Governing global commons sustainably

Expected Outcome: Project should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Research funders, policymakers and research communities in the social sciences and humanities (SSH) are provided with a multi-annual R&I programme on social transformations and resilience, responding to megatrends like climate change and biodiversity loss, digitalisation, demographic changes and unexpected shocks. Research investments on social protection and essential services, future of work, education and skills, and a fair transition to climate neutrality are increased. Stakeholders, including social partners and civil society, and policymakers are provided with evidence-based knowledge, tools and innovative solutions, which contribute to new policies and strategies for strengthening resilience, fairness, inclusiveness and social cohesion at European, national and regional level. Scope: Europe is undergoing critical social transformations driven by macro drivers of change, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, digitalisation and demographic change, which have been accelerated by events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. These transformations…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: Availability and integration of advanced, trustworthy, energy-efficient perception systems, exploiting technological advancements of Generative AI (GenAI) to enhance situational awareness and support safe decision-making; Enhanced Vulnerable Road User (VRU) safety, based on elevated, more temper-proof perception and understanding of their behaviour and intention predictions; Enhanced robustness of CCAM systems - both on-board and on the infrastructure side - in critical situations due to their training, virtual testing and validation in scenarios generated by GenAI, complementing existing scenario databases for the testing and validation of CCAM systems; Enhanced understanding of the relevance and limitations of using GenAI for CCAM; Tools and harmonised approaches for the use of GenAI in mobility technology development, training and validation, as well as for systemic applications such as traffic management and remote control, integrating them into existing approaches. Scope: Pilots and demonstrations using Level 3 and 4 vehicle services face major challenges in perception and…

Expected Outcome: Europe's first long-term VET provider network for semiconductors; a larger and more diverse pool of qualified technicians; and increased intra- and extra-EU mobility of students and workers to fill skills gaps in semiconductor facilities. Scope: This call supports the establishment of a European-level federation of Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers focused on semiconductor industry roles. Projects should develop industry-aligned micro-credentials and reskilling programmes, with a strong emphasis on workers transitioning from other industrial sectors and on cross-border recognition of qualifications.

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all the following expected outcomes: Enhanced understanding, accompanied by documented good practices, showing what works to encourage multilingualism in society and what type of practices have led to safeguarding linguistic heritage, including lesser used, endangered and historically marginalised languages. Rigorous policy-relevant evidence, strategies and policy recommendations for promoting multilingualism and safeguarding linguistic diversity are available to policy makers, and users are involved in their development, especially the younger generation. Non-linguistic benefits of language maintenance and revitalisation are well documented, communicated and understood by different stakeholders. Citizens are empowered and engaged in the sustainable management of their own linguistic heritage and resources, with a focus on intergenerational dialogue and education activities, with particular attention to communities where oral transmission is the primary mode of language preservation. Maps and visual presentations showing the linguistic diversity in Europe are available, including a variety of existing languages (regional and minority…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Policymakers gain insights into the cost of child poverty and the returns from securing access of disadvantaged children to quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in the EU. Policymakers receive operational advice on ways to reduce this cost and support participation of disadvantaged children in quality ECEC to close the gap with other children in the EU. Scope: Past studies researched the cost of child poverty, and the returns yielded by and ways to secure disadvantaged children’s participation to ECEC, yet their relevance to the current EU context is limited (i.e. most of them were conducted outside of the EU or they are now outdated). Producing EU-specific insights on these issues is the aim of this topic, which should help close the ECEC participation gap and improve social outcomes, in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights, while fostering fiscal sustainability and inclusive growth. The proposals may: Define disadvantaged children, by going beyond monetary aspects of disadvantages, building on the EU’s concept of risk of poverty or social exclusion, and taking into…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Provide policymakers with a more detailed understanding of the contribution of basic skills on the economy in the short and medium term, with a focus on their contribution to productivity and innovation, to sustain EU competitiveness and growth. Develop actionable advice about how, in a lifelong perspective, education and training systems can help foster basic skills. Promote productivity, innovation, competitiveness and growth, including by reducing gender, disability and socioeconomic gaps in basic skills. Scope: In the context of the Union of Skills, the 2025 European Commission’s Action Plan on Basic Skills identifies five basic skills: literacy, mathematics (including also financial literacy), science, digital and citizenship. Strong basic skill levels among young people and adults are key to sustaining EU productivity, innovation, competitiveness and growth, as also explained in the 2024 Draghi Report [1] . Other key EU initiatives support lifelong learning as a driver for productivity, innovation, and economic growth, for instance the 2022 Council Recommendation encouraging the…

Specific Challenge: The “EU Award for Gender Equality Champions” is a recognition prize scheme designed as a booster and a complement to the Gender Equality Plans (GEP) eligibility criterion in Horizon Europe [1] , and as a tool for advancing inclusive GEPs and policies within the framework of the ERA Policy Agenda. Expected Outcomes : Recognition of organisations with the most significant impact resulting from the implementation of their GEP, serving as role models for others; Strengthened gender equality and inclusiveness in the European Research Area. The Prize will be awarded to four organisations, and contestants can apply to one of the following three prize categories: Sustainable Gender Equality Champions: Organisations that can demonstrate a significant and sustained record of activity and a high level of achievement through the implementation of their GEP(s); Newcomer Gender Equality Champions: Organisations without a sustained record of activity in gender equality that have recently completed the implementation of their first GEP and can demonstrate the most progress achieved through its implementation; Inclusive Gender Equality Champions: Organisations that have…

Specific Challenge: The “EU Award for Gender Equality Champions” is a recognition prize scheme designed as a booster and a complement to the Gender Equality Plans (GEP) eligibility criterion in Horizon Europe [1] , and as a tool for advancing inclusive GEPs and policies within the framework of the ERA Policy Agenda. Expected Outcomes : Recognition of organisations with the most significant impact resulting from the implementation of their GEP, serving as role models for others; Strengthened gender equality and inclusiveness in the European Research Area. The Prize will be awarded to four organisations, and contestants can apply to one of the following three prize categories: Sustainable Gender Equality Champions: Organisations that can demonstrate a significant and sustained record of activity and a high level of achievement through the implementation of their GEP(s); Newcomer Gender Equality Champions: Organisations without a sustained record of activity in gender equality that have recently completed the implementation of their first GEP and can demonstrate the most progress achieved through its implementation; Inclusive Gender Equality Champions: Organisations that have…

Specific Challenge: The “EU Award for Gender Equality Champions” is a recognition prize scheme designed as a booster and a complement to the Gender Equality Plans (GEP) eligibility criterion in Horizon Europe [1] , and as a tool for advancing inclusive GEPs and policies within the framework of the ERA Policy Agenda. Expected Outcomes : Recognition of organisations with the most significant impact resulting from the implementation of their GEP, serving as role models for others; Strengthened gender equality and inclusiveness in the European Research Area. The Prize will be awarded to four organisations, and contestants can apply to one of the following three prize categories: Sustainable Gender Equality Champions: Organisations that can demonstrate a significant and sustained record of activity and a high level of achievement through the implementation of their GEP(s); Newcomer Gender Equality Champions: Organisations without a sustained record of activity in gender equality that have recently completed the implementation of their first GEP and can demonstrate the most progress achieved through its implementation; Inclusive Gender Equality Champions: Organisations that have…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: For supported postdoctoral fellows Increased set of research and transferable skills and competences, leading to improved employability and career prospects of MSCA postdoctoral fellows within academia and beyond; New mind-sets and approaches to R&I work forged through international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary experience; Enhanced networking and communication capacities with scientific peers, as well as with the general public that will increase and broaden the research and innovation impact. For participating organisations Increased alignment of working conditions for researchers in accordance with the principles set out in the European Charter for Researchers; Enhanced quality and sustainability of research training and supervision; Increased global attractiveness, visibility and reputation of the participating organisation(s); Stronger R&I capacity and output among participating organisations; better transfer of knowledge; Regular feedback of research results into teaching and education at participating organisations. Scope: Fellowships will be provided to excellent researchers…