Development of a research capacity building programme on cancer with and for Ukraine
Build cancer research capacity in Ukraine via EU-Ukraine collaboration, focusing on training, clinical trials, and data integration.
This call supports developing a research capacity building programme between EU countries and Ukraine to improve cancer research and care. It aims to enhance training, clinical trials, and digital data use, especially for children and young adults. The programme will include distance learning, staff exchanges, and focus on gender aspects.
Likely relevant for
- Cancer research centres
- Healthcare professionals in oncology
- Research institutions in EU and Ukraine
- Organisations involved in clinical trials
- Digital health data specialists
- Training and capacity building organisations
Project signals
What it funds
- Development of joint research training programmes including distance learning
- Twinning research activities and staff exchanges
- Enhancement of clinical trials and epidemiological studies
- Integration of research and cancer care, focusing on children and young adults
- Improvement of digital capacity for patient data and cancer registries
- Consideration of gender-related aspects in research and careers
Expected outcomes
- Improved research capacities for researchers and clinicians
- Better integration of research with cancer care
- Enhanced patient access to screening, diagnostics, treatments, and clinical trials
- Strengthened cancer research infrastructures in Ukraine
- Increased participation of Ukrainian centres in EU research networks
Who can apply / participate
- Research organisations
- Healthcare providers
- Universities
- Non-profit organisations
- Public bodies
- Collaboration between EU Member States/Associated Countries and Ukrainian cancer centres required
- Participants from EU Member States, Associated Countries, and Ukraine
- Check Annex B of Horizon Europe Work Programme for eligible countries
- Specific provisions for non-automatic funding countries may apply
- Exact consortium size and composition requirements
- Specific eligibility criteria for individual applicants
Must check before shortlisting
- Eligibility of applicant types and countries
- Consortium composition requirements
- Budget and lump sum funding details
- Safety measures for staff in conflict zones
Money
Total budget around €5 million for 2026, funded as a lump sum grant.
- Maximum EU contribution — 5000000EURLump sum grant for the entire project duration
Application notes
- Single-stage submission model.
- Proposal page limits and layout as per Annex A and E of Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes
- Eligibility conditions as per Annex B
- Financial and operational capacity requirements as per Annex C
- Evaluation criteria and thresholds as per Annex D
- Submission and evaluation process as per Annex F
- Legal and financial set-up as per Annex G
- Use of lump sum grant model
- Prepare proposal according to specific topic and general annexes
- Submit via Funding & Tenders Portal before deadline
- Justify cost items in lump sum budget if exceeding thresholds
- Follow safety protocols for staff in conflict zones
- Safety of participating staff must be prioritised
- Justification required if purchase costs exceed 15% of personnel costs
- Experience from previous EU initiatives should be leveraged
Derived from official EU Funding portal source · updated 2 Jul 2026, 10:59 UTC. Use this as a shortlisting aid; the official call text remains authoritative.
Related calls
These funding calls are closely related and may be worth considering as part of the same funding landscape.
Official source text
Fine print from the EU source record. Expand when you need the original wording.
Topic description
Expected Outcome: This topic aims to develop a wide capacity building programme between EU Member States/Associated Countries and Ukrainian cancer centres, to support improvement or development of research & innovation-related capacities and integration with cancer care. To this end, proposals should aim at delivering results that are directed and tailored towards and contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Researchers, clinicians and health care professionals will have access to improved research capacities, supporting better integration with care. Patients and citizens will have access to improved screening, diagnostics and treatments, while increasing their participation in clinical trials. Scope: Ukraine has a very high cancer burden with more than 155,000 new diagnoses every year [1] . The country has also one of the highest childhood cancer mortality rates globally [2] . Disparities in access and quality of cancer care in Ukraine were high before Russia's unprovoked aggression and worsened because of the conflict, which has also led to increased cancer mortality and morbidity, due to discontinuation of treatments and shortage of medical supplies. Proposals should address all of the following: A research capacity-building programme should be set up between EU Member States/Associated Countries and Ukraine, in order to support Ukraine to develop or to further improve research & innovation-related capacities of future or existing Cancer Infrastructures. The capacity building programme should include the following components: Development of a joint-research training programme, including distance-learning modules Twinning research activities, including staff-exchange for the implementation of targeted research projects and access to cutting-edge services The capacity building programme should cover at least the following areas; Enhanced involvement in quality scientific research, including development and implementation of clinical trials and other epidemiological studies and related training [3] ; Better integration of research and care to improve patient outcomes. Particular emphasis should be given to cancer in children, adolescents and young adults; Improvement of digital capacity to support primary and secondary use of patient data, including through improvement of data exchange capacities [4] and development of cancer registries where needed. Gender-related aspects, with respect to representation in research and career pathways and any other relevant aspects, should be duly taken into account. The research capacity-building programme should be tailored to the needs of the participating entities. This concerns in particular the required participants / stakeholder groups, duly reflecting health and research system specificities. The training module shall consist of balanced theoretical and practical parts, including simulations, case studies, group exercises, mutual learning exercises and on-site visits (when possible) to gather practical experience. Safety of participating staff/researchers should be prioritised. Advantage should be taken to the extent possible of experience gained under current and previous initiatives such as CCI4EU [5] , Jane [6] , Jane 2 [7] , Crane [8] , CanSERV [9] and others. The relevant EU research infrastructures in the life science domain [10] and other EU initiatives should be exploited for available research services, as appropriate. [1] 04-ukraine-fact-sheet.pdf [2] 9789289057615-eng.pdf [3] Topics to be covered include but are not limited to study design, process of trial approval, ethical aspects, recruitment, staffing and training requirements including digital skills, data management and data analysis, organisational aspects, regulatory requirements, clinical core facilities, patient participation and empowerment [4] e.g. interoperability of standards, data protection related aspects and others as appropriate [5] CCI4EU [6] S haping the EU Networksof Expertise on cancer! [7] Home - Jane 2 [8] CraNE4Health European Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centres [9] canSERV - Cutting Edge Cancer Research Services Across Europe [10] Home | LifeScience
Conditions and documents
General conditions
1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout
2. Eligible Countries
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
3. Other Eligible Conditions
Subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion
described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds
are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes
The thresholds for each criterion will be 4 (Excellence), 4 (Impact) and 4 (Implementation). The cumulative threshold is 12.
are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].
The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5.
described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Specific conditions
described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]
Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE CSA)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE CSA)
Guidance
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Call-specific instructions
Additional documents:
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 12. Missions
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Support information
Online Manual is your guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing your grant. Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe. Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – find the answers to most frequently asked questions on submission of proposals, evaluation and grant management. Research Enquiry Service – ask questions about any aspect of European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular. National Contact Points (NCPs) – get guidance, practical information and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. There are also NCPs in many non-EU and non-associated countries (‘third-countries’). Enterprise Europe Network – contact your EEN national contact for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs. The support includes guidance on the EU research funding. IT Helpdesk – contact the Funding & Tenders Portal IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc. European IPR Helpdesk assists you on intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk – the European Standards Organisations advise you how to tackle standardisation in your project proposal. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment – consult the general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, employers and funders of researchers. Partner Search help you find a partner organisation for your proposal.
Raw budget overview
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