FWO - Brain Health: co-funded call for research projects 2026

Research

What?

The European Partnership for Brain Health (EP BrainHealth) is a major initiative involving over 55 partners from more than 30 countries across Europe and beyond, co-funded by the European Commission.
This partnership aims to promote research and innovation in the fields of neuroscience, mental health, and neurodegenerative diseases, with a strong emphasis on integrated approaches to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

The partnership is launching two different calls simultaneously:

• Call 1: Neurological, Mental and Sensory Disorders: This call focuses on biological, social, and environmental determinants that influence the development and course of brain health across the lifespan, with specific attention to neurological, mental, and sensory disorders.
• Call 2: Neurodegenerative Disorders: this call focuses on biological, social, and environmental determinants that influence the development and course of brain health across the lifespan, with specific attention to neurodegenerative disorders.

Funding will come via FWO through the fundamental (FO) or Strategic Basic Research (SBO) channel. The type and scope of the proposed research project will determine the choice of funding channel for the research performed within Flanders (more fundamental in nature, or more aimed at economical/societal valorisation). Non-compliance with the specific requirements per funding channel might lead to non-eligibility.

The FWO can support 2 projects for a 36 months duration, with an available maximum applicable budget of 350.000 EUR (overhead included) per project/consortium.
  

Who?

Research consortia must be comprised of a minimum of three partners from a minimum of three different countries being eligible and requesting funding from funding organisations participating in this call.

Universities and Universities of applied sciences, research institutes, non-profit legal entities, small and medium sized enterprises and large enterprises and public bodies, subject to the national/regional funding regulations and eligibility criteria. 

Application?

The FWO requires pre-registration on a national/regional level as well by filling in an application form on the FWO e-portal before the deadline for submission of the pre-proposals (10 March, 2026 (14:00, CET). When you're logged on to the e-portal, you can find it under "Researcher".
It is strongly recommended to contact the FWO administration about your pre-registration at the latest one week before submission in order to verify admissibility.

For the fundamental funding channel the respective regulation applies. For the SBO channel the SBO regulation has to be taken into account: these imply projects with a primarily economic and/or societal finality, of which ‘valorisation’ is a key - and mandatory - aspect.

Given the pre-proposal already has to be OK in terms of budget, OBI has an internal deadline to check your proposal.
Internal deadline: 3 March 2026

In case the consortium includes more than one partner requesting funding from FWO, a single online form should be submitted containing all relevant information from the different Flemish partners.

End of May 2026: Formal invitation to submit a full proposal
June 30th, 2026: Submission deadline of full proposals (14:00 CEST)
September 2026: Peer Review Panel meeting to assess the full proposals
November 2026: Final funding decision by the CSC and start of national administrative procedures
Early - Mid 2027: Start of funding

More information?

You can find more information, like the call text, the Guidelines for Applicants, the submission platform and the proposal application form on the Brain Health website.

Concerning the FWO regulations, you can consult the FWO website:
for the fundamental funding channel
for the SBO channel

Please contact research@uhasselt.be if you want to apply.

Deadline intern

03.03.2026, 10.03.2026

Contact Hasselt University?

E-mail sarah.szyr@uhasselt.be

Tel. +3211269052