Euregio Science Fund: €3.9 million for More Cutting-Edge Research in Euregio Region

Promoting innovation, generating knowledge, and giving promising researchers in the European region of Tyrol–South Tyrol–Trentino additional opportunities to work together: Starting in April 2024, grants for Interregional Research Projects offer researchers in these three regions an attractive funding opportunity administered by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).

March 22, 2024

Mikroskop in Labor — The three provinces of the European region Tyrol–South Tyrol–Trentino are funding research collaborations with the Euregio Science Fund. © Unsplash/Yassine Khalfalli

To mark the tenth anniversary of the Euregio Science Fund, the three countries of the European region Tyrol–South Tyrol–Trentino will be continuing the successful funding of cooperative research projects in basic research in the future. There is currently almost €4 million in funding available to implement multi-year, innovative collaborative projects. Quality assurance and awarding of funding is carried out by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), and the projects will be implemented at universities and research institutions in the tri-state European region. The aim is to further strengthen the innovative power of the European region as well as research cooperation and to offer attractive jobs in research.

Strengthening the European region with knowledge and innovation

Euregio President and South Tyrolean Governor Arno Kompatscher calls Euregio a lighthouse project for the European region. “We are using this funding to support cross-border research projects,” explains Governor Kompatscher. “This will not only strengthen basic research and scientific performance, but also the Euregio’s research network.”

Philipp Achammer, South Tyrol's Provincial Councilor for Innovation and Research, is convinced that investments in research are investments in the future. “The cooperation between Tyrol, South Tyrol, and Trentino is based on a long tradition. Science and research are a particularly forward-looking expression of this tradition.”

“The Euregio Science Fund is a flagship project of the Euregio Tyrol–South Tyrol–Trentino and a key instrument for strengthening the innovative power of this European region. For ten years, we have been supporting cross-border projects, creating jobs for young researchers and promoting the exchange of knowledge and expertise across borders. Last but not least, the projects supported by the Euregio Science Fund strengthen the search for innovative solutions for common challenges and increase the visibility of Euregio research in international competition,” says Tyrol's Governor Anton Mattle.

Cornelia Hagele, Tyrolean State Councilor for Science, adds, “Whether it's the change in biodiversity based on glacier ice samples or the investigation of organic compounds in apples – the Euregio Science Fund has already supported numerous innovative projects in the past. This funding has not only helped to deepen our understanding of complex ecological processes, but has also created the basis for applied research that has a direct impact on society. Together with the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), there will be another call for proposals for multi-year research projects this year, and I would like to urge researchers to apply.”

“Institutions,” says the President of the Autonomous Province of Trento, Maurizio Fugatti, “are responsible for supporting research as a driver of development and as a prerequisite for all forms of economic and social growth. This initiative is a positive example of how to strengthen the existing cooperation between the areas of the Euregio Tyrol–South Tyrol–Trentino. First and foremost, research relies on dialog, cooperation, and exchange, and it is precisely on these principles that the Euroregional experience is based, producing important results that benefit society as a whole.”

“This call,” adds Trentino Provincial Councilor Achille Spinelli, “once again demonstrates how well Trentino, South Tyrol, and Tyrol work together in basic research. The Euregio Science Fund has been demonstrating the success of this fruitful cooperation for ten years by supporting projects that are submitted jointly by researchers from the three regions. This is an opportunity to increase critical mass in our research institutions and to provide further evidence of the research excellence of the three regions and their continued involvement in building shared knowledge within our Euregio.”

Austrian Science Fund (FWF) to conduct quality assurance and award funding

The European Region will be working closely with the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) to ensure that funding is awarded in a fair, transparent, and quality-assured manner. All project proposals are evaluated on the basis of international reviews, and the best projects are recommended for funding by the European Region.

“The more intensively researchers work together across several locations, the more promising the results. Thanks to the Euregio funding initiative, researchers from the three regions have the opportunity to launch further joint projects and intensify cooperation. The participation of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) ensures the high quality of the research and emphasizes its innovative potential,” says FWF Vice President Georg Kaser, who is glad to see the continuation of the Euregio Science Fund.

Researchers interested in applying can find further information on the FWF website under the Tyrol–South Tyrol–Trentino regional cooperation (Interregional Research Projects). The call will be published in April and run until May 28, 2024. The funded projects will be ready to launch in spring 2025.

Euregio Science Fund: a 10-year scientific success story

One of the aims of the European Region Tyrol–South Tyrol–Trentino is to promote and strengthen scientific research in the three regions. For this reason, in 2014, the regional governors of the Euregio decided to set up a Euregio research fund as part of the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC). The Euregio Science Fund supports multi-year, joint research projects in the field of basic research in which researchers from all three Euregio regions are involved. Research topics should be in line with the objectives of the Euregio Science Fund to strengthen interregional cooperation at the scientific level. The first four funding rounds of the Euregio Science Fund were very successful, with over 190 submissions. To date, a total of €8.5 million has been awarded to 23 selected cross-border projects to finance highly qualified research jobs in the Euregio region.

Further information on the fifth call for proposals of the Euregio Science Fund

Starting in April 2024, the fifth call for proposals of the Euregio Science Fund will fund multi-year, joint Interregional Research Projects (IRP) in the field of basic research involving research institutions from Tyrol, South Tyrol, and Trentino. The duration is 24 to 36 months, and the total budget is €300,000 to 600,000 per Interregional Research Project. The inclusion of all three states and/or provinces is a prerequisite for each research project, and the budgets for each individual project part may not deviate by more than 10% from one another. Any consortium member can be named for the role of research coordinator, but for administrative reasons, the Tyrolean project partner is responsible for making all submissions. The research standard is based on previous calls for proposals of the Euregio Science Fund, which were carried out in cooperation with the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) in 2014, 2017, and 2020.

The detailed application guidelines will be published in the upcoming weeks.