EURAXESS UK Newsletter November 2025
Connecting Researchers Across Borders
Whether you're planning your next research move or looking to connect with international collaborators, EURAXESS UK has you covered. Here's what's new this month.
News
Stay informed with the latest updates from EURAXESS and the UK research landscape
This section highlights policy updates, research initiatives, mobility programmes, or major events relevant to international researchers.
Horizon Europe’s European Innovation Council (EIC) Work Programme for 2026 has now been published – calls are now open to receive UK applications!
On 5 November 2025, the European Commission adopted the 2026 European Innovation Council (EIC) Work Programme, offering over €1.4 billion in funding for strategic technologies and innovative companies.
UK applicants can now apply to 2026 calls under the following EIC schemes:
EIC Pathfinder (€262 million) – for multi-disciplinary research teams undertaking visionary research with the potential to lead to technology breakthroughs (grants up to €4 million). Challenge areas:
- Advanced materials for miniaturised integrated energy harvesting devices
- Translating ageing research into tangible biopharmaceutical solutions for healthy ageing
- Deep Reasoning, Abstraction & Planning towards trustworthy Cognitive AI Systems
EIC Transition (€100 million) – to turn research results into innovation opportunities, following up on results from EIC Pathfinder, ERC Proof of Concept, Horizon Europe Pillar 2 and Research Infrastructures projects (grants up to €2.5 million)
Advanced Innovation Challenges pilot (€6 million) – a two-stage model supporting disruptive Physical AI and New Approach Methodologies to replace or reduce animal testing (€300,000 lump sum).
EIC Accelerator (€253 million total grant funding) –through both open and challenge calls for start-ups and SMEs to develop and scale up innovations with the potential to create new markets or disrupt existing ones (UK applicants eligible for grants only, worth up to €2.5 million). Challenges cover:
- Advanced Materials for Renewable Energy and Energy Storage Systems;
- Alternative Concepts and Key Enabling Technologies for Fusion Power Plants;
- Biotech for Regenerating Agricultural Soils;
- Boosting the European Critical Raw Materials value chain; and
- Deep Tech for Climate Adaptation.
Find out more: Full details are available in the EIC Work Programme and via the EU
Infodays.
Events: Our UK National Contact Point for the EIC will be holding an in-person info day in London on 20th November 2025 for all potential applicants to come and find out more, ask questions and receive guidance on how to put together strong project proposals and applications (sign up here).
European Commission’s public consultation on the European Research Area
The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the European Research Area (ERA). The proposed ERA Act includes provisions to establish “minimum requirements for a consistent approach” to research security - measures that could have implications for UK researchers and institutions collaborating with EU partners. This is an important opportunity to ensure UK perspectives are heard.
At EURAXESS UK, we have been reflecting on some key messages we’d like to see embedded in the ERA Act and wider ERA policy. These include:
- International collaboration, particularly with trusted and like-minded partners, should continue to be recognised and supported as a cornerstone of European research.
- Open science, research careers, and academic freedom should remain core ERA values, alongside efforts to promote inclusive and equitable research systems through intersectional approaches to gender equality.
- ERA initiatives should be designed to further enable international cooperation and strengthen Europe’s global competitiveness.
- The UK should have opportunities for deeper engagement as the ERA Act develops, particularly on shared geopolitical and research security priorities.
Beyond these priorities, EURAXESS UK supports opportunities for deeper engagement as the ERA Act develops, particularly in areas of shared geopolitical and research security interest. We also support the ambition to strengthen the ERA and value coordinated European research efforts, including ongoing participation in ERA bodies such as ERAC and the ERA Forum.
The consultation provides an important chance to shape the future direction of European research collaboration. We encourage UK researchers and institutions to engage with the process and share their perspectives.
Consultation period: 13 October 2025 – 23 January 2026
Strong UK showing in the MSCA Staff Exchanges 2025 call
The fifth Staff Exchanges call under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), funded through Horizon Europe, closed on 8 October 2025.
The European Research Executive Agency (REA) received 363 proposals, requesting a total budget of approximately €423.6 million. Through this call, the EU is expected to fund between 80 and 90 projects, with an indicative budget of around €97.7 million.
The UK submitted 48 proposals, ranking third by country, behind Italy (51) and Spain (49). Evaluation is currently underway, with results expected in February 2026.
We are pleased to see such strong UK participation and wish all applicants the best of luck in the evaluation process.
MSCA Green Charter updated
The European Commission has published an updated Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Green Charter, along with new guidance materials to support environmentally sustainable research practices.
The Charter sets out non-binding principles that promote sustainability in areas such as research travel, events, resource use, and digital practices. It is intended for researchers, research managers, organisations, and consortia involved in MSCA-funded projects.
The updated guidance provides practical advice and resources to help participants embed the Charter’s principles into their research activities.
Jobs
Explore research job opportunities in the UK and beyond.
Looking for your next academic adventure? This month’s roundup includes teaching and research roles across the UK and Europe - from lectureships in MSK Ultrasound, Physiotherapy, Robotics, and Games Design, to research fellowships in cutting-edge areas like AI for autonomous vehicles, aerospace engineering, and deep learning for geophysical modelling. There are also opportunities to supervise dissertations in business and tourism, dive into postdoc work in maths and diagnostic sensors, or start a PhD in neuroscience, sleep disorders, or Amazon forest fire resilience. Plus, there are exciting roles in Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Sweden - perfect for anyone keen to work in a vibrant international academic community.
United Kingdom
- Lecturer in Musculoskeletal (MSK) Ultrasoundat The Health Sciences University
- Research Associate in the Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience at Kings College London
- Teaching Fellow in Physiotherapy at Kings College London
- Lecturer, Senior Lecturer or Associate Professor in Robotics at University of Surrey
- Research Fellow in AI for Software Engineering for Autonomous Vehicles at Queens University Belfast
- Research Fellow in Aerospace Engineering at University of Southampton
- Lecturer in Games Design at University of Surrey
- Dissertation Supervisor - Business and Tourism at Global Banking School
- Research Fellow in Deep Learning and Large-scale Geophysical Modelling at Northumbria University
- Postdoctoral Research Associate, Mathematics at Durham University
Beyond
- PhD Project "Centriole Duplication" (Schiebel 10/25) at Heidelberg University
- PhD student (f/m/d) systems neuroscience and neuroimaging at Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology
- Assistant professor in a group of research and teaching staff Institute of Machine Tools
and Production Engineering at Lodz University of Technology - Postdoc in diagnostic sensors based on bio-functionalized graphene at Chalmers University of Technology
- PhD on long-term monitoring of sleep disorder symptoms with digital tools at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)
- PhD positions: Fire resilience of Amazon forests at Wageningen University & Research
- G.S.D. 13/STAT-04 "Mathematical methods for economy, finance and actuarial
sciences" -S.S.D. STAT-04/A "Mathematical methods for economy,
finance and actuarial sciences" at UNIVERSITA’ DEGLI STUDI DI PARMA - Lecturer (Profesor Permanente Laboral) at Universidad Complutense de Madrid
- 2 Researchers (Postdocs) in Data Quality and AI at GESIS - Leibniz Institut für Sozialwissenschaften
- Contractual Research and Teaching Faculty at University of Avignon
Funding
Access key funding calls and fellowships.
There are some great opportunities this month for researchers! The British Heart Foundation is offering a fellowship for those interested in cardiovascular research in the UK. If you're into materials science and engineering, check out the ATENEA MSCA postdoc programme in Spain at IMDEA Materials Institute. University College Dublin has a doctoral scholarship up for grabs, and the European Association of Social Psychology (EASP) is supporting collaborative research projects across Europe. Plus, King’s College London is offering a PhD starting in February 2026 focused on anatomy localisation in X-ray fluoroscopy videos - perfect if you're into medical imaging and tech, especially with Telos Health involved.
- Discovery Research Early Career Fellowship (UK cardiovascular research) with British Heart Foundation
- ATENEA MSCA postdoctoral fellowship programme (materials science and engineering |
Spain) with IMDEA Materials Institute - UCD Iseult Honohan Doctoral Scholarship with University College Dublin
- Collaborative Research Grants (social psychology | Europe+) with European Association of Social Psychology (EASP)
- PhD opportunity [February 2026 start] on "Anatomy localisation in X-ray fluoroscopy videos for mechanical thrombectomy" in collaboration with Telos Health with King's College London
Living in the UK: Spotlight on Coming to the UK: Entry Requirements and Visas
Welcome to the latest edition of our quarterly series on practical aspects of living in the UK.
Fiasco Fest Pedagogy Playbook is now available!
The Fiasco Fest is a party-workshop that creates an open and festive environment where researchers share both the highlights and the failures of their research journeys. This playbook was developed as part of the “Fiasco Fest Goes Arqus” project, funded by the Arqus European University Alliance Innovation Fund.
Its aim is to help others organise their own Fiasco Fest events and to spread the concept beyond the Arqus Alliance. The publication provides guidance for running a Fiasco Fest session effectively, while also encouraging adaptation for different audiences and settings.
Smart Talks Podcast
The latest EURAXESS Smart Talks episode is here! Tune in to discover Let’s get science out of the lab! A conversation with Professor Marina Joubert. Listen now:
Events
EURAXESS Webinar – Horizon Europe focused event
Join us for an open-access EURAXESS webinar on Wednesday 14 January 2026, from 13:30 to 15:00 GMT.
This session will provide an overview of how EURAXESS supports researcher mobility, career development, and international collaboration. Attendees will have the opportunity to:
- Connect with researchers, institutional representatives, and EURAXESS experts
- Explore tools and resources for various stages of the research journey
- Learn about funding opportunities, job listings, and mobility support
WIDERA - The research and innovation community platform
The research and innovation community platform is a unique space bringing together researchers from the EU and beyond. Take part in events, access exclusive content, and widen your network.
Events | The research and innovation community platform
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