Horizon Europe, the EU’s funding programme for research and innovation, contributes to achieving the European Research Area (ERA). Strengthening the ERA is not only a general objective of Horizon Europe but is also supported by a dedicated programme part 'Widening Participation and Strengthening the ERA' (WIDERA), with the following components:
-
widening participation and spreading excellence
-
reforming and enhancing the European R&I System
Horizon Europe regulation defines that this programme part shall
"support activities that contribute to attracting talent, fostering brain circulation and preventing brain drain, a more knowledge-based and innovative and gender-equal Europe, at the front edge of global competition, fostering transnational cooperation and thereby optimising national strengths and potential across the whole Europe in a well-performing ERA, where knowledge and a highly skilled workforce circulate freely in a balanced manner, where the results of R&I are widely disseminated to as well as understood and trusted by informed citizens and benefit society as a whole, and where Union policy, in particular R&I policy, is based on high quality scientific evidence." (Horizon Europe Regulation, ANNEX 1 (4))
The budget for this programme part is about €3.2 billion for 2021-2027.
The component “Reforming and enhancing the European R&I System” is specifically designed to support the implementation of the four priority areas of the Pact for Research and Innovation and the ERA Policy Agenda (more information here). The current ERA Policy Agenda 2023-2024 and the next ERA Policy Agenda 2025-2027 will continue to shape the WIDERA work programmes.
For current funding opportunities in WIDERA, please visit the Funding and Tenders Portal.
Current and previous WIDERA Work Programmes:
WIDERA Work Programme 2023-2025
WIDERA Work Programme 2021-2022