8 April 2025
A €50 million call for proposals has been published to enhance the attractiveness of the Italian academic and research system for researchers working at foreign universities and research institutions.
The notice has been published for the submission of project proposals by young researchers who have won ERC Starting Grants or ERC Consolidator Grants outside Italy (research programmes funded by the European Research Council, aimed at researchers of excellence of all ages and nationalities who intend to carry out frontier research in EU Member States or associated countries).
The call aims to attract Italian and foreign researchers currently working outside Italy but interested in returning or moving to our country. Each project proposal may receive a maximum grant of €1 million and the projects submitted may have a maximum duration of 36 months. A share of 40% of the total allocation will be earmarked specifically for research projects in the southern regions. The Notice implements the PNRR Measure - Mission 4 ‘Education and Research’ - Component 2 ‘From Research to Business’ - Investment 1.2 ‘Funding for projects submitted by young researchers’.
The resources are aimed at young researchers who have won one of the two European grants - ERC Starting Grants or ERC Consolidator Grants - who are carrying out research outside Italy or who have already completed their project at a foreign host institution (university or research centre). Winners of ERC Starting Grants must have post-doctoral experience and a promising CV with at least two and no more than seven years of experience. The Consolidator grant is intended for researchers with seven to twelve years of post-doctoral experience who have already demonstrated independence and scientific maturity.
Applications must be submitted in English via the platform (https://www.gea.mur.gov.it) starting at 12:00 noon on 15 April 2025. The window for receiving applications will remain open until the available resources are exhausted and in any case no later than 12:00 noon on 4 June 2025.
