On February 18, 2025, researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and doctoral students from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (FEI) and the Faculty of Materials Science (MTF) at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava took part in the first of a series of training sessions on Horizon Europe. The introductory session, titled Navigating Horizon Europe: Key Insights and First Steps, was organized by the research and innovation management company ADDSEN, providing attendees with an initial overview of EU funding opportunities.
This interactive session served as a starting point for researchers looking to engage with Horizon Europe, offering a broad overview on this topic. Participants were introduced to key aspects of the programme, including funding opportunities, work programs, project proposal preparation, consortium building, and essential tools for navigating the application process.
Participants gained a foundational understanding of:
- The Horizon Europe Framework: A structured overview of the program’s objectives, priorities, and funding landscape.
- Rules of Participation: Key regulations and eligibility criteria for HEU projects. Overview of different types of actions and grants.
- Understanding Evaluation Criteria: Insights into how proposals are reviewed and scored under HEU.
- Finding Information on Calls: Navigating the Funding & Tenders Portal (FTP) to identify suitable calls for proposals.
- How to Read and Interpret the Work Programme: Decoding work programmes to align research ideas with HEU priorities.
- Preparing for Proposal Development: Events participation. Pitch Presentation Basics. Consortium Building.
- Engaging with National Structures: Understanding the roles of programme committee delegates and National Contact Points (NCPs) and how to collaborate with them.
As the first in a series of sessions, this training laid the groundwork for more detailed and focused workshops in the future. Participants will have opportunities to deepen their knowledge and refine their skills in subsequent sessions, which will cover Horizon Europe processes in greater detail.
Stay tuned for updates on upcoming training sessions and more insights into EU funding mechanisms!