Teaming Synergies

Topic description

Expected Outcome: The Synergy action for Teaming Centres of Excellence (CoE) responds to the need to ensure the sustainability of CoE funded under the Teaming calls [1] . The establishment of CoE in Widening countries, supported by a significant investment in Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, has created new opportunities for scientific, societal, and economic impact. However, to fully capitalise on this investment and enhance the sustainability and international competitiveness of these CoE, it is essential to facilitate stronger collaboration and strategic joint initiatives among them. Proposals are expected to contribute to all the following outcomes: Stronger long-term collaboration among Teaming CoE through structured joint initiatives and clustering efforts to enhance mutual learning, resource sharing, and collective research and innovation capacity; Strategic transformation of R&I systems by enhancing institutional cooperation and supporting structural reforms at national and regional levels; Promotion of multidisciplinary and transnational cooperation that will enable CoE to address critical European and global challenges, and EU policy priorities; Promote ERA priorities such as responsible AI usage, knowledge valorisation, commercialization, and entrepreneurial activities, such as SMEs and start-ups, within the CoE to maximise economic and societal impact; Stronger visibility of CoE and their recognition at national, regional, and European levels through structured engagement with industry, policymakers, and society; Improved synergies between CoE and national and EU programmes to leverage additional funding opportunities and policy support. Scope: The call topic aims at fostering collaboration among Teaming Centres of Excellence, both existing ones and those resulting from ongoing or future calls, in view of supporting their efforts towards sustainability and increased impact at the regional, national and European level. Proposals are expected to include at least the following activities: Strategic Clustering for thematic collaboration: Conducting an in-depth analysis of CoE capacities, research domains, innovation potential, and their role in national and regional quadruple helixes. The aim is to define strategic clusters addressing common research and innovation challenges, supporting EU priorities, and contributing to policy reforms. Pilot implementation of thematic clusters: Establish clusters and support the coordinated implementation of activities, building e.g. on geographically distributed research capacities and infrastructures, interdisciplinary research collaborations, policy support for national and/or institutional R&I reform, or entrepreneurship-focused activities. Capacity building for knowledge valorisation: Offering specialised training, peer learning, expert coaching, and workshops to improve CoE expertise in knowledge valorisation. Networking and matchmaking: Organising dedicated matchmaking events, policy forums, and startup pitching events to connect CoE with industry, investors, and policymakers, supporting their market outreach and strategic partnerships. Teaming online platform: Developing a digital networking platform to improve cooperation among CoE, provide access to shared resources, showcase success stories, and facilitate continuous interaction between research institutions, industry, and policymakers. Teaming conference: Establish the conference as an internationally recognized event, stimulating cross-fertilization of scientific ideas, promoting industry-academia collaborations, attracting international talents and rewarding early-career researchers through Teaming awards. Entrepreneurship and tech transfer support: Encouraging the creation of spin-offs and start-ups, licensing opportunities, and investment-readiness initiatives to ensure research outputs lead to marketable innovations. To achieve the expected outcomes, the consortium is expected to provide a comprehensive range of expertise commensurate with the proposed activities. A core of the consortium should be able to demonstrate successful implementation of sustainability strategies of a Teaming CoE. Complementary members of the consortium can provide specific expertise on e.g. communication, training, knowledge valorisation and IPR issues. The consortium should to demonstrate a geographical coverage of its activities that is able to reach all past, existing and future Teaming CoEs that wish to participate in the activities and benefit from the services offered by the consortium. The consortium is encouraged to maximise the use of existing services and facilities, such as the Widening Dissemination and Exploitation Support Facility, to avoid duplication and creation of competing services. In order to assess the efficient and effective implementation of the proposed activities a set of key performance indicators tailored to the objectives of the action should be outlined in the proposal. The duration of this action should be 5 years. [1] In June 2022, the European Court of Auditors in its report recommended the Commission to ensure the sustainability of the Teaming Centres of Excellence.

Conditions and documents

General conditions 1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. 2. Eligible Countries described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide . 3. Other Eligible Conditions In order to achieve the expected outcomes, participation as coordinators to the call is limited to legal entities established in Widening countries, as defined in the Horizon Europe regulation, that have been or are coordinator of a Horizon 2020 or Horizon Europe Teaming action. Achiving the objectives of this topic requires in-depth knowledge of creating and sustaining a teaming centre of excellence that only a coordinator with this kind of experience can provide. Other conditions are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual . 5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. 6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions The Commission estimates that an EU contribution of around EUR 7.00 million would allow these outcomes to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of a proposal requesting different amounts. The total indicative budget for the topic is EUR 7.00 million. Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA): Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Standard application form (HE CSA) Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations Standard evaluation form (HE CSA) Guidance HE Programme Guide Model Grant Agreements (MGA) HE MGA HE Unit MGA Call-specific instructions Information on financial support to third parties (HE) Information on clinical studies (HE) Additional documents: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 11. Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General An nexes HE Programme Guide HE Framework Programme 2021/695 HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764 EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

Budget overview

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        "action": "HORIZON-WIDERA-2026-01-WIDENING-01 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions",
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        "deadlineDates": [
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        "plannedOpeningDate": "2026-04-23"
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  "budgetYearsColumns": [
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