Excellence Lab in Tunisia: Workshop on Funding Opportunities & Proposal Writing for Upcoming Horizon Europe Calls

The Excellence Lab ‘Funding Opportunities & Proposal Writing Workshop for Upcoming Horizon Europe Calls’ took place on 26 and 27 May 2025 at the University of Gabès, Tunisia. The event was jointly organised by the University of Gabès and the Scientific Coordination Office Bavaria-Africa of BayFOR. During the workshop, we shared a comprehensive overview of the Horizon Europe funding programme and presented current calls for proposals. Tunisian participants, as well as the Bavarian delegates, engaged in the practical part on possibilities for joint proposals and further cooperation.

With the new working programme of Horizon Europe (HEU) being published, the preparations for international research projects can begin. As the submission deadline in autumn 2025 approaches, the Scientific Cooperation Office Bavaria-Africa joined forces with the University of Gabès to organise an event that prepares researchers for submitting an HEU proposal and provides networking opportunities.

The representatives of the WKS Bavaria-Africa spent two days at the University of Gabès: The mornings were dedicated to the workshops, while the afternoons provided time to visit different labs and gain a deeper impression of the university. On workshop day one, Anna Stegmann gave an overview of HEU and its policy frameworks, such as Global Gateway or the AU-EU Innovation Agenda. Participants got briefed on how a HEU proposal is structured and how to navigate the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Next on the agenda was a closer look at Pillar 2 and at upcoming calls for proposals in the different Clusters. Special attention was given to the call topics ‘GenAI for Africa’ of Cluster 4, ‘Fostering equity and justice in climate policies – Societal Readiness Pilot’ of Cluster 5 and ‘Nutrition in emergency situations – Ready-to-use Supplementary Food (RUSF) and Ready-to-use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)’ of Cluster 6, covering different scientific fields from artificial intelligence to social sciences, climate and nutrition. For each of these call topics, we highlighted their eligibility criteria, special requirements and priorities. In the afternoon, a smaller group visited several labs at the National Engineering School of Gabès and at the Higher Institute for Applied Sciences and Technology of Gabès, gaining valuable insights into local research projects and priorities.

Day two of the Excellence Lab was dedicated to practical questions and hands-on learning activities. Participants were introduced to the budget template, learned about different cost categories and the specifics of subcontracting and indirect costs. During group work sessions, the participants developed precise project ideas for open calls for proposals, putting the content discussed during the workshop into practice and taking the first steps towards a proposal.

The event provided numerous opportunities for networking and exchange, especially with our two Bavarian delegates, Nora Li Gebhardt from Deggendorf Institute of Technology and Özge Dolunay from University of Bayreuth.

The team of the Scientific Coordination Office Bavaria-Africa would like to warmly thank Professor Mohamed Debouba, Vice-President of the University of Gabès, and Professor Mustapha Gorai for hosting and co-organising this event with us. We are grateful for your kind reception and excellent management during the event.

 We are looking forward to continuing the dialogue and strengthening our partnerships with the University of Gabès.