Veranstaltungen

Horizon Europe (“FP9”), the EU’s current impact-driven framework programme for research and innovation (2021–2027), is entering its final phase. The upcoming 2027 calls will not only offer some of the highest budgets of the entire programme - they also represent the last opportunities to secure funding under FP9. While the successor programme, Horizon Europe 2028–2034 (“FP10”), is already in preparation, key details - and even its exact start - are still uncertain.

Whether you are new to Horizon Europe or looking to sharpen your strategy for the final calls, this webinar series will help you navigate the crucial proposal part "IMPACT" with confidence - and make the most of what may be your last chance under FP9.

The webinar series consists of three parts:

Join the webinar series organised by the EU Office of the University of Göttingen and its partners to:

• explore and understand the concept of impact and its crucial role in Horizon Europe proposals,
• hear about best practice and learn from successful examples,
• get practical advice to define and strengthen your proposal’s approach to impact.

The webinar series is held in English. Questions in German are welcome.

A registration is necessary. Please register via the link below until 19 October 2026.
Registration

The EU Office of the University of Göttingen and Yellow Research will offer webinars and individual clinics on future ERC Starting Grant (StG) and ERC Consolidator Grant (CoG) Calls. Yellow Research is a renowned company providing specialized services related to international research funding acquisition with specific focus on European Research Council (ERC) grants and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).

The webinars and clinics will be held in English. Participants will receive access to the e-learning platform of Yellow Research containing e.g. the slides of the webinars and the Yellow Research Guide for writing successful ERC proposals.

1st ERC webinar (limited for up to 24 participants)

The first webinar will take place on 29 October 2026 from 09:00h - 12:00h via Zoom. The focus will be on the conceptual development of the project, including the team composition. We explain what kind of projects the ERC evaluation panel members are expecting in terms of level of ambition, challenging nature, interdisciplinarity, potential impact etc. containing the following aspects:

• Highlights of ERC,
• Project development: screening your project idea according to the ERC evaluation criteria,
• Choosing the right panel,
• The perfect team + budget.

2nd ERC webinar (limited for up to 24 participants)

The second webinar will take place on 30 October 2026 from 09:00h - 12:00h via Zoom. The focus is on the actual writing of the various sections of the proposal. We explain how to write a convincing proposal in terms of its structure, language and content. We start with the Scientific Proposal of Part I and then continue with the Scientific Proposal of Part II. Next, we will address the CV and track record of Part I. We end with some general tips and tricks on proposal writing.

Individual clinics (limited for up to 4 ERC applicants)

Moreover, the EU Office and Yellow Research will offer individual clinics to ERC applicants. This service is offered to webinar participants only. Main purpose of an individual clinic is to screen the project idea and CV of an ERC applicant well in advance of the deadline for submission. The applicant obtains feedback on the 1) quality of the CV and – if required – advice on potential improvements and 2) the project idea and to what extent the idea addresses the ERC objectives. A clinic with a potential applicant lasts on average 45-60 minutes. Individual clinics will take place presumably in November 2026. The dates of the clinics will be terminated later.

Registration

The number of participants is limited. Hence, a registration for both webinars and the clinics is necessary. Please register by writing an email to André Schulte at the latest by 09.10.2026. In addition, please submit your CV and track record (page 3+4) in ERC format with your registration. A preliminary proposal idea would be appreciated. Please outline it on up to 2 pages (e.g. ground-breaking nature of the idea). Please share all documents in a single PDF file.

Target Groups

The events are targeting those early-career researchers (ECRs) that are working at the University of Göttingen (UGOE) and the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG). In addition, ECRs who wish to submit an ERC application to the StG and CoG Calls with the UGOE or UMG as host institution are addressed as well.

ERC Starting Grants (StG) fund Principal Investigators (PIs, up to 10 years of experience since completion of PhD) who already produced excellent supervised work and are ready to work independently showing potential to be a research leader. ERC StG may be awarded up to 1.5 million Euro for a period of five years. There is a single-stage application process. A two-step evaluation procedure is applied.

ERC Consolidator Grants (CoG) fund Principal Investigators (PIs, 5-15 years of experience since completion of PhD) who want to consolidate their independence by establishing a research team. ERC CoG may be awarded up to 2.0 million Euro for a period of five years. There is a single-stage application process. A two-step evaluation procedure is applied.

Data Protection

By registering, the respective persons declare that they agree to the collection of their data to ensure the implementation of the webinars and the clinics and that they have read the information sheet regarding Art. 13 of the EU Data Protection Regulation, as well as the Data Protection Policy of the University of Göttingen.

By registering, the respective persons declare that they allow the EU Office to share a list of participants (including their scientific backgrounds) with Yellow Research in advance of the webinars.

By registering, the respective persons declare that they allow the EU Office to share a 2-page summary of the project idea and the CV with Yellow Research in advance of the individual clinics.

The EU Office of the University of Göttingen and Yellow Research will offer webinars and individual clinics on future MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships (PFs) Calls. Yellow Research is a renowned company providing specialized services related to international research funding acquisition with specific focus on European Research Council (ERC) grants and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).

The webinars and clinics will be held in English. Participants will receive access to the e-learning platform of Yellow Research containing e.g. the slides of the webinars and animated tutorials for writing MSCA PF proposals.

MSCA PF introductory webinar for supervisors (limited for up to 24 participants)

The first webinar will take place on 11 November 2026 from 09:00h - 12:00h via Zoom. The training for supervisors is organized in three modules addressing the most important characteristics of the MSCA PF Funding Scheme:

• Part I: Introduction of MSCA with focus on MSCA PF (Main definitions; Project modalities, including secondments; Benefits for researchers, supervisors and host),
• Part II: Science and Training (MSCA PF evaluation process; Main evaluation criteria; Informal criteria and success factors),
• Part III: How to achieve excellence? (Excellent Science; Excellent Supervision and training; Excellent PostDoctoral Researchers).

MSCA PF supervisors are usually professors or very experienced postdoctoral researchers.

Webinars for postdoctoral researchers - training for MSCA PF proposal preparation (limited for up to 24 participants)

The second and third webinars will take place on 08 and 09 December 2026 from 09:00h - 12:00h via Zoom. The training for MSCA PF applicants is organized in several modules addressing the most important MSCA PF concepts as well as the corresponding proposal sections:

• Part I: Introduction of MSCA with focus on MSCA PF (Evaluation process and evaluation criteria for MSCA PF grant proposals; Proposal Template),
• Part II: Evaluation procedure and criteria (Before you start writing: project development; How to write several application chapters),
• Part III: Postdoctoral fellows and their supervisors (Before you start writing: what are your talents? What is your ambition? What are your training goals? Why are you the right person for the project?; How to write several application chapters),
• Part IV: Impact and more (Before you start writing: what is the expected scientific and societal impact of the proposed project?; How to write several application chapters).

Individual clinics (limited for up to 6 MSCA PF applicants)

Moreover, the EU Office and Yellow Research will offer individual clinics to MSCA PF applicants. This service is offered to webinar participants only. Main purpose of an individual clinic is to screen the project idea and CV of the applicant well in advance of the deadline for submission. The applicant obtains feedback on the 1) quality of the CV and – if required – advice on potential improvements and 2) the project idea and to what extent the idea addresses the MSCA PF objectives. A clinic with a potential applicant lasts on average 45 minutes. Individual clinics will take place presumably in December 2026. The dates of the clinics will be terminated later.

Registration

The number of participants is limited. Hence, a registration for the webinars and the clinics is necessary:

• For supervisors, please register by writing an email to Małgorzata Siennicka-Rahmstorf at the latest by 28.10.2026.
• For MSCA PF applicants, please register by writing an email to Małgorzata Siennicka-Rahmstorf at the latest by 24.11.2026. In addition, please submit your Curriculum Vitae (CV) in MSCA format with your registration. A preliminary proposal idea would be appreciated. Please outline it on up to 2 pages. Please share all documents in a single PDF file.

Target Groups

There are two types of MSCA PF:

• European Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality who wish to engage in R&I projects by either coming to Europe from any country in the world or moving within Europe. The standard duration of these fellowships must be between 12 and 24 months.
• Global Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to European nationals or long-term residents who wish to engage in R&I projects with organisations outside EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. These fellowships require an outgoing phase of minimum 12 and maximum 24 months in a non-associated Third Country, and a mandatory 12-month return phase to a host organisation based in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country.

Researchers of all nationalities who are interested in the MSCA-PF and are already working at the University of Göttingen, or who wish to come to Göttingen on a scholarship, should:

• have a PhD degree at the time of the MSCA PF deadline for applications. Applicants who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will also be considered eligible to apply.
• must have a maximum of eight years experience in research, from the date of the award of their PhD degree. Years of experience outside research and career breaks will not count towards the above maximum, nor will years of research experience in third countries, for nationals or long-term residents of EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries who wish to reintegrate to Europe.
• should comply with mobility rules: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the beneficiary (for European Postdoctoral Fellowships), or the host organisation for the outgoing phase (for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline.

Data Protection

By registering, the respective persons declare that they agree to the collection of their data to ensure the implementation of the webinars and the clinics and that they have read the information sheet regarding Art. 13 of the EU Data Protection Regulation, as well as the Data Protection Policy of the University of Göttingen.

By registering, the respective persons declare that they allow the EU Office to share a list of participants (including their scientific backgrounds) with Yellow Research in advance of the webinars.

By registering, the respective persons declare that they allow the EU Office to share a 2-page summary of the project idea and the CV with Yellow Research in advance of the individual clinics.