European Funding
There are over 250 sources of European funding available to support a range of activities including:
- research
- regional development
- innovation
- consultancy through tenders
- educational developments
- …..and combinations of these.
The activities supported in this way normally require:
- trans-national partnerships
- the involvement of non-academic partners (SMEs are particularly welcomed)
The largest source of funding for research comes from the Directorate-General for Research (DG-Research) through Framework Programme 7. Other funding programmes include those from DG-Health and Consumers and DG-Information Society and Media, amongst others.
The main purpose for contracting research to universities and the like is to provide the EC with an evidence base for policy-making – not research for its own sake.
The main purpose for contracting research to universities and the like is to provide the EC with an evidence base for policy-making – not research for its own sake.
Also, many DGs offer opportunities for tendering to undertake specific projects for them. These are typically short and operate on a full cost basis.
Further information is available in PDF as follows:
| FP7 in Brief | Overview of Framework Programme 7 | Download |
| People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) | International mobility actions for researchers funded through FP7. | Download |
| Research for SMEs at a Glance | EC FP7 Action intended to support research and innovation in SMEs | Download |
| Research for SME Associations | EC FP7 Action intended to support research and innovation in SMEs | Download |
| European Union Research in Economics | FP7 Social Sciences and Humanities Programme | Download |
| Welsh Higher Education Brussels | EU Policy for activities relevant to HE in Wales. | Download |
Funding Programme Factsheets:
| Life-long Learning | This programme, which includes Erasmus, focuses on a variety of aspects of education, training and mobility for staff and students. | Download |
| Marie Curie Actions | A brief summary of the main elements of the Marie Curie / “People” Programme with expected dates for calls for proposals. | Download |
| CIP-EIP | A summary of the main elements of the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP) and the Eco-Innovation Programme (EIP). | Download |
Project Implementation Factsheets:
| Framework Funding Schemes | Download |
| Research Themes | Download |
| IPR and Consortium Agreements | Download |
| Financial Rules for EC FP7 Projects | Download |
Web Links:
- European Research
- European Research Publications
- European Research in Action
- Welsh Higher Education Brussels
If you would like advice on European funding, whether to get an overall idea of how it operates or to seek assistance in putting together a proposal, please contact:
Dr Peter Quantick, European Projects Director, Research & Enterprise Services, room R0.02, ext: 7130
Dr Peter Quantick, European Projects Director, Research & Enterprise Services, room R0.02, ext: 7130