H2020 funding option - European research infrastructure communities

A new H2020 funding option has been published in the area of Research Infrastructures (RI) which provides the prospect for researchers to join currently established RI networks in given areas and receive funding for operational costs for their existing RIs and for networking activities. The funding option is available under the topic ‘Integrating Activities for Advanced Communities’ of the “H2020-INFRAIA-2016-2017: INTEGRATING AND OPENING RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES OF EUROPEAN INTEREST” call (Call deadline: 30.3.2016).

Under this call, existing consortia whose RIs show a current advanced degree of coordination and networking that was accomplished through activities funded by FP7 or previous Horizon 2020 RI calls (i.e. ‘Advanced Communities’), can request additional funding to extend and improve the integration of their RIs with the aim of providing trans-national and virtual access to European researchers (and to researchers from Third Countries under certain conditions). One of the expectations from RIs applying for the call is to add new partners to the consortium.

Weizmann researchers joining and participating in such a consortium would be able to receive funding for networking activities and for the actual operational costs of their RI in providing transnational/virtual access to it. These include personnel costs and other direct costs of providing access such as consumables and expenses related to the maintenance and operation of the RI. Joint research activities aimed at improving the joint infrastructures services provided by the consortium will also be funded.

The attached excel document lists consortia, within various research areas, that were funded under FP7 and as we understand, have shown interest in submitting proposals to the current call. Researchers interested in joining such a consortium are invited to approach the consortium’s contact person/s detailed in the list.