The University of La Rioja announces grants for European research projects

The Vice-Rector for Scientific Policy of the University of La Rioja has announced, via resolution dated August 31, 2026, the grants for the preparation of European and international research project proposals for the year 2026. The call, with a budget of 10,000 euros, is published in the Official Gazette of La Rioja (Boletín Oficial de La Rioja) number 168, dated September 2, 2026, within section III of other provisions and acts, with official reference BOR-A-20260902-III–3380.

The initiative is framed within the Regulatory Bases approved by the university’s Governing Council on May 26, 2026 (published in the BOR on June 4, 2026). Its objective is to incentivize the participation of Teaching and Research Staff, Research Staff, and Research Groups in the Horizon Europe 2021-2027 framework program, the main funding instrument of the European Union for research and innovation, and, exceptionally, in other European or international R&D&I programs of strategic interest.

Requirements and amount of grants

Doctors with at least 3 years of seniority who have led or participated in at least one national or regional R&D&I project may apply for the grants. It is an essential requirement to prove the planned or ongoing participation in a Horizon Europe call or another eligible international program, through reliable documentation such as the registration of the proposal on the corresponding platform or the invitation to submit it.

The maximum grant per application is 5,000 euros, with only one application per Research Group being funded, unless exceptional authorization is granted by the competent Vice-Rectorate. The funds are allocated to:

• Consulting expenses exclusively for the preparation of the proposal.
• Travel, meals, and accommodation for attendance at brokerage events, visits, and short stays.
• Other necessary expenses (translation, graphic design, and similar services).

Award procedure and evaluation

Applications shall be submitted to the General Registry or the Electronic Registry of the university within a period of 20 calendar days from the publication of the summary in the BOR and on the Plan Propio website. The award is processed under a competitive bidding regime, with the Research Commission being the body responsible for evaluating and selecting the applications, with the possibility of delegating to subcommittees of three members.

The evaluation, based on a maximum of 100 points, considers four blocks of criteria:

• Project coordination (up to 25 points): coordinator, 25; partner, 15; third party, 5.
• Type of call (up to 25 points): ERC, 25; EIC Pathfinder/Transition, 22; EIC Accelerator, 20; MSCA, 18; Horizon Europe clusters, 15; COST/Interreg/POCTEFA, 10.
• Previous experience (up to 25 points): having coordinated European proposals, 25; participating as a partner, 15; first application, 10.
• Amount of requested budget (up to 25 points): over 1 million euros, 25; between 500,000 and 1 million, 15; under 500,000, 10.

Obligations and justification

Beneficiaries commit to submitting the project to the following Horizon Europe call and to sending a copy of the application to the competent Vice-Rectorate; if it is ultimately not submitted, they must provide a reasoned justification of the causes. The justification of expenses must be submitted before December 1, 2026, by means of a technical and economic report, and payment will be made through the European Projects Office. The maximum period for resolution may not exceed six months from the publication of the abstract, and an administrative appeal may be filed against the resolution before the Rector of the University of La Rioja.

The call reinforces the university’s commitment to the internationalization of its research and the transfer of knowledge to the Riojan business fabric. By prioritizing projects with larger budgets and the most prestigious calls, the aid seeks to place UR groups in competitive conditions to capture large-scale European funds, a key factor for scientific excellence and regional development.

Source: Official Gazette of La Rioja, no. 168, September 2, 2026, section III. Other provisions and acts, page 15126 (official reference: BOR-A-20260902-III–3380).