The Ministry of University and Research (MUR) has published a call for project proposals addressed to young researchers. In particular, at least 300 research grants for young winners of European calls for proposals or recipients of the Seal of Excellence will be awarded by the fourth quarter of 2022.
The funding is part of the implementation of the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 “Education and Research” – Component 2 “From research to business”, Investment 1.2 “Funding of projects submitted by young researchers”.
The grants are intended for young researchers belonging to the following categories:
- Principal Investigators who have been awarded a Starting Grantby the European Research Council(ERC) under the Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe Framework Programmes and who have chosen to do their research at a foreign host institution;
- Winners of Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships under the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme and of Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme;
- Researchers who have been awarded the Seal of Excellence following participation in Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual FellowshipsandMarie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships calls under the Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe Framework Programmes.
Applications can be submitted by 11 October 2022 via the platform https://www.gea.mur.gov.it. This first call has been allocated 220 of the total 600 million euro set aside by the NRRP for this measure.
Specifically, 100 million euro – 40 million of which are to be allocated as a priority to the regions of southern Italy – will fund projects by 100 winners of ERC Starting Grants to be carried out in Italian universities, schools for advanced studies and public research bodies. The maximum funding for each project is 1 million euro.
Sixty million euro – 24 million of which are to be allocated as a priority to the regions of southern Italy – will support the research activities of 200 young researchers who have been awarded MSCA grants. The maximum funding for each project is 300,000 euro.
Finally, 60 million euro will fund the projects of 400 young researchers who have been awarded the Seal of Excellence following their participation in calls financed by the MSCA Actions. The maximum contribution to these projects is 150,000 euro.
Link to the Call (ITA)