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HORIZON EUROPE TOPIC · Widening participation and strengthening the ERA

ERA Fellowships

HORIZON-WIDERA-2027-03-WIDENING-01 — the expected outcomes as checkable statements, what evaluators look for in this topic, and the conditions that shape the proposal.

ForthcomingOTHERDeadline 8 September 2027EUR 0.1 million to EUR 0.5 million per project

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TopicHORIZON-WIDERA-2027-03-WIDENING-01
StatusForthcoming
CallHORIZON-WIDERA-2027-03 — ERA Fellowships
DestinationWidening participation and spreading excellence (2026-27) (WIDENING-26-27)
Type of actionTMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Opening7 April 2027
Deadline8 September 2027
BudgetEUR 0.1 million to EUR 0.5 million per project · 50 projects expected · EUR 8 million in total
TemplateWork Programme 2026–2027 application form

Expected outcomes

The topic does not say whether all outcomes must be addressed; treat them all as relevant. The topic says: “This action builds on the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027 action (HORIZON-MSCA-PF-2027). The target group are host organisations located in Widening countries. Project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: For supported ERA Fellows:”

  1. EO1 Increased set of research and transferable skills and competences, leading to improved employability and career prospects of fellows within academia and beyond.
  2. EO2 New mind-sets and approaches to R&I work forged through international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary experience.
  3. EO3 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.
  4. EO4 Increased alignment of working conditions for researchers in accordance with the principles set out in the European Charter for Researchers.
  5. EO5 Enhanced quality and sustainability of research training and supervision.
  6. EO6 Increased global attractiveness, visibility and reputation.
  7. EO7 Stronger R&I capacity and output; better transfer of knowledge.
  8. EO8 More postdoctoral researchers attracted to Widening countries with competitive grants and attractive working and employment conditions.

Expected impacts named in the destination

The wider, long-term effects the destination seeks. Your outcomes feed them; they are not project deliverables.

  1. EI1 Increased science and innovation capacities for all actors in the R&I system in Widening countries.
  2. EI2 Structural changes leading to modernised and more competitive R&I systems with increased attractiveness and retention of research talents.
  3. EI3 Mobilisation of national and European resources for strategic investments.
  4. EI4 Higher participation in Horizon Europe and more leadership roles in collaborative projects.
  5. EI5 Stronger linkages between academia and business and improved career permeability.
  6. EI6 Greater involvement of regional actors in the R&I process.
  7. EI7 Excellent talents attracted to institutions including research infrastructures.
  8. EI8 Balanced circulation of R&I talents including intersectoral mobility, and improved gender equality and inclusiveness.
  9. EI9 Improved linkages and increased mobility between academic and business, notably by overcoming sectoral barriers.
  10. EI10 Free circulation of knowledge and expertise in line with ERA priorities.

What evaluators will look for in this topic

Expected outcomes

  • The topic does not say whether all outcomes must be addressed; treat them all as relevant.
  • For each outcome (EO1 to EO8), name who will use or adopt your results (a specific group, not “industry” or “society”), how they get them, and the indicator that shows the change, with baseline, target and date.
  • Use the topic's own words for each outcome, so the evaluator can tick it off.

What the scope asks for

Evaluators check the proposal against these sentences of the scope. Answer each one visibly, in the call's own words.

  • “Fellowships should be provided to excellent researchers, undertaking cross-border mobility.”
  • “Applications must be made jointly by the researcher together with a legal entity in the academic or non-academic sector located in a Widening country.”
  • “ERA Fellowships should take place in a Widening Country.”
  • “Secondments cannot exceed half of the requested duration of the action (excluding from the duration of the action any additional period for a non-academic placement) and should be in line with the project objectives, adding significant value and impact to the fellowship.”
  • “While this possibility is also available to fellows recruited in the non-academic sector, such a placement should be implemented at a different non-academic host organisation established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.”
  • “The request for such a non-academic placement should be an integral part of the proposal, explaining the added value for the project and for the career development of the researcher, and will be subject to evaluation.”
  • “The training activities implemented under the ERA Fellowships should include training for key transferable skills, foster innovation and entrepreneurship, (e.g., commercialisation of results, Intellectual Property Rights, communication, public engagement and citizen science), foster good scientific conduct such as research integrity and promote Open Science practices (open access to publications and to other research outputs, including data,…”
  • “In order to equip ERA Fellows with skills that enhance and expand their career opportunities inside and outside academia, a Career Development Plan should be established jointly by the supervisor(s) and the researcher.”
  • “In addition to research objectives, this plan should comprise the researcher's training and career needs, including training on transferable skills, teaching, planning for publications and participation in conferences and events aiming at opening science and research to citizens.”

Conditions that shape the proposal

  • Other Eligible Conditions: “See these exceptions and specific conditions for the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships at the end of the MSCA Work Programme part.”
  • Other Eligible Conditions: “To be eligible to this call the host organisation must be located in a Widening country.”
  • Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds: “Seals of Excellence will be awarded to applications exceeding all of the evaluation thresholds set out in this work programme but which cannot be funded due to lack of budget available to the call.”

Impact pathway and traps

  • Users or citizens are part of the scope. Show how they take part in the design and testing, not only that they are informed.
  • Open science or data practices are named. Make the data management plan concrete: which data, which repository, when.
  • Market uptake is part of the scope. Evaluators look for a credible route to market with named first adopters.
  • Keep outputs, outcomes and impacts apart: what you deliver, what changes when others use it, and the long-term effect.
  • For each destination impact you claim, show which of your outcomes feeds it. Destination impacts are long-term effects, not project deliverables.
  • Name the barriers outside the project (regulation, markets, user behaviour) that could block uptake, and what you will do if they do.
  • Section 2.3 (the summary canvas) is optional on this call; the old split into scientific, economic and societal impact is no longer required.
The scope, as published

Fellowships should be provided to excellent researchers, undertaking cross-border mobility. Applications must be made jointly by the researcher together with a legal entity in the academic or non-academic sector located in a Widening country. ERA Fellowships should take place in a Widening Country. Fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality who wish to engage in R&I projects by either coming to the EU from any country in the world or moving within the EU to a Widening country. Secondments Researchers receiving an ERA Fellowship may opt to include a secondment phase, within the overall duration of their fellowship in any country worldwide. The secondment phase can be a single period or be divided into shorter mobility periods. Secondments cannot exceed half of the requested duration of the action (excluding from the duration of the action any additional period for a non-academic placement) and should be in line with the project objectives, adding significant value and impact to the fellowship. Placements in the non-academic sector ERA Fellowships can provide an additional period of up to six months to support researchers opting for a placement at the end of the project to work on R&I projects in an organisation from the non-academic sector established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. While this possibility is also available to fellows recruited in the non-academic sector, such a placement should be implemented at a different non-academic host organisation established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. The request for such a non-academic placement should be an integral part of the proposal, explaining the added value for the project and for the career development of the researcher, and will be subject to evaluation. This incentive aims at promoting career moves between sectors and organisations and thereby stimulate innovation and knowledge transfer while expanding career opportunities for researchers. Training activities The training activities implemented under the ERA Fellowships should include training for key transferable skills, foster innovation and entrepreneurship, (e.g., commercialisation of results, Intellectual Property Rights, communication, public engagement and citizen science), foster good scientific conduct such as research integrity and promote Open Science practices (open access to publications and to other research outputs, including data, FAIR data management, societal engagement and citizen science, etc.). Career Development Plan In order to equip ERA Fellows with skills that enhance and expand their career opportunities inside and outside academia, a Career Development Plan should be established jointly by the supervisor(s) and the researcher. In addition to research objectives, this plan should comprise the researcher's training and career needs, including training on transferable skills, teaching, planning for publications and participation in conferences and events aiming at opening science and research to citizens. The Plan has to be submitted as a project deliverable at the beginning of the action and can be updated when needed. Charter for Researchers, annexed to the Council recommendation C/2023/1640 of 18 December 2023 on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe (OJ C, C/2023/1640, 29.12.2023), https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:C_202301640. As an illustration, Eurodoc published a list of such transferable skills at: http://eurodoc.net/skills-report-2018.pdf

Source and attribution

Topic text from the official topic page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, retrieved 19 October 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU (CC BY 4.0). Changes: the expected outcomes and impacts are split into numbered statements, long passages are shortened, and the evaluator checklist is GrantWise's own commentary. Your call and the Work Programme always win; check them before you submit. GrantWise is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the European Commission.