Target group
The funding program is aimed at researchers at universities, non-academic research institutions, and relevant industrial research departments in related sectors who are active in the research areas covered by the call.
Funding goals
The call aims to support closely integrated research projects involving scientists from Ukraine and scientists from at least two other countries participating in the call. Each side is expected to make a substantial and complementary scientific contribution.
Additional program-specific information
Within the scope of this call for proposals, the FWF funds subprojects based in Austria in the field of basic research. Projects with a more applied focus can be submitted to the other Austrian research funding organization involved, the FFG.
Funding period and funding amount
The maximum funding period is 24 months.
Requirements
The requirements and specifications for the FWF program Principal Investigator Projects apply.
Information on the current call
This call for proposals aims to support cross-border research projects (duration: two years) in which scientists from Ukraine collaborate with scientists in at least two other countries participating in the call. The call covers the following four topics:
- Energy: Sustainable and renewable energy and energy security
- Cybersecurity: Cyber resilience of critical infrastructures and adaptive cybersecurity systems
- Medical and health research: Telemedicine, biomedical research
- Subtopic 1: Adoption of telemedicine for remote healthcare solutions
- Subtopic 2: Innovate research on cellular signaling pathways for biomedical applications
- Social sciences and humanities: Social reconciliation, sustainable social development, and human capital restoration
A more detailed description of the call topics is available here.
The researchers are funded by their respective national/regional funding organizations. The FWF exclusively funds research projects in the field of basic research. Austrian applications with an applied focus are funded by the FFG and must be submitted to the FFG.
Funding organizations from 12 countries are planning to take part in the call. The current list of participating countries can be found on the LUKE call website.
Approval
Decided by the FWF Scientific Board based on a recommendation of the Call Secretariat
Application information
The call will be opened on January 30, 2026. Applications must be submitted to both the Call Secretariat and the FWF.
Submitting an application to the Call Secretariat
Applications must be submitted using the online application system of the Call Secretariat DLR (German Aerospace Center) by April 30, 2026, at the latest. The link to the DLR submission system will be available when the call opens.
Submitting an application to the FWF
In addition to the application to the Call Secretariat, administrative and financial data for the proposal and the academic abstracts (in compliance with the FWF application guidelines for Principal Investigator Projects) must be submitted to the FWF on elane.
The program category “KIN – International – Multilateral Initiatives” must be selected for submission (deadline: May 4, 2026, 2:00 pm Vienna local time).
The following documents must be submitted to the FWF in any case:
- Project description submitted to the Call Secretariat
- Proof of the FWF applicant’s publication record in compliance with the FWF application guidelines
- Justification of costs for the project part funded by the FWF
- The FWF applicant’s academic CV in compliance with the FWF application guidelines
- Brief explanation of how the proposed Austrian subproject constitutes basic research (max. 1 page; upload under “User-defined attachment”)
Please note that applications must be approved for submission by the research institutions before the deadlines indicated above. Research institutions must be registered in the FWF's research institution portal.
Funding institution
Austrian Science Fund (FWF)