Seed Programme
Three years ago, ECIU member universities launched a Seed Programme (SP) to increase the level of long-lasting collaboration among the ECIU partners.
The goal is to support the challenge-based approach of ECIU University by focusing on capacity-building activities to promote challenge-based research as an interdisciplinary way of doing research based on societal needs and in close collaboration with citizens and businesses.
SEED Programmes at a glance
Action Items
- SP1: the Blended mobility to create new consortia
- SP2: Seed projects for existing consortia.
Strategic Research Fields
- Circular Economy
- Citizen Science
- Digital Transformation
- Energy and Sustainability
- Health & Wellbeing
- Resilient Community
- Transport and Mobility
ECIU members
- Dublin City University
- Institut National des Sciences Appliquées
(only for Seed Programme 2) - Kaunas University of Technology
- Tampere University
- Łodz University of Technology
- Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
- Universidade de Aveiro
- University of Twente
What we mean by challenge based research:
Challenge-based research (CBR) is research undertaken with partners from business, education, government, civil society and citizens, using the challenges they face in reality as a point of departure, to arrive at implementable solutions to these challenges.
Each proposal must involve researchers from at least three ECIU Institutions participating in the Seed Programme.
Consortia need to carefully read Annex 2 Funding rules in the Guidelines Seed Programme 2026 to double-check that each participating researcher follows the eligibility criteria set out by their ECIU Institution.
Both Seed Programmes adopt a bottom-up approach, and the participation of non-academic stakeholders is highly encouraged.
Applicants whose proposals were rejected in the Seed programme calls for 2024 and 2025 are eligible to apply again for SP2. Consortia awarded in the Seed programme 2024 and 2025 are not eligible to apply to the 2026 edition.
Compare the two programmes
Blended Mobility to Create NEW Networks
Seed projects for EXISTING consortia
Definition of New Consortia
- By "new consortia," the guidelines mean consortia composed of researchers who have not previously collaborated on a joint research project with all institutions involved in the specific SP1 proposal.
Definition of Existing Consortia
- By “existing consortia”, the guidelines mean that the group of researchers in a SP2 proposal has previously had research collaborations in ECIU projects or in other projects or has been involved in the ECIU Research Labs involving all institutions involved in the specific proposal for the Seed programme SP2.
The Aim
- To promote inter-institutional collaboration through the blended exchange of research and innovation staff to create new consortia.
- To work on a solid foundation for a new, long-lasting collaboration among the participating ECIU Institutions
The Aim
- To promote inter-institutional and intersectoral research and innovation seed projects linked to shared challenges in the involved regional ecosystems.
- To motivate the exploitation of complementary competences of the participating researchers and other relevant stakeholders outside academia, contributing to tackling the challenges.
Supported Activities
- To exploit complementary competences.
- To enable networking experiences to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and collaborative research activities.
- To promote and increase the concept of citizen science.
- To develop communication and dissemination events to reinforce the impact of the ECIU research agenda amongst the communities.
Supported Activities
- To develop research and innovation activities aimed at solving challenges identified by local/regional communities or citizens/groups of citizens of any region of the participating ECIU institutions.
Eligibility Criteria
- Each proposal must involve researchers from at least three (3) ECIU Institutions.
- PhD holders of any seniority level can be coordinators (PIs) in SP1 or SP2 proposals.
- KTU, UAB, UT and UAveiro: the Participation of MA and/or PhD students is mandatory.
- External stakeholders: UAB and UAveiro can fund travel and subsistence costs for regional external stakeholders in SP 1.
- Please check the financial table for the specific criteria set by individual institutions (see Annex 2 Funding rules)
Eligibility Criteria
- Each proposal must involve researchers from at least three (3) ECIU Institutions.
- PhD holders of any seniority level can be coordinators (PIs) in SP1 or SP2 proposals.
- KTU, UAB, UT and UAveiro: the Participation of MA and/or PhD students is mandatory.
- External stakeholders: UAB and UAveiro can fund travel and subsistence costs for regional external stakeholders in SP 1.
- Please check the financial table for the specific criteria set by individual institutions (see Annex 2 Funding rules)
Funding
- For researchers of currently seven out of eight ECIU institutions, the home institutions make a maximum amount available for their own researchers participating in the programme (see Annex 2 Funding rules).
- Please check the amounts in the table and consult with your institutional contact person for financial questions.
Funding
- For researchers of currently eight ECIU institutions, the home institutions make a maximum amount available for their own researchers participating in the programme (see Annex 2 Funding rules).
- Please check the amounts in the table and consult with your institutional contact person for financial questions.
Duration of the Proposed Projects
- Projects can last up to 24 months
Duration of the Proposed Projects
- Projects can last up to 24 months
Deadline for Submission of the Project Proposal
- 30 November 2026 23:59 CET
Deadline for Submission of the Project Proposal
- 30 November 2026 23:59 CET
Application Process
Apply via the central online form
The application form is composed of two parts:
The general and administrative information on the proposal and the core proposal and the budget (to be uploaded online).
The general and administrative information on the proposal and the core proposal and the budget (to be uploaded online).
Application Process
Apply via the central online form
The application form is composed of two parts:
The general and administrative information on the proposal and the core proposal and the budget (to be uploaded online).
The general and administrative information on the proposal and the core proposal and the budget (to be uploaded online).
Budget Template
- Download our budget template
Budget Template
- Download our budget template
Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation Criteria
- coming soon
Evaluation Process
- The evaluation panel will consist of evaluators from the participating institutions and will come together at the end of February 2027.
- Applicants will be informed about the results by 10 March 2027.
- By 15 June 2027: Projects must have started.
Evaluation Process
- The evaluation panel will consist of evaluators from the participating institutions and will come together at the end of February 2027.
- Applicants will be informed about the results by 10 March 2027.
- By 15 June 2027: Projects must have started.
Final Report
- Each project needs to submit a technical report indicating how they intend to guarantee the sustainability of the initiated activities, for example, by an external funding roadmap (See Annex 4: Template Technical Report)
Final Report
- Each project needs to submit a technical report indicating how they intend to guarantee the sustainability of the initiated activities, for example, by an external funding roadmap (See Annex 4: Template Technical Report)
Guidelines
- You can find the complete guidelines for the seed programme here.
Guidelines
- You can find the complete guidelines for the seed programme here.
Contact for Questions about the Programme
- research.innovation@eciu.eu
Contact for Questions about the Programme
- research.innovation@eciu.eu
Contatcs
Institutional Contacts for Questions around Internal Funding
ECIU Institution
Contact Person
Email Address
DCU
Markos Papadopoulos
Sophie Ball
Sophie Ball
markos.papadopoulos@dcu.ie
Sophie.ball@dcu.ie
Sophie.ball@dcu.ie
KTU
Vilma Karobliene
vilma.karobliene@ktu.lt
INSA
Laure Fabre
Emilie Morin
Emilie Morin
fabre@insa-toulouse.fr
emilie.morin@insa-rouen.fr
emilie.morin@insa-rouen.fr
TAU
Jörg Langwaldt
jorg.langwaldt@tuni.fi
TUL
Agnieszka Tiele
agnieszka.tiele@p.lodz.pl
UAB
Myra Ronzoni
myra.ronzoni@uab.cat
UAveiro
Vera Fernandes
verafernandes@ua.pt
UT
Flavia Carvalho de Souza
Liv Hassinger
Liv Hassinger
f.carvalhodesouza-1@utwente.nl
o.hassinger@utwente.nl
o.hassinger@utwente.nl
Projects
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