European Research Funding

This is an overview of some of the European research funding available. Glasgow's researchers have the opportunity to work with more partners and win more research funding from the EU than ever before.  

Horizon 2020 (2013 – 2020)

The UK and the EU agreed to complete the Horizon 2020 programme so funded UK participation in all ongoing Horizon 2020 projects, and applications still under review which are successful, is secure. The final deadlines for Horizon 2020 have now closed.

Horizon Europe (2021 – 2027)

The UK has agreed with the EU participation in Horizon Europe, with the UK becoming an Associated Country to Horizon Europe. UK organisations can participate in Horizon Europe calls in the same way as organisations based in the EU. UoG researchers can participate and receive funding in all parts of Horizon Europe, including the European Research Council and Marie Curie Actions.

You are strongly encouraged to engage with Horizon Europe. Horizon Europe calls are now launched (further information below).

  • ERC Starting Grant – now open, closes 8 April
  • ERC Consolidator Grant – now open, closes 20 April
  • ERC Advanced Grant – opens 20 May, closes 31 August
  • MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships – opens TBC, closes 15 September

Overseas Team

The Overseas Team provide support in dealing with European research funding applications and awards. Contact: rso-eufunding@glasgow.ac.uk

External Assistance 

UKRO https://www.ukro.ac.uk  

The University is a subscriber to the UK Research Office (UKRO) in Brussels. Visit UKRO web to sign up for tailored emails on EU funding.

ERC 

The ERC has a number of videos covering their guiding principles and advice for applying: videos

ERC Horizon Europe launch

Support provided by the Overseas Team

Overseas Team

The Overseas Team provide support in dealing with European research funding applications and awards. The team is part of the centrally based Research Support Office (rso-eufunding@glasgow.ac.uk) and divided into 3 parts

1. Pre-Award
Provides hands-on support throughout the EU research funding application and awarding process. Responsibilities include:

  • disseminating funding opportunities,
  • providing guidance and support documentation,
  • and working through all the internal approval steps.

Pre-Award also lead on helping resolve issues arising on projects related to Brexit.

2. Post-Award
Post-Award supports all financial claims and reports for EU funded research projects. Responsibilities include:

  • preparing financial claims,
  • organising audits and
  • assisting researchers with understanding their budgets and remaining funds.

Post-Award also work with college research support to prepare all invoices and claims for any research project funded by organisations from outside the UK.

3. Project Management Office (PMO) Team
The University of Glasgow’s (UoG) Project Management Office (PMO) currently support 14 EU funded projects with a total portfolio value of over €33m. The team of four provide bespoke project management services to Principal Investigators (PI) and research teams, both at UoG and across Europe at project Beneficiary organisations.

The PMO have extensive experience of supporting Horizon 2020 EU funded projects including

  • Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Innovative Training Networks (MSCA ITN),
  • Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and
  • European Research Council (ERC) projects.

The PMO Team provide a range of project management and administration services tailored to the requirements of each project. These services include

  • project planning,
  • progress and risk monitoring and reporting,
  • event management and financial management and reporting.

The PMO also provide guidance on EU funding and facilitate effective project-wide communication.

Horizon Europe (2021 – 2027) - now launched

Horizon Europe (2021 – 2027)  

UK organisations can participate in Horizon Europe calls in the same way as organisations based in the EU. UoG researchers can participate and receive funding in all parts of Horizon Europe, including the European Research Council and Marie Curie Actions. 

Horizon Europe, the EU’s new seven-year research and innovation programme, has now launched and UofG researchers are fully eligible to apply. Horizon Europe is the successor programme to Horizon 2020 and operates in the same way when it comes to applying for and receiving funding.

ERC grants for individual researchers

In 2021 alone, the European Research Council (ERC) work programme offers €1.9bn to allow ~ 1,000 researchers to pursue investigator-led research. The first ERC calls for 2021 have been announced:

  • ERC Starting Grant – now open, closes 8 April
  • ERC Consolidator Grant – now open, closes 20 April
  • ERC Advanced Grant – opens 20 May, closes 31 August
  • MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships – opens TBC, closes 15 September

EU-funded collaborations

You are encouraged to continue nurturing existing European networks and partnerships and continue engaging in new ones. Please tell your European collaborators that the UK is continuing to bid as part of EU collaborative projects, with EU funding, as an Associated Country.

Horizon Europe’s collaborative projects are organised in six ‘Clusters’:

  • Cluster 1 - Health
  • Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
  • Cluster 3 - Civil Security for Society
  • Cluster 4 - Digital, Industry and Space
  • Cluster 5 - Climate, Energy and Mobility
  • Cluster 6 - Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Work programmes and calls are expected to be formally published from April 2021, but the Overseas Team has the draft 2021-22 calls in these Clusters and can be contacted at: rso-eufunding@glasgow.ac.uk.

Speak to us for more details: 

European Research Council (ERC)

ERC grants support researchers in all fields at all career stages. They promote investigator-driven frontier research - you can propose ground-breaking, innovative research on any topic, in any discipline.

ERC grants are recognised across the globe and research disciplines as a real marker of research excellence. Winning an ERC grant will significantly raise your international profile and visibility and enhance your career.

ERC funding is also an excellent opportunity to start building a team of PhD students, post-docs and established researchers around you.

The different ERC calls, funding levels and 2021 submission deadlines 

 Starting GrantConsolidator GrantAdvanced Grant
Career Stage PhD 2-7 years ago
(01/01/2014 to 31/12/2018) 		 PhD 7-12 years ago
(01/01/2009 to 31/12/2013) 		 No specific requirements
– usually for PIs more than 12 years post-PhD 
Proposal Deadline 24 March 2021 (tbc) 20 April 2021 (tbc) 31 August 2021
Funding (5-year project) EUR 1.5m EUR 2m EUR 2.5m

There will be one call per year for each type of grant, from 2021 to 2027. 

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships (called ‘Individual Fellowships’ in Horizon 2020)

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are an opportunity for UofG researchers to bring very talented and ambitious postdoc-level researchers to work with you at Glasgow, adding value to your current work, expanding, strengthening and deepening your existing collaborations and networks, develop entirely new networks and collaborations and boost your own profile by supervising excellent postdocs very likely to become leaders in their fields – helping you to secure future grants intended for senior research leaders.

Approach collaborators in other countries for potential candidates, such as those finishing/recently finished their PhDs, promote a fellowship at Glasgow at international meetings, conferences and events, and review your current postdocs - recent appointees may be eligible to apply with UofG.

There is one call per year, the 2021 submission deadline is likely to be in mid-September.