Horizon Europe - Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area (WPSE and ERA)

I: Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence (WPSE)

The European Commission wants member states to bring their research and innovation systems up to a level of excellence. For example, in ‘Teaming for Excellence’ and ‘Twinning’ activities, excellent and underperforming research institutes work together. The idea behind this is to set up Centres of Excellence (Teaming), and staff exchanges and training sessions (Twinning).

The programme is not only for participants from widening countries. It aims for pan-European collaboration and knowledge sharing.

II: Strengthening the European Research Area (ERA)

We must use the European Union's scientific knowledge to link research infrastructures with the economy, as well as with education and training programmes. The goal is to have a European Union where:

• knowledge and highly-skilled personnel circulate freely;
• researchers share outputs rapidly and efficiently; and
• researchers enjoy attractive careers and gender equality is no longer an issue.

Also, the European Union has strategic research agendas aligned with national plans. An important part of the plans is that citizens trust and understand the outcomes of research and innovations.

Calls for proposals

The WPSE and ERA programme has several calls for proposal with 3 goals:

1. Improved access to excellence (widening)
2. Attracting and mobilizing the best talents (ERA Calls)
3. Reforming and enhancing the EU research and innovation system

Conditions

• You have to submit a proposal together with an international consortium of partners from different European countries. 
• The consortium has to consist of 3 organisations from 3 different European Member States or Associated Countries.
• Conditions for the WPSE programme: the widening country is responsible the coordination of the project.
• Conditions for ERA programme: the conditions are the same as those for projects under Pillar II.  

Find a suitable call

The European Commission publishes several calls for proposal. In the Funding & Tender portal of the European Commission you can find which calls are currently open and find all important documents with the rules for participation. You can also submit a proposal in this online portal.

Stay informed

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