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Strategic Analysis
This HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-04 CSA call demands a pan-European, inclusive training ecosystem for research infrastructure (RI) staff, explicitly targeting skills gaps in governance, sustainability, data management, and international collaboration. The winning angle will combine proven curricula (RAMIRI, RItrain) with innovative, scalable delivery (e.g., micro-credentials, ECTS accreditation) and geopolitical awareness (Ukraine, widening countries, ERICs). Consortiums must demonstrate measurable upskilling (KPIs: ECTS points, staff exchanges, policy alignment) and long-term sustainability via stakeholder engagement (national agencies, ERICs, international organisations).
Support the training of staff managing research infrastructures, and exchanges of staff and best practices. The training may also be offered to students engaged with a research infrastructure or aiming at a research infrastructure career path.
Develop specific education curricula and courses targeting pan-European research infrastructures, taking into account their diverse scientific fields and organisational models; in doing this, engagement with universities is expected.
Offer dedicated scholarships to staff in Ukrainian research infrastructures, while promoting and disseminating training opportunities to widening and candidate countries in particular.
Address training topics such as the socioeconomic impact of research infrastructures, scientific capabilities and capacity, engagement with academic users and industry (including understanding the needs of startups and scaleups), in-depth guidance on State Aid rules, and the long-term financial and environmental sustainability of the infrastructure’s activities.
Address the areas of data management, exploitation and stewardship skills, FAIR principles and data protection rules.
Pay attention to training research infrastructure staff in the different governance models for international research infrastructure collaborations, across different scientific fields, taking stock of the rapidly evolving geopolitical context.
Address training on research security and provide an overview of how research infrastructures need to face these challenges in their operations.
Report on the sustainability of the training activities, and engage with national agencies, ERICs, international organisations, and other relevant stakeholders.
Demonstrate an evolution based on related past activities and the experience gained in projects such as RAMIRI (Realising and Managing International Research Infrastructures) and RItrain (Research Infrastructures Training Programme).
Specialised training provided to the staff managing research infrastructures of European interest, enhancing the skills of RI research infrastructure staff as regards planning future operations and engaging with their various user communities and stakeholder groups (including funding agencies, academia, industry).
Broader understanding of the EU research infrastructures policy, the possibilities for transnational access and the basics of international research infrastructures cooperation, be it via ERIC creation and development or other governance models.
Shared understanding of the possibilities and potential offered by EU policies and funding instruments, improving the impact of research infrastructures and enhancing European scientific capacities. The completion of the training programme should lead to recognised accreditation in ECTS points.
No expected impacts identified for this destination.
EU research infrastructures policy
highThis call is directly tied to the EU RI policy, which aims to strengthen Europe’s RI ecosystem through transnational access, governance harmonisation, and capacity-building. The policy emphasises FAIR data, State Aid compliance, and international collaboration (§SC4, §SC5, §SC6).
Evaluators will expect:
Specific requirements
Topic-specific consortium
Many CSA topics require a broader consortium than the general-annex minimum. The call-specific Eligibility and admissibility conditions override the general annex.
Restricted beneficiary type
Many CSA calls are reserved for specific beneficiary types (national funding agencies, research infrastructures, standards bodies). Check the call.
Coordination/support activities only
CSA funds coordination, networking, policy support, dissemination, training. Not research activities per se.
Gender Equality Plan
GEP eligibility criterion applies to public bodies, research organisations, higher education institutions from MS/AC.
1. Admissibility conditions — Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
2. Eligible Countries — described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide .
3. Other Eligibility Conditions — described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion — described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds — are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes — are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual .
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement — described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants — Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf ]]. described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in the specific topic of the Work Programme
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) Standard application form (HE CSA) Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) Standard evaluation form (HE CSA) Guidance HE Programme Guide Model Grant Agreements (MGA) HE MGA Lump Sum MGA Framework Partnership Agreement FPA Call-specific instructions Detailed budget table (HE LS) Information on financial support to third parties (HE) Information on clinical studies (HE) Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 3. Research Infrastructures HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes HE Programme Guide HE Framework Programme 2021/695 HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764 EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement
Evaluators will prioritise:
Everything the call asks for, seen from the call's point of view. Each line shows what answers it, and which partner carries it.
This matrix lists everything the call asks for: outcomes, impacts, scope, the requirements buried in the call text, and policy alignment. Sign up free and GrantForge tracks each line against the concept you build.
| Requirement | Covered by | Carried | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope activities | |||
| SC1Support the training of staff managing research infrastructures, and exchanges of staff and best practices. The training may also be offered to students engaged with a research infrastructure or aiming at a research infrastructure career path. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC2Develop specific education curricula and courses targeting pan-European research infrastructures, taking into account their diverse scientific fields and organisational models; in doing this, engagement with universities is expected. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC3Offer dedicated scholarships to staff in Ukrainian research infrastructures, while promoting and disseminating training opportunities to widening and candidate countries in particular. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC4Address training topics such as the socioeconomic impact of research infrastructures, scientific capabilities and capacity, engagement with academic users and industry (including understanding the needs of startups and scaleups), in-depth guidance on State Aid rules, and the long-term financial and environmental sustainability of the infrastructure’s activities. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC5Address the areas of data management, exploitation and stewardship skills, FAIR principles and data protection rules. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC6Pay attention to training research infrastructure staff in the different governance models for international research infrastructure collaborations, across different scientific fields, taking stock of the rapidly evolving geopolitical context. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC7Address training on research security and provide an overview of how research infrastructures need to face these challenges in their operations. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC8Report on the sustainability of the training activities, and engage with national agencies, ERICs, international organisations, and other relevant stakeholders. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC9Demonstrate an evolution based on related past activities and the experience gained in projects such as RAMIRI (Realising and Managing International Research Infrastructures) and RItrain (Research Infrastructures Training Programme). | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected outcomes | |||
| EO1Specialised training provided to the staff managing research infrastructures of European interest, enhancing the skills of RI research infrastructure staff as regards planning future operations and engaging with their various user communities and stakeholder groups (including funding agencies, academia, industry). | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO2Broader understanding of the EU research infrastructures policy, the possibilities for transnational access and the basics of international research infrastructures cooperation, be it via ERIC creation and development or other governance models. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO3Shared understanding of the possibilities and potential offered by EU policies and funding instruments, improving the impact of research infrastructures and enhancing European scientific capacities. The completion of the training programme should lead to recognised accreditation in ECTS points. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Other requirements | |||
| REQ1Synergy and evolution based on RItrainplus, RItrain, and RAMIRIProposals should build on existing curricula such as those developed under RItrainplus, and demonstrate an evolution based on related past activities and experience gained in projects such as RAMIRI and RItrain. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ2Engagement with pan-European RIs (ESFRI, ERICs, EIROforum)Proposals should engage with pan-European research infrastructures such as those prioritised by ESFRI, ERICs, and EIROforum to ensure training fits the needs of complex research infrastructures. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ3Engagement with universities in curriculum developmentWhen developing specific education curricula and courses targeting pan-European research infrastructures, engagement with universities is expected. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ4Dedicated scholarships for Ukrainian RIs and widening focusProposals should offer dedicated scholarships to staff in Ukrainian research infrastructures, while actively promoting and disseminating training opportunities to widening and candidate countries. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ5Training on research securityActions must address training on research security and provide an overview of how research infrastructures need to face operational security challenges. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ6Training on FAIR principles and data management skillsThe curriculum should address data management, exploitation and stewardship skills, FAIR principles, and data protection rules. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ7Stakeholder engagement on training sustainabilityProposals should report on the sustainability of training activities and engage with national agencies, ERICs, international organisations, and other relevant stakeholders. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected impacts | |||
| No expected impacts in this call. | |||
| Underlying policies | |||
| POL1EU research infrastructures policyThis call is directly tied to the EU RI policy , which aims to strengthen Europe’s RI ecosystem through transnational access, governance harmonisation, and capacity-building . The policy emphasises FAIR data, State Aid compliance, and international collaboration (§SC4, §SC5, §SC6). | · | · | Sign up to track |
The binding rules of this call. Items marked auto are verified by GrantForge from the call and the template. The others are yours to confirm.
LMIC entities auto-eligible
Low/middle-income country entities are automatically eligible for funding.
Topic-specific consortium
Many CSA topics require a broader consortium than the general-annex minimum. The call-specific Eligibility and admissibility conditions override the general annex.
Restricted beneficiary type
Many CSA calls are reserved for specific beneficiary types (national funding agencies, research infrastructures, standards bodies). Check the call.
Coordination/support activities only
CSA funds coordination, networking, policy support, dissemination, training. Not research activities per se.
Gender Equality Plan
GEP eligibility criterion applies to public bodies, research organisations, higher education institutions from MS/AC.
Nothing to show for this call yet.