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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

Core objective: To develop and deploy new curricula and knowledge exchange practices relevant to bio-based systems to increase circularity and skills.
Target recipient type and size: Universities, higher education institutions, Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs), and industry partners, forming collaborative networks.
SECTOR-SPECIFIC
Geographic scope: EU-wide actions, with explicit engagement of stakeholders from 'Widening' countries.
Key filtering criteria: Focus on education and training for sustainable and circular bio-based systems, requiring strong collaboration between academia and industry, and including 'Widening' countries.
Grant frequency: Part of the annual CBE JU Work Programme.

Financial Structure

Funding amount: A maximum contribution of EUR 1,000,000 is available per project under this specific topic.
Expected grants: 1 grant is expected to be awarded for this topic.
Funding type: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based (HORIZON-AG), implying a grant-based funding mechanism.
Funding rate: Not explicitly specified in the topic details, but Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) under Horizon Europe typically receive 100% funding of eligible costs.
Eligible costs: Must adhere to the general Horizon Europe rules for eligible costs, as detailed in the Model Grant Agreement (MGA) and Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Financial reporting: Standard Horizon Europe financial reporting requirements apply, necessitating regular and accurate financial statements.
Audit requirements: Standard Horizon Europe audit requirements are applicable, as described in Annex G.
Cost-sharing: Not explicitly required for this CSA type, as these actions are typically fully funded to cover coordination and support activities.

Eligibility Requirements

Organizational Type and Structure

Eligible organization types: Universities, higher education institutions, Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs), and industry.
Consortium requirement: Projects must establish a network of industry and universities/RTOs.
Engagement: Active engagement of stakeholders from 'Widening' countries is required, ensuring their specificities and needs are incorporated.
Mutual learning: Consideration of mutual learning from/to rural and coastal/blue bioeconomy, including primary producers, is expected.

Geographic Location

Eligible Countries: EU Member States (AT, BE, BG, HR, CY, CZ, DK, EE, FI, FR, DE, GR, HU, IE, IT, LV, LT, LU, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SI, ES, SE).
Also generally eligible: Participants from countries associated with Horizon Europe (applicants should verify the specific list of associated countries).
Non-EU/non-Associated Countries: Some may be eligible for funding under specific provisions; applicants should consult the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Project Scope and Focus

Project must focus on: Developing and validating curricula, and deploying EU-wide actions for skills acquisition in sustainable and circular bio-based systems.
Curricula scope: Higher education, vocational training, post-graduate, and executive courses are relevant.
Skills focus: Key skills include digital skills, biotech/biomanufacturing, environmental sustainability assessment and circularity, toxicology/risk assessment, ecodesign, safe-and-sustainable-by-design (SSbD) concept, business development, process development, soft skills, and cross-sectorial skills.

Capacity and Compliance

Financial and operational capacity: Must meet criteria described in Annex C of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Exclusion criteria: As described in Annex C of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Admissibility conditions: Proposals must adhere to page limits and layout described in Annex A and E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, and Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

Application Process

Application Timeline

Call opening date: 2025-04-03.
Submission deadline: 2025-09-18 00:00:00+00:00.
Submission is a single-stage process.

Submission Requirements

Application form: A specific application form for this call is available in the Funding & Tenders Submission System.
Page limits and layout: Proposals must conform to page limits and layout guidelines specified in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, and Part B of the Application Form.
Required documentation: Applicants must submit all documentation and materials as detailed in the application form and relevant Annexes.
Submission format: All proposals must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Evaluation Process

Evaluation criteria, scoring, and thresholds: Detailed in Annex D of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Submission and evaluation processes: Comprehensive procedures are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: This information is provided in Annex F of the General Annexes.

Post-Award Requirements

Legal and financial setup: The terms governing the legal and financial aspects of the grants are described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Reporting: Regular progress and financial reporting will be required as per the provisions of the Model Grant Agreement.

Application Support

Online Manual: A comprehensive guide covering procedures from proposal submission to grant management.
Horizon Europe Programme Guide: Provides detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities of Horizon Europe.
Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ: A resource for answers to frequently asked questions regarding submission, evaluation, and grant management.
National Contact Points (NCPs): Offer guidance, practical information, and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe.
Enterprise Europe Network: Provides advice and support to businesses, with a special focus on SMEs, including guidance on EU research funding.
IT Helpdesk: Available for technical questions related to the Funding & Tenders Portal, such as login issues or submission technicalities.
European IPR Helpdesk: Assists with intellectual property issues.
European Standards Organisations (CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk): Advise on how to incorporate standardisation in project proposals.
Partner Search: Tools are available on the portal to help applicants find suitable partner organizations for their consortium.

Evaluation Criteria

Award Criteria (General Horizon Europe Principles)

Excellence: Quality and pertinence of the project's objectives, soundness of the proposed methodology, interdisciplinary aspects, and open science practices.
Impact: Credibility of pathways to achieve the expected outcomes, potential for significant impact on EU policies and Sustainable Development Goals, and effective dissemination/exploitation plans.
Quality and efficiency of the implementation: Coherence and effectiveness of the work plan, appropriateness of resources allocated, capacity and complementarity of the consortium members, and risk management strategies.

Specific to this Grant

Contribution to key EU strategies: Demonstrated contribution to the EU Initiative on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing, EU Bioeconomy Strategy, Zero Pollution Action Plan, EU strategy for a Sustainable Blue Economy, and the CBE JU Widening Strategy and Action Plan.
Achievement of expected outcomes: Capacity to deliver developed and validated curricula, increased circularity, and deployed EU-wide skills acquisition actions.
Collaboration effectiveness: Strength and nature of collaboration between university/higher education and industry within the network.
Inclusivity and network engagement: Effectiveness of engaging stakeholders from 'Widening' countries and ensuring their specific needs are integrated into curricula development.
Curricula quality: Ability to co-create comprehensive curricula encompassing both STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and SSH (Social Sciences and Humanities) disciplines, building on existing best practices.
Testing and methodologies: Robustness and feasibility of proposed training methodologies for testing curricula with pilot groups (e.g., laboratory practices, field work, internships, simulation, problem-based learning).
Synergies and links: Demonstrated connections and complementarities with existing initiatives and projects (e.g., European Bioeconomy University Alliance, Pact for Skills agenda, BIOEAST Initiative, biotech industrial clusters, Regional Innovation Valleys, NEBA Alliance, other Horizon Europe calls/partnerships).

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory and Legal Compliance

General conditions: All proposals and subsequent projects must strictly adhere to the general conditions outlined in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes (A, B, C, D, E, F, G).
Financial regulation: Compliance with the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 is mandatory.
Legal entity validation: Adherence to the 'Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment' is required for all participating organizations.
Ethical standards: Projects must comply with the highest ethical principles, including considerations for research involving human participants, responsible data handling, and environmental impact.
Data protection and privacy: Compliance with all relevant data protection and privacy regulations is expected.

Project-Specific Considerations

Widening participation: A key requirement is to actively engage stakeholders from 'Widening' countries and ensure their specific needs and contexts are fully integrated into the project's development and activities.
Bioeconomy focus: The project's outcomes are expected to significantly contribute to the objectives of the EU Initiative on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing, the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, the Zero Pollution Action Plan, and the EU strategy for a Sustainable Blue Economy.
Synergies: Projects are strongly encouraged to establish and demonstrate clear links and synergies with existing related initiatives, such as the European Bioeconomy University Alliance, the Pact for Skills agenda, the BIOEAST Initiative, biotech industrial clusters, Regional Innovation Valleys, and the NEBA Alliance, as well as other relevant Horizon Europe calls and partnerships.
Cross-cutting priorities: Where relevant, projects should address cross-cutting priorities, including the New European Bauhaus (NEB), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Societal Engagement, Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH), the Digital Agenda, and aspects related to the Ocean.
Intellectual property (IP) policies: Standard Horizon Europe IP policies apply, which aim to ensure effective knowledge transfer and exploitation of project results while protecting IP rights.
Risk management: Projects are expected to implement robust risk management strategies throughout their duration.

Grant Details