Horizon Europe European Union
Neutral-Atom Platform Technologies
This action aims to establish European leadership in neutral-atom quantum simulation and digital quantum computing by delivering: • Fully programmable industry-ready quan…
Horizon Europe · European Union
ERA Chairs and Research Managers — ERA Chairs
Opens 6 Apr 2027
The EU's Horizon Europe programme expects to make 80 awards of €1.5 million – €2.5 million each, from a total budget of €175 million. Applications close on 14 Sep 2027 (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time). Organisations in EU member states and Horizon Europe associated countries such as Türkiye can usually take part; the topic conditions control.
- Deadline
- 14 Sep 2027 (in 303 days)
- Opens
- 6 Apr 2027
- Grant amount
- €1.5 million – €2.5 million per project
- Total budget
- €175 million
- Funding rate
- 100% of eligible costs Standard rule for this programme; the call can differ.
- Total budget
- €175 million
- Expected awards
- 80
- Type of action
- HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions · HORIZON Lump Sum Grant
- Likely applicant types
- Companies, SMEs / start-ups, Non-profits, Universities & research, Public bodies From source categories or programme rules; the call decides.
- Funder
- Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
- Reference
- HORIZON-WIDERA-2027-02-WIDENING-01
- Call
- HORIZON-WIDERA-2027-02
- Last checked
- 14 Nov 2026
Expected outcome
Progress in strengthening links between research and innovation actors across the European Research Area (ERA) is essential for Europe to capitalize on excellence. ERA Chairs aim to attract outstanding scientists and innovators to universities, research organisations or research infrastructures in Widening countries, fostering brain circulation and creating pockets of excellence that enhance institutional culture and performance.
The ERA Chair holder’s leadership and the establishment of a permanent, high-quality research group will boost excellence, visibility, and integration within the ERA, improving competitiveness in research and promoting institutional reforms aligned with ERA priorities.
Projects are expected to contribute to some of the following outcomes:
At system level:
• Increased international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral mobility of R&I talent towards Widening countries;
Read the full text
• Institutional reforms in research institutions and national R&I systems;
• Strengthened human capital with more entrepreneurial and well-trained researchers;
• Better communication of R&I results to society;
• Enhanced research capacity, competitiveness, and economic growth.
At organisation level:
• Strengthened research excellence in ERA Chair fields;
• Increased attractiveness to top international researchers;
• Establishment of a lasting, high-performing research group with institutional benefits;
• Improved success in EU and global competitive funding.
Scope
Research organisations or research infrastructures in Widening countries seeking to establish an ERA Chair should submit a proposal with a prospective ERA Chair holder - an outstanding researcher or innovator in any scientific domain. The research institution will act as the sole applicant (mono-beneficiary), and ERA Chair holders may be from any country, but may not already have a contractual relationship with the coordinating entity.
Proposals should include a Curriculum Vitae (CV) in Europass form [1] of the prospective ERA Chair holder, detailing their scientific and technical contributions to the coordinating institution. The CV should be uploaded as an Annex to the proposal.
Proposals should also describe any relevant investments of the coordinator in research projects, facilities and infrastructures and how those will be achieved and/or a better use of the installed research capacity (in particular of EU co-funded research infrastructures & facilities). Existing or foreseen arrangements for compliance with ERA priorities [2] including the European Charter for Researchers & Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers [3] should be outlined in the proposal.
Read the full text
ERA Chair holders should be excellent researchers and/or innovators in the chosen field of research [4] . They should establish a research team fully integrated in the coordinator's institution to significantly improve its research performance in the scientific domain of choice and to be more successful in obtaining competitive funding. The recruitment of the research team must follow an open, transparent and merit-based process and should be conducted by an international panel chaired by the ERA Chair. The ERA Chair holder should have a position within the organization enabling them to drive institutional reforms within the organisation, ensure resource allocation, and to submit funding applications. Teaching duties may be included where appropriate.
ERA Chair holders may relocate permanently or temporarily to the coordinating institution, with secondments, sabbaticals, or part-time arrangements also possible. A minimum 50% full-time equivalent (FTE) commitment, including on-site presence, must be ensured, at least until the appointment of a research group leader on a permanent basis. A description of the transition phase between the team leader and the ERA chair holder should be provided in the proposal, explaining also their share of tasks and their role in the remaining years of the project, in case the appointed research group leader is not the ERA Chair holder. In this case the ERA chair should remain committed (at least 20%) for the remaining duration of the project in support to the research leader to ensure efficient reforms and improved research performance.
All contractual arrangements, time commitment and the timeline of the ERA Chair’s on-site presence at the coordinator should be indicated in the proposal, as well as the salary (gross amount), travel and daily…
Who can apply
Single applicant (one organisation applies alone) (as stated in the topic). Country restriction: participation as coordinators to the call is limited to legal entities established in Widening countries, as defined in the Horizon Europe regulation.
Applicant categories are a starting point. The official call decides eligibility.
Timing
Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-09-14. The portal states the exact cut-off time (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).
How to apply
- Read the full topic on the Funding & Tenders Portal: expected outcome, scope, type of action and the topic conditions, including any country restrictions.
- Register each participating organisation in the Funding & Tenders Portal to get a PIC.
- This topic is for a single applicant: no consortium is needed (check the topic conditions for who qualifies).
- Prepare Part A (administrative forms and budget, completed in the portal) and Part B (the technical description on the official template for this type of action).
- Submit in the portal before the cut-off time on the deadline day. Late submissions are not accepted.
From the call text
- Who can apply
- Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
- Company stage
- Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
- Single applicant or consortium
- Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
- Where applicants must be based
- Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
- Where to apply
- Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
Where these facts come from
| Fact | Value | How we know | Taken from the source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadline | 14 September 2027 “Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-09-14. The portal states the exact cut-off time (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).” | official data field | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Amount per applicant | Unknown — not stated in the source we hold | unknown | — |
| Total budget | €175 million | official data field | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Funding rate | 100% of eligible costs | programme standard rule | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Who can apply | Single applicant (one organisation applies alone) (as stated in the topic). Country restriction: participation as coordinators to the call is limited to legal entities established in Widening countries, as defined in… | read from the official text | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Where to apply | Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route. | read from the official text | 15 Nov 2026 |
Official sources
Facts on this page come from the funder’s official data, taken on 14 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.
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