

Published by skeptic

Across Africa, efficient use of water is increasingly crucial. Researchers and local communities have joined forces in six countries to restore land, water and livelihoods through nature-based solutions. In Ranerou, north-east Senegal, locals and environmental experts are working side by side to improve livelihoods and farming conditions, and protect the region’s biodiversity. They are planting and managing trees to improve soil quality and excavating and reinforcing a local pond to help it hold more rainwater. The work is taking place at one of six innovation sites known as Living Labs, set up by TRANS-SAHARA. The other five are in Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana and Tunisia, each chosen to reflect a different set of conditions across the region. TRANS-SAHARA, alongside sister initiatives AfroGrow and GALILEO, is developing nature-based solutions for land and water management across Africa. Listening to local communities Researchers work alongside local communities, putting various agroforestry techniques to the test to restore degraded ecosystems, improve water and food security, and boost farmers’ incomes across North and sub-Saharan Africa, especially in the Sahel region. “People …

Mammoth bones reveal secrets of Ice Age hunters

Mammoth bones reveal secrets of Ice Age hunters

Published by skeptic

For more than a century, vast mammoth bone deposits in Central Europe have puzzled scientists. Now EU-funded researchers are revealing what they tell us about how Ice Age humans hunted and survived. Shortly before the peak of the last Ice Age, herds of woolly mammoths roamed across Central Europe, following seasonal routes through a vast, frigid landscape of grassland and tundra. Across the region, archaeologists have uncovered striking accumulations of mammoth bones, sometimes numbering in the thousands. These sites have puzzled researchers since the 19th century. Were these vast bone beds the result of hunting, natural deaths, or both? And what do they reveal about the people who lived alongside these giant animals? An EU-funded European research team is taking a fresh look at three of the most important sites: Kraków Spadzista in Poland, Dolní Věstonice in Czechia and Langmannersdorf in Austria. Their work is part of a five-year initiative called MAMBA, funded by the European Research Council, which will run until June 2027. Leading the work is Dr Jarosław Wilczyński, an archaeologist and associate professor at the …

Scientists race to understand the health risks of microplastics

Scientists race to understand the health risks of microplastics

Published by skeptic

From city air to drinking water, microplastics are becoming impossible to avoid. EU-funded researchers are now exploring how these tiny particles interact with our bodies and assessing their long-term health impact. Visitors to Utrecht’s Wilhelmina Park in the summer of 2023 may have come across an unusual sight: volunteers on stationary exercise bikes, cycling for science. The bikes were set up in different parts of the park – in its centre, beside a busy road and at a traffic junction where cars constantly stopped and started. The aim was to observe how the body reacts to pollution. After the ride, researchers analysed the cyclists’ blood, looking for changes in white blood cells linked to exposure to tiny plastic particles in the air. These particles, known as microplastics, are now found almost everywhere. Tyres shed them as vehicles move, synthetic materials break down over time, and plastics persist in the environment long after they are discarded. The Dutch study found that breathing polluted air containing these particles could temporarily affect the immune system. As the volunteers …

Horizon Europe Cluster 6 draws 1,132 research proposals in race for €405m funding

Horizon Europe Cluster 6 draws 1,132 research proposals in race for €405m funding

Published by skeptic

The European Union has received 1,132 research proposals under Horizon Europe Cluster 6, highlighting intense competition for up to €405.4m in funding to advance sustainable food systems, biodiversity protection, and the circular bioeconomy. The submissions cover projects linked to agriculture, climate action, pollution reduction and environmental resilience. The funding call is part of the EU’s broader Horizon Europe programme and supports research aligned with the European Green Deal, including the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Farm to Fork strategy. The initiative is designed to accelerate scientific innovation while helping Europe transition toward a low-carbon and resource-efficient economy. Early figures show the strongest interest came from food systems and biodiversity-related calls, suggesting that researchers and industry groups are prioritising climate-resilient agriculture, ecosystem restoration, and digital technologies for sustainability. More funding opportunities linked to Horizon Europe Cluster 6 are expected later this year. What Horizon Europe Cluster 6 supports Horizon Europe Cluster 6 focuses on tackling some of Europe’s most pressing environmental and food-security challenges. The programme supports research intended to reduce environmental degradation, restore biodiversity …

Elephant trunk inspires the universal robot gripper

Elephant trunk inspires the universal robot gripper

Published by skeptic

EU-funded researchers have developed a soft robot that moves like an elephant’s trunk – precise enough to pick fresh fruit, yet powerful enough to help lift a patient. Lucia Beccai, an expert in soft robotics at the Italian Institute of Technology in Genoa, had an idea while watching a documentary about elephants. She was amazed by the versatility of their trunks, which can delicately remove a single leaf from a tree and then shift massive logs. That versatility was missing from today’s robots. But what if researchers could emulate the anatomy and function of an elephant trunk? It could revolutionise how robots handle objects, with applications from helping around the house to searching for survivors in rubble. “The elephant trunk is really attractive because it’s very dexterous and sensitive,” said Beccai. “It is a sensory organ that is large‑scale, boneless, but extremely versatile. Today, its performance is unmatched in robotics.” That observation became the seed for PROBOSCIS, a five‑year EU‑funded research initiative that brought together biologists, engineers and materials scientists to decode the mechanics of …