The Thematic Portfolios link related projects, each with its own activity roadmap and Partnership support. They foster cross-border collaboration in Europe, engage diverse stakeholders under the quadruple helix model, and tackle thematic challenges and opportunities. By uniting projects with common goals, the initiative amplifies their European impact, provides scientific support for policy and strategy, fills research gaps, and avoids duplication.
Key Benefits of Participation:
- Greater visibility on the international stage
- Networking opportunities with stakeholders from industry, government, academia, and civil society
- Career development, particularly for early-career researchers
- Access to new collaborative opportunities
- Identification of potential beneficiaries for project outcomes
- Co-development of strategies for market uptake
- Engagement with experts from the European Commission
- Participation in Partnership events, including the biennial symposium
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify, projects must:
- Fall within the thematic scope of the portfolios.
- Be active and funded (regionally, nationally, or by the EU) during the portfolio activities.
- Focus on at least one of the following geographical areas: Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, North Sea, or Atlantic Ocean. Projects targeting sub-regions (such as the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Celtic Sea, Adriatic Sea, or Aegean Sea) or demonstrating relevance to these areas are also eligible.
- Demonstrate commitment, availability, and capacity to engage in portfolio activities (self-funded).
- Have a Principal Investigator (and alternate, if applicable) affiliated with an organization in a Partnership country [1] and representing one of the quadruple helix sectors: industry, public administration, research, or civil society.
Application Procedure
- The call documents, including the call text and annex, are available for download below.
- The Principal Investigator (or alternate) is required to complete the structured application form, detailing the project’s interest in joining the portfolio. The form, provided as an Excel file, must be submitted via email to the Portfolio Secretariat at sbep-portfolio@agencerecherche.fr, accompanied by a declaration of commitment.
- The application form can be downloaded using this link and password: %HJo@z42&06WxDZ0P.
- The submission deadline is 30 October 2025 at 15:00 CET.
- A single-step selection process will be applied, with selected projects announced in December 2025.
Information Webinar
An informational webinar for potential applicants will be held on 18 September at 14:00 CEST to provide further details and address questions. Registration is available via this link: Registration link.
[1] Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine.