Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.

The “EU Award for Gender Equality Champions” is a recognition prize scheme meant as a booster and complement of the requirement to have in place a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) and a tool for advancing inclusive gender equality plans and policies in the framework of the new European Research Area (ERA) policy agenda. The Award is also an enabler for the transformation agenda for universities set forth in the new ERA, in synergy with the European Education Area (EEA) and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA, Bologna process), and in line with the new Communication on a European Strategy for Universities adopted on 18 January 2022.

• Research, Technological Development and Innovation

• Educational Institutions
• Legal Entities
• Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions

In order to be eligible, the applicant must:

• be a legal entity (public or private body)
• be a research performing organisation, including a higher education establishment (e.g. university)
• be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
  • EU Member State (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs)
    • non-EU country associated to the Horizon Europe (associated countries)
    • comply with the mandatory requirements of the Horizon Europe Gender Equality Plan eligibility criterion. This means that the applicant’s GEP must meet the four following mandatory process related requirements:
      • publication: a formal document published on the institution’s website and signed by the top management;
      • dedicated resources: commitment of resources and expertise in gender equality to implement the plan;
      • data collection and monitoring: sex/gender disaggregated data on personnel (and students, for the establishments concerned) and annual reporting based on indicators;
      • training: awareness raising/training on gender equality and unconscious gender biases for staff and decision-makers.

Applicants that have already received an EU or Euratom prize – cannot receive a second prize for the same activities.

Winners of any category of the previous editions of EU Award for Gender Equality Champions are not eligible for any category of this prize.

Eligibility conditions

• Category 1 “Sustainable Gender Equality Champions” – The applicant must have completed at least one full GEP lifecycle in order to be able to progress and show sustainability over time. This entails having gone through audit, planning and implementation phases as well as, at least, one monitoring and evaluation phase including one review of findings and progress, and resulting in at least one new implementation phase in a new GEP lifecycle.
• Category 3 “Inclusive Gender Equality Champions” – The applicant’s inclusive GEP must have completed, at least a full GEP lifecycle, including having gone through at least one monitoring and evaluation phase, in order to be able to show measurable progress.

For prize categories 1 (Sustainable Champions) and 3 (Inclusive Champions), the submitted GEP must have been completed (e.i., fully implemented and evaluated). Therefore, the duration of the submitted GEP lifecycle cannot extend beyond the call closure date.

• Category 2 “Newcomer Gender Equality Champions” – The applicant must have recently finalised the implementation of their first GEP, in order to be able to show measurable progress. The submitted GEP must have completed at least the three phases of a GEP lifecycle (audit, planning and implementation) and reached the monitoring and evaluation phase by the call closure date.

For all three categories, to be considered as complying with the Horizon Europe GEP eligibility criterion, the applicant must have filled in accordingly the corresponding selfdeclaration GEP questionnaire featured under the Legal Information tab of the Participant

Register, accessible through the Funding and Tenders Portal.

Only applications submitted by a single legal entity will be allowed. Joint applications will not be allowed.

Research and Innovation Foundation
Address: 29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia, P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/

Contact Persons:

Dr. Kalypso Sepou
Head of the departement
Email: kalypso@research.org.cy

Marsia Trillidou
Scientific Officer Α’
Email: trillidou@research.org.cy

Konstantina  Makri
Scientific Officer
Email: cmakri@research.org.cy

Dr Mary Οikonomou
Scientific Officer
Email: meconomou@research.org.cy

https://commission.europa.eu/research-and-innovation_en?pg=enquiries

• Funding&Tenders - Prize 1
• Funding&Tenders - Prize 2
• Funding&Tenders - Prize 3
• Rules of Contest