Funding for Measures to Support Universities in Cross-border Networking and Application Submission to Strengthen Innovation Capacity in the European Research Area (FH-Europa)

The FH-Europa funding program is aimed at public and state-recognized universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen - FH) and universities of applied sciences (Hochschulen für Angewandte Wissenschaften - HAW) in Germany that wish to expand their participation in European research projects. The aim is to strengthen their research potential in the European Research Area and intensify networking with European partners.

The program funds activities that serve to prepare for participation in EU research programs, especially the drafting of research applications and networking measures. It supports non-economic projects and focuses on networking with European project partners as well as thematic compatibility with the research priorities of the applying universities.

The FH-Europa program offers non-repayable grants for the full financing of projects. Each project can receive up to 75,000 EUR and has a maximum duration of 12 months. A maximum of two concurrent projects are permitted per university.

Specific conditions apply to the funding, such as the non-economic orientation of the project and the necessity of a written cooperation agreement for collaborative projects. Furthermore, funded universities must provide data for success monitoring and contribute to the Open Access publication of their results.

The application procedure for FH-Europa is a one-stage process and was conducted via the electronic application system easy-Online. Applications were continuously accepted until December 31, 2023, and subsequently evaluated by an internal review panel, with criteria such as fulfillment of funding requirements, quality of the work plan, and contribution to networking being decisive.

The FH-Europa funding program is based on a guideline from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and is underpinned by various superordinate regulations and administrative provisions that ensure proper implementation and fund management.