Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation. Following the Multiannual Financial Framework Midterm Review (MTR) decision, the indicative funding amount for Horizon Europe for the period 2021-2027 is EUR 93.5 billion. The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges. It supports creating and better dispersing of excellent knowledge and technologies. It creates jobs, fully engages the EU’s talent pool, boosts economic growth, promotes industrial competitiveness and optimises investment impact within a strengthened European Research Area. Legal entities from the EU and associated countries can participate.
- Teaming: Establishment or significant expansion of centres of excellence
- Twinning: exchange of knowledge and experience between research institutions and leading partners in a specific scientific field
- ERA Chairs: Recruitment of excellent scientists and innovators from leading countries with the aim of building a sustainable and excellent research team in a specific scientific field
- COST: Promotion of transnational cooperation networks
- Hop on schemes: opening up Pillar 2 consortia to Widening Partners
- Centres of excellence: strengthening the cross-border regional innovation ecosystem
- Twinning and R&I policy development for the Western Balkans (Eligible coordinators: Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, BIH, North Macedonia, Kosovo)
- Promoting excellence in the higher education sector and supporting the innovation ecosystem
- Attracting talent (R&D&I talent development, broader target group)
MARIE-SKŁODOWSKA CURIE POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS (MSCA):
The Marie-Skłodowska Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship is a post-doc research and training programme in which the fellow gains new skills and competences working on a specific research project in a new environment, collaborating with the academic and non-academic sector. Open to all fields of research. Main rules and requirements can be found on the dedicated website: Postdoctoral Fellowships | Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (europa.eu).
For more information on the Horizon Europe programme and funding opportunities please visit official webpage: EU Funding & Tenders Portal (europa.eu).
INTERREG
Interreg, one of the key instruments of the EU supporting cooperation across borders through project funding, also offers possibilities for Western Balkan countries.
The programmes in which you can participate include:
- Interreg Danube Region: Member States: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia; Accession countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia; Neighbouring Countries: Moldova and Ukraine
- Interreg Adrion: Four EU Member States (Croatia, Greece, Italy, and Slovenia), three candidate countries (Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia), and a potential candidate country (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Interreg EURO-MED: 10 EU Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain) and 4 Accession countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and North Macedonia)
- Interreg Europe: EU Member States + 7 EU candidate countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine)
Details of the programmes and current/planned calls are published on their respective websites. Please be aware that not all programmes allow participation from entire countries. Sometimes, participation is limited to specific regions.
What is Interreg?
Interreg is a key European Union (EU) instrument that strengthens cooperation between regions and countries within the EU. As part of the EU’s Cohesion Policy, Interreg plays a vital role in promoting regional development, cohesion, and reducing economic disparities. For the 2021-2027 period, Interreg is focused on addressing current challenges like climate change, digital transformation, and social inclusion. More details.
ERASMUS+
Erasmus+ is the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. With a budget of some €26 billion, Erasmus+ 2021-2027 offers more mobility and cooperation opportunities than ever before.
ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES
EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme: North Macedonia, Serbia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Turkey.
Third countries not associated to the Programme (Western Balkans (Region 1): Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro.
Organisations from countries outside the EU can take part in selected actions of the Erasmus+ programme. In the context of Erasmus+, these countries are referred to as “non-associated third countries (Partner Countries)”. Cooperation between Program and Partner countries is within the framework of the Erasmus+ program KA171 (exchange of students and staff). Cooperation takes place between 12 regions, in which different countries are located. Every year, the University of Ljubljana determines a selection of different regions and countries and participates in a national tender for Erasmus+ funds.
OPPORTUNITIES
Organisations wanting to participate in Erasmus+ may engage in a number of development and networking activities, including strategic improvement of the professional skills of their staff, organisational capacity building, and creating transnational cooperative partnerships with organisations from other countries in order to produce innovative outputs or exchange best practices.
In addition, organisations facilitate the learning mobility opportunities for students, education staff, trainees, apprentices, volunteers, youth workers and young people.
The benefits for involved organisations include an increased capacity to operate at an international level, improved management methods, access to more funding opportunities and projects, increased ability to prepare, manage, and follow-up projects, as well as a more attractive portfolio of opportunities for learners and staff at participating organisations.
KEY ACTION 1: LEARNING MOBILITY OF INDIVIDUALS: Learning mobility opportunities aim to encourage the mobility of students, staff, trainees, apprentices, youth workers and young people. The role of the organisations in this process is to organise these opportunities for individuals. The benefits for the organisations include an increased capacity to operate at an international level, improved management skills, access to more funding opportunities and projects, increased ability to prepare, manage, and follow-up projects, a more attractive portfolio of opportunities for students and staff at participating organisations, the opportunity to develop innovative projects with partners from around the world. Key Action 1: Learning mobility of individuals
KEY ACTION 2: COOPERATION AMONG ORGANISATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS: The cooperation among organisations and institutions is expected to result in the development, transfer and/or implementation of innovative practices at organisational, local, regional, national or European levels. Key Action 2: Cooperation among organisations and institutions
KEY ACTION 3: SUPPORT TO POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION: Opportunities under this Key Action provides support to policy cooperation at European Union level, thereby contributing to the implementation of existing policies and the development of new policies, which can trigger modernisation and reforms, at European Union, and systems’ level, in the fields of education, training youth and sport. Key Action 3: Support to policy development and cooperation
JEAN MONNET: Opportunities for teaching, research, and policy debate on the EU and its policies. Explore Jean Monnet Actions
SPORT: Designed to develop and implement joint activities to promote sport and physical activity, identify and implement innovative activities in the field of sport, and manage not-for-profit events to increase participation in sport. Explore Sport
OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE OF EU:
- Erasmus Mundus actions for universities
- Erasmus Mundus programmes and scholarships for students
- Jean Monnet actions in the field of higher education
- Capacity-building in the field of higher education
- Capacity-building in the field of VET
- Capacity-building in the field of sports
- Virtual exchanges in higher education and youth – Western Balkans
WESTERN BALKANS MOBILITY SCHEME
As a POLICY ANSWERS Pilot Programme the Western Balkans Mobility Scheme addresses early-career researchers from all six Western Balkan economies and supports them in their career development by funding a stay in another Western Balkans economy in order to do research at a research infrastructure abroad. With a total budget of EUR 100,000, the scheme provides each winning project with a grant of up to EUR 5,000 for two weeks until a maximum of six months.
REGIONAL COOPERATION COUNCIL (RCC)
The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is an all-inclusive, regionally owned and led cooperation framework. This framework engages RCC participants from the South East Europe (SEE), members of the international community and donors on subjects which are important and of interest to the SEE, with a view to promoting and advancing the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the region.
- The first Western Balkans Research and Innovation Infrastructure Roadmap
- JRC’s Smart Specialisation in the Western Balkans: Potential for knowledge-based economic cooperation
- The first Research Infrastructure Roadmaps in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo* and North Macedonia
- Open Access Research Infrastructure in the WB Support Programme
- Compendium on Best Practices in DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT in the Western Balkans
- First regional competitiveness foresight study – Unleashing the Potential for Competitiveness: Trends in the Western Balkans
Young Researchers positions at the University of Ljubljana
Young researchers are doctoral students working in research programmes of the members of the University of Ljubljana (academies / faculties). The young researchers positions are fully funded (tuition fees for PhD students are fully covered), and their employer offers students a challenging educational environment, world-class research facilities, a collaborative environment, work in the international community, excellent career opportunities and a clear mentoring system.