About the call
In the ERA-NET Cofund Urban Transformation Capacities (ENUTC) Call, 16 national research and innovation funding agencies, from 14 European countries (namely members of the Joint Programming Initiative Urban Europe), with the European Commission, have earmarked a global budget of about 18.4 M€, in order to support transnational R&I projects.
This call welcomes a broad range of research and innovation projects that enable capacity building for urban transformations. Projects should clearly build upon previous experiences of building capacity in practice and build upon existing knowledge of transformation capacities towards urban sustainability, resilience and liveability.
Projects should study transformation processes and transformative capacity building for increased knowledge and understanding of such processes making it possible to develop this knowledge further. Projects are encouraged to use new technologies and tools for implementation of research and innovation and to ensure possibilities for scaling up.
The call opened in January 2021 and closed for submissions in September 2021. Projects started in March 2022 and are expected to end in 2025
Projects
In December 2021, 16 projects were announced and recommended for funding in this call. View the projects here.
Call topics
In this call, urban transformation capacities are related to three main topics, which address a wide variety of urban challenges. Because of the intricacy of issues, the three call topics overlap and there are also crosscutting concerns (use of data, tools for decision-makers, etc.). Each challenge considers these transverse issues from a specific perspective.
Topic 1: Urban circular economies
This implies functional urban design in support of circular systems, the use of nature-based solutions – that is actions for societal challenges that are inspired by processes and functioning of nature – and for supporting circularity in resource use and waste management strategies, business models and smart city developments for the common good.
Topic 2: Community-based developments and urban innovation ecosystems
This implies innovative neighbourhoods which enable social innovation and local entrepreneurs, inhabitant engagement, co-creation and co-design to support liveable, just, inclusive and attractive neighbourhoods.
Topic 3: Robust and resilient urban infrastructure and built environment
This implies an urban infrastructure and a built environment that can resist natural, environmental, social, economic and technological threats on smaller and larger scales based on efficient use of resources. It also implies fair access to urban infrastructure and the built environment.
Timeline
Call opening: 29 January 2021, 13.00 CET
International information webinar: 18 February 2021, 13.00-14.30 CET
International online matchmaking event: 9 March 2021, 10.00-12.00 CET
Matchmaking platform B2Match opens Friday 26 Feb and closes for registration 15 April
Pre-proposal submission deadline: 15 April 2021 (14:00 CEST)
Evaluation of pre-proposals: April – May 2021
Submission open for full proposals: June 2021
Full proposals submission deadline: 23 September 2021 (14:00 CEST)
Evaluation of full proposals: September – October 2021
Funding decisions announced: December 2021 – March 2022
Kick-off event: April 2022
>> Mid-term event & Agora dialogue, Netherlands (with BTC call’s kick-off event): 8–10 November 2023
>> Urban lunch talk: 27 May 2024
>> Final event: 5-7 February 2025
Projects end: 2025
Documents
>> Call text
>> ENUTC presentation
>> ENUTC Information flyer
>> Article on the kick-off event, the projects catalogue
>> Article on the mid-term event in The Netherlands
Call secretariat
If you have questions on the general process and proposal submission, please contact the Call secretariat:
Elena Simion
UEFISCDI – Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding
Email: elena.simion@uefiscdi.ro / enutc@uefiscdi.ro
Tel.: +40 21 307 19 93
Vincent van Doninck and Aniek van den Eersten
NWO – Dutch Research Council
Email: enutc@nwo.nl
Tel.: +31 70 349 42 66 or +31 70 349 43 97
Participating countries and funding agencies:
