Bando "FFABR UniMe Giovani Ricercatori 2025"
Deadline: October 3, 2025
The University of Messina has published the FFABR Young Researchers 2025 call for proposals to fund basic research activities by young researchers currently employed at the University of Messina.
Bando "Finanziamento Attività di Base della Ricerca di Ateneo (FFABR) UniMe Edizione 2025"
Deadline: January 28, 2026
The University of Messina has published the 2025 FFABR UniMe Edition call for proposals for funding the basic research activities of first-tier professors, second-tier professors, and researchers, including temporary ones, in service at the University.
FIS Call Updates
The fourth edition of the FIS (Italian Science Fund) call is scheduled for 2027 for the Starting Grant line (with a total budget of 100 million euros), while the Consolidator and Advanced lines will be postponed to 2028 (with a total budget of 130 million euros), as established by the Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR) planning.
To follow official updates and consult previous calls directly on the portal of the Ministry of University and Research or on the dedicated platform FIS Call
National Bands – Italy
PRIN 2026 (Projects of Relevant National Interest) is an initiative aimed at supporting high-quality scientific research in Italy, promoting collaboration among universities, research institutions, and AFAM institutions.
The call is open to all research fields, organized into the three main domains of the European Research Council (ERC):
- Life Sciences (LS)
- Physical Sciences and Engineering (PE)
- Social Sciences and Humanities (SH)
The total budget amounts to approximately €259.9 million, distributed across the three sectors, with 15% specifically allocated to Principal Investigators under the age of 40 to support early-career researchers.
Proposals, submitted by a Principal Investigator, are evaluated through a three-stage process based on criteria of excellence, quality, and impact.
Deadlines:
17 April 2026 (3:00 PM) – 1 June 2026 (3:00 PM) – LINK TO APPLICATION
PRIN 2026 Hybrid is part of Italy’s public policies supporting basic research and promotes the development of highly innovative scientific projects characterized by strong interdisciplinary integration and the hybridization of scientific, technological, humanistic, social, and artistic knowledge.
Key features:
· 3-year duration
· Partnerships composed of 4 to 6 research units from different institutions
· Mandatory interdisciplinary approach involving the Social Sciences and Humanities (SH) and at least one additional ERC domain
The programme is structured around five strategic thematic areas:
· Quantum technologies
· High Performance Computing (HPC)
· Artificial Intelligence
· Cybersecurity
· Innovative technologies and pathways in healthcare
The total budget amounts to €56,640,000, with 15% reserved for Principal Investigators under the age of 40 (or eligible for extension), in order to support early-career researchers and generational renewal.
Deadlines: From 20 April 2026 (3:00 PM) to 4 June 2026 (3:00 PM) – LINK TO APPLICATION
MUR Programming
New Three-Year Research Plan 2026–2028 of the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and includes tools scheduled for 2026. Upcoming publications:
MUR News | Three-Year Research Plan 26/28 - MUR
These are PRIN, PRIN Hybrid and Synergy Grant funds;
According to the MUR schedule, calls will be published by April 2026 (with rankings by September).
Attention: check the official publication of the call for proposals and deadlines texts on the MUR portal
Other calls in Life Science
Call “Young Researchers – Fondazione Cariplo 2026” (LINK)
Cariplo Foundation, a banking foundation that finances scientific and technological research. Call addressed to public or private non-profit entities carrying out scientific research activities. It aims to support PhDs in building their research identity through project funding. Open research projects, with priority given to proposals that strengthen the career independence of young researchers
Deadlines (first phase) - Area Life Science: april 13, 2026
ESA Call: Rural Transportation Networks (LINK)
The initiative calls on businesses and organisations to submit project proposals using satellite data and innovative solutions to address key mobility challenges in less connected areas, such as limited infrastructure, low population density and geographical obstacles.
Deadline: april 01, 2026
Call for proposal: Award in memory of Raul Gardini (LINK)
The initiative was born with the aim of supporting projects with a high scientific and cultural profile on the topics of environmental sustainability and the circular bioeconomy, strengthening the link between academic research, innovation, and entrepreneurial development.
Deadline: may 31, 2026
Programming SICILIAN REGION
Official links to monitor for upcoming publications;
Sicilian Region Call Portal
Calls and Notices Sicilian Region
ERDF PR Portal (the most important)
EuroInfoSicilia – calls and notices
Telethon Foundation
Telethon Foundation announces the opening of ROUND II of the Multiround 2025 – 2027 call. The Multiround call is aimed at funding basic and preclinical research projects focused on rare genetic diseases. Projects can be submitted to one of the following tracks:
• Track BASIC RESEARCH
Focused on identifying molecular and pathological mechanisms and/or identifying and validating targets/s.
• Track PRECLINICAL PROOF OF CONCEPT (PoC)
Focused on the identification and validation of therapeutic candidates, after validating the target and/or identifying a therapeutic strategy.
The Call is now open online and projects can be completed on the portal at this link.
The deadline for submitting projects is April 16, 2026, at 1:00 PM.
The text of the call, together with all the useful documentation, is given below.
International / European Calls - Open or ongoing calls
These calls are managed under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme and we fund international mobility, advanced training and cooperation projects.
The call is focused on programmes targeting artificial intelligence applied to scientific research. The recipients are eligible Universities, research organisations and organisations. The aim is to promote joint doctoral programmes and training courses in collaboration between sectors and countries.
Deadline: November 24, 2026
For more information go to the link: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/funding
EUBA - Database on alternatives to pesticides (emergency authorisations)
the call has the objective of extending and updating the existing database on alternative methods of controlling harmful organisms with respect to the use of pesticides, making available useful information for the assessment of emergency authorisations issued pursuant to Article 53 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.
The aim is also to evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of different alternative measures, including those used in combination, according to the criteria defined in the EFSA protocols. The database will have to support, in addition to regulatory assessments, integrated pest management – IPM, operator decisions, the identification of research needs and knowledge transfer.
Deadline: December 8, 2026
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2027-COG)
The ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2027-CoG) has been published, aimed at Principal Investigators who have already demonstrated their scientific independence and are in the process of consolidating their independent research group or program. The deadline for submitting proposals is 12 January 2027 at 5:00 pm (Brussels time).
For the ERC-2027-CoG call, Principal Investigators must have successfully discussed their PhD within 5 to 15 years prior to January 1°, 2027. In particular, researchers who obtained their PhD between January 1°, 2012, and December 31, 2021, inclusive, are eligible.
The Consolidator Grant supports researchers of excellence who intend to consolidate their scientific independence, through the development of their research group or program.
Deadline: January 12, 2027
For more information, click here.
EIT Health: Innovation Validation Call 2027
The Call supports digital and AI-based medical technologies that are innovative and ready for clinical validation in real-world settings and are nearing market launch. This call aims to close the funding gap for solutions that need to conduct clinical trials, gather evidence demonstrating safety and efficacy, seek regulatory approval, and prepare for commercialization.
Call Open: October 14, 2026
Call will close: January 13, 2027
Call Information Session: October 28, 12:00 PM CET – Register here
Call Q&A Session: December 1, 3:00 PM CET –
EIT Health will finance up to 50% of the total project budget, with a maximum grant amount of €850,000 per project.
MSCA Choose Europe for Science 2027
Reference: HORIZON-MSCA-2027-COFUND-02
The MSCA "Choose Europe for Science" programme aims to increase the attractiveness of research careers in Europe by combating precariousness and providing excellent working conditions; the aim is to transform the current problem of "brain drain" in research and innovation into a "brain drain." "Choose Europe for Science" will support organisations, both academic and non-academic, in the selection, recruitment and training of at least 3 postdoctoral researchers over an extended project period. The main novelty of the initiative lies in the fact that organizations will also be selected based on the long-term professional prospects they are able to offer.
December 8, 2026: Launch of the call for proposals (TBC)
Call for proposal: 6 April
September 2027: notification of call results to applicants (TBC)
December 2027: grant agreement signature for successful projects (TBC)
January 2028: first EU-funded projects start (TBC)
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027
The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship Call (MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships) is open to outstanding researchers of any nationality. MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships enhances the creative and innovative skills of researchers holding a PhD who wish to acquire new skills through advanced training and mobility of an international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral nature.
Deadline: 8 September 2027
For more information go to the link: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/funding/msca-postdoctoral-fellowships-2027
ISARP Call 2027-2029: Joint Italy-South Africa Research Program
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) has begun collecting joint scientific and technological research projects between Italy and South Africa for the three-year period 2027-2029.
Type: Bilateral Call
Countries involved: Italy and South Africa
Objective: Financing of industrial research projects, experimental development and mobility of researchers between institutions in the two countries.
The research areas permitted by this notice are:
Frontier digital technologies and data-intensive sciences: Artificial Intelligence, High Performance Computing (HPC), Quantum Technologies, Astrophysics and Radio Astronomy. In this area, proposals that include applications of Artificial Intelligence with clear benefits for society are particularly encouraged, including applications aimed at social, socioeconomic and rural development; Health, Biotechnology and One Health (Single Health): medical, agricultural, industrial biotechnologies,
environmental and marine; infectious diseases; pandemic prevention and preparedness; vaccines and enabling technologies; Sustainability, Biodiversity and Resilience of Communities: renewable energy, energy solutions for communities, ecosystem protection, sustainable wildlife management, biodiversity monitoring and restoration, climate change resilience and circular economy-based approaches
Deadline: November 25, 2026, at 2:00 PM (Italian local time for proposers in Italy / South African local time for partners in South Africa).
The deadline for submitting the proposals, drawn up in English, referred to in the attached call for proposals, is set for November 25, 2026, at 2:00 PM CET.
The proposals, drawn up in English, must be sent in advance by email, through the competent Structure Director, to the President, to Prof. Pallavicini and for information to the International Relations Service (relint@lists.lnf.infn.it) by the internal deadline of 18 November 2026 by 16:00 pm.
Following examination by the Executive Board, those responsible for the approved proposals will be authorized to forward them to the MAECI together with the endorsement letter drawn up in Italian and signed by the President, within the deadline established in the call for proposals, exclusively online through the Ministry's platform at https://pgr.esteri.it/
Project coordinators will have to upload the documentation by accessing directly with their credentials on the dedicated ministerial portal, the Italian Research Portal - MAECI Platform.
The South African partner must submit the same application (in English) through their national research agency (https://nrfconnect.nrf.ac.za/), under penalty of inadmissibility of the proposal.
For Italy, the cost of a project is approximately 60,000 euros per year, including co-financing by the proposing entity. For South Africa, the maximum budget per project is R1.5 million (R500,000 annually), including co-financing by the proposing entity. Given the strategic importance of bilateral collaboration between Italy and South Africa, the Italian Ministry of Health could finance projects submitted by the IRCCS, should they be selected in accordance with the procedure set out in this call.
For additional information on the present call, applicants may refer to the following contacts:
In Italy
Office XI - Directorate General for Growth and Export Promotion of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
International Cooperation (MAECI)
E-mail: dgce11.bandi3@esteri.it
In South Africa
Teuns Phahlamohlaka
International Grants and Partnerships (IGP)
Tel: +27 12 481 4385
Email: T.Phahlamohlaka@risa.nrf.ac.z
Financing of crossborder cooperation projects
The European Union wants to strengthen collaboration between the regions and countries of the EU and non-EU territories. To this end, it has developed the Interreg or European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) project, which contributes to strengthening the economic and social cohesion of the territories. It provides for joint actions, exchanges of experience, and networking between national, regional, and local stakeholders.
In particular, Cross-Border Cooperation (Interreg A Italia–Malta) is configured to support cross-border development between Sicily, Malta and the smaller islands (Gozo and Comino) through project financing.
To this end, the Presidency of the Sicilian Region – Department of Programming, as Managing Authority of the INTERREG VI-A Italy–Malta Program, as part of the activities promoting Notice 2/2025 aimed at financing cross-border cooperation projects worth a total of 24 million euros – organizes two information days:
Palermo – November 11, 2025
Catania – November 13, 2025
in which they will be discussed
· The main aspects of Notice 2/2025;
· Thematic sheets and the methods for presenting project proposals;
· Expenditure eligibility rules, evaluation criteria, and cooperation opportunities between Italian and Maltese partners.
The day's work will continue with Thematic Discussion Tables dedicated to each area of intervention of the Programme. Through the Tables, it will be possible to propose and discuss themes, networking actions, and share emerging needs of the cooperation area, in order to ensure the preparation of concrete and solid project proposals under Notice 02/2025.
THEMATIC TABLES
Table 1 – Innovation, Research and Training
Target audience: Knowledge research and dissemination bodies, Universities (non-telematic), ITS, MPMI (Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises), public authorities (local, regional, national), business support organizations.
Table 2 – Risk Adaptation and Circular Economy
Target audience: Public authorities (local, regional, national), public agencies and institutions, universities and research centers, civil protection and emergency services, businesses (including MPMI), chambers of commerce, incubators and living labs, schools of all levels, environmental and consumer associations, civil society organizations, business support organizations.
Table 3 – Tourism, Culture and Inclusion
Target audience: Public bodies (local, regional, national), universities and research centers, cultural or environmental site management bodies, businesses (including MPMI), civil society associations and organizations, schools and institutes of all levels, business support organizations, and associations for disadvantaged individuals.
Table 4 – Governance and Institutional Cooperation
Target audience: General government, education and training organisations, civil society associations and organisations, enterprises (including MPMIs).
To participate in the event, you must register using the following online form and indicate the thematic table you intend to participate in:
https://forms.gle/fJE7nHt3EdBbsKGD8
Any contributions (themes, project ideas, territorial needs, partner research, etc.) can be sent to stc.italia-malta@regione.sicilia.it and will be discussed during the work of the thematic tables.
Public notices “targeted call” 2/2025 – Extension of the deadline for submitting project proposal