Open calls for funding

ITEA is an industry-driven European ecosystem for collaborative R&D projects on software-intensive systems. ITEA projects cover all topics related to software innovation, including:

• Artificial intelligence (e.g. large language models and other generative AI)
• Smart healthcare
• Cybersecurity (digital safety and security)
• Industry 4.0 and smart engineering, including simulation tools, digital twins, robotics and IoT
• Sustainability, including smart mobility and smart cities

Participating countries include Austria, Belgium (Flanders: VLAIO; Brussels: Innoviris; Wallonia: SPW), Canada, the Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, the United Kingdom, Hungary, South Korea, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and Turkey.

Deadline: 10 November 2025 (concept); 29 May 2026 (full proposal)

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Focus on mechanisms of their onset and progression, neglected determinants and novel strategies for critical transitional periods in life. Applications must cover only one of the two following topics:

1. Research that improves the understanding of the causes for obesity, overweight and its complications by using a mechanistic approach.
2. Research that focuses on prevention and public health strategies for critical transitional periods of life.

Deadline: 21 January 2026 (pre-proposal), 11 June 2026 (full proposal)

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Deadline: 10 February 2026 (pre-proposal), 9 June 2026 (full proposal)

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On 10 December 2025, ERDERA will launch its 2026 Joint Transnational Call, “Resolving unsolved cases in rare genetic and non‑genetic diseases through variant validation and new technological approaches”.

The call will welcome proposals focused on providing diagnostic clarity in unsolved rare genetic and non‑genetic diseases.

This call’s  pre‑announcement is available below, and it describes the forthcoming opportunity for multinational research teams to apply and will be updated with the full call when it launches.

Involving patient organisations from the very start is highly desirable. Should you need guidance about patient involvement in research, have a look at this guide.

Deadline: 12 February 2026 (pre-proposal); 8 July 2026 (full proposal)

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The European Partnership for Pandemic Preparedness (BE READY Partnership) aims to establish a European research and innovation ecosystem that is optimally prepared for future health crises caused by infectious diseases. This ecosystem will be capable of responding swiftly and efficiently to such crises and will be fully integrated into the broader European institutional framework for health security.

Deadline: 13 April 2026 (pre-proposal); 20 August 2026 (full proposal)

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The call prioritizes non-invasive, scalable, and clinically actionable approaches to enable timely intervention, improve patient outcomes, and reduce the societal burden of PD.

The proposed projects are within the following scopes: biomarkers, digital health, multimodal approaches, clinical translation and patient/caregiver involvement.

Deadline: 28 May 2026

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The Fund for Mental Health Research was created to support Mental Health Research in Belgium. The Fund is managed by the King Baudouin Foundation with the help of a dedicated Steering Committee.

The Fund is launching its first call for research projects in mental health, supported by the European Science Foundation (ESF), to shift the current paradigm and prioritize underfunded yet critical research areas in mental healthcare, addressing urgent, unmet needs.

1. Who Should Apply?

·      Research teams focused on mental health care in Belgium.

·      Projects must address at least one of the 10 research priorities (see publication Bridging Gaps in Mental Health: 10 Research Priorities)

·      Teams must include researchers from appropriate disciplines and stakeholders (patients, caregivers, policymakers etc.)

Budget: 400.000 - 600.000 euros
Deadline: 01 June 2026 (full proposal)

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Het Fonds voor Innovatie en Klinisch Onderzoek lanceert een oproep voor de zogenaamde type I-projecten. Deze projecten zijn bedoeld voor klinische medewerkers van het UZ Gent die betrokken zijn bij de patiëntenzorg in brede zin en die klinisch gericht onderzoek willen uitvoeren met als doel het behalen van een doctoraat in de medische wetenschappen binnen de projectduur van maximaal vier jaar. De financiering bedraagt € 60.000 per jaar, voor een periode van maximaal vier jaar, en is bedoeld voor een gedeeltelijke vrijstelling van de normale klinische activiteiten.

Om in aanmerking te komen voor financiering, moet aan een reeks criteria worden voldaan (zie bijlage). Het is belangrijk om als kandidaat eerst te overleggen met het Health Innovation and Research Institute (HIRUZ.IVU@UZGent.be) om de ontvankelijkheid van de aanvraag in te schatten. Afhankelijk van hun advies wordt het aanvraagformulier beschikbaar gesteld. HIRUZ biedt ook inhoudelijke ondersteuning om de kans op succes te vergroten en te beoordelen of het project mogelijk beter op een andere manier gefinancierd kan worden.

Timing
Intakegesprek HIRUZ: vóór 19 juni 2026
Deadline indiening: uiterlijk op 26 juni 2026 om 17u
Bekendmaking selectie na goedkeuring DC en BC: september 2026
Start FIKO Type I: vanaf 1/10/2026, op te starten binnen het jaar

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KCE Trials 2026 - Comparative effectiveness call
In this call, studies comparing two treatment options (with ‘no treatment’ being one of the possible treatment options) that are already in use in clinical practice for a given indication, but are not yet sufficiently directly compared (i.e. which of the two treatment options works best in daily practice) are funded. Accepted study interventions are not limited to drugs or medical devices, but also include a broad range of interventions, such as psychotherapy, dietary interventions, diagnostic tests, surgery, or ways to deliver health care.
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KCE Trials 2026 - Drug repurposing call
In this call, drug repurposing studies investigating a new indication for an off-patent drug are funded.
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KCE Trials 2026 - Themed call 'care for addiction' - NEW
A call for study proposals that address clinical research questions in this area.
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KCE Trials 2026 - Themed call on palliative care - NEW
This call for proposals offers funding for clinical trials in palliative care.
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KCE Trials
KCE Trials is a national funding programme focusing on pragmatic, randomized, multicentric clinical studies that are of high societal importance in Belgium and have no direct commercial purpose. The studies should contribute to better patient care, show clear value for money, and should have the potential for return on investment.

Info session (online)
An online information session will be organised by KCE on Thursday, the 4th of June 2026, 10:00-12:00. You can register via trials@kce.fgov.be.

Support of HIRUZ
Investigators from U(Z)Gent with a research proposal will have the support of the Clinical Trial Unit (CTU) of Health, Innovation and Research Institute (HIRUZ) to submit and perform the proposed clinical trial. For more information and support, please contact HIRUZ CTU via hiruz.ctu@uzgent.be or contact Joke Tommelein (Joke.Tommelein@uzgent.be 09/332.09.08) or Hélène De Naeyer (Helene.DeNaeyer@uzgent.be, 09/332.05.05) directly.

Deadline for submission
22^nd September 2026, at 13:00

FWO launched a new call in the Odysseus programme. This programme supports outstanding researchers, who have built up a career outside Flanders, in developing or setting up a research line or research group within a Flemish university.

The dean of your faculty must submit a dossier at vlaams-federaal@ugent.be no later than Thursday 18 June 2026. Only candidates nominated by the deans will be considered for selection. Please make sure to check the internal application deadline at your faculty’s Dean’s Office.

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