University of Tartu is Estonia's top recipient of Horizon funding

A recent overview published by the Estonian Research Council (ETAG) reveals that Estonia has performed exceptionally well in the European Union’s framework programme for research and innovation, Horizon Europe (2021–2027). Despite tough competition, Estonia has secured €286 million in research funding, which has supported the launch of nearly 600 international projects since 2022. Among Estonian institutions, the University of Tartu has been the most successful participant in the programme, receiving almost €90 million in funding.

Comparing all countries that have received funding from Horizon Europe, Estonia currently ranks third in terms of GDP and seventh by population.

“It is truly remarkable that now, with half of the EU framework programme’s budget still to be allocated, our researchers have already managed to secure more funding than during the entire previous seven-year period,” said Anu Noorma, Director General of the Estonian Research Council. From the previous programme, Estonian institutions received a total of €272 million.

“To put it simply, for each euro contributed to the framework programme, Estonia has gained almost three. Although financial support is vital, the impact of participating in the framework programme on Estonian research is much broader: our researchers get access to world-class research infrastructures and cutting-edge technologies, collaboration with leading experts from other countries, and most importantly, conducting research at the highest level,” Noorma added.

The number of EU-funded projects at the University of Tartu is growing

The University of Tartu has signed 141 project agreements under Horizon Europe funding, and is the lead partner in nearly one in four projects. Compared to previous framework programme periods, the number of projects has increased and continues to grow, as the current programme period is still ongoing.

"In the final two years of Horizon Europe, we should strive to participate as actively as possible in its calls to make full use of the programme’s funding opportunities, particularly those under the Widening measures. Our current success rate shows that our researchers have the potential to achieve this." said Siret Rutiku, Head of the Grant Office at the University of Tartu

“In the final two years of Horizon Europe, we should strive to participate as actively as possible in its calls to make full use of the programme’s funding opportunities, particularly those under the widening participation measures. Our current success rate shows that our researchers have the potential to achieve this,” said Siret Rutiku, Head of the Grant Office. “We do not know the terms of the next framework programme yet, but it may include unfavourable restrictions for us, especially in the widening participation measures,” she said.

Potential of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

“One of the most rewarding measures for training early-stage researchers, which should be utilised more extensively at the University of Tartu, is the postdoctoral fellowships scheme of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA). It has provided many researchers with excellent networking opportunities and served as a stepping stone for securing larger grants for high-level research,” explained Mari Moora, Vice Rector for Research at the University of Tartu. “An MSCA grant is a great opportunity to attract international talent, including researchers of Estonian origin, to the University of Tartu.”

For example, Professor of Evolutionary Plant Ecology Marina Semchenko returned to Tartu from the University of Manchester with an MSCA grant. In 2022, she received the Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC). The University of Tartu has introduced support measures for MSCA supervisors to encourage the involvement of outstanding research talents and help them continue their scientific careers in Estonia.

Support for applying for ERC grants

Under the current framework programme, 15 of the most prestigious ERC grants have come to Estonia, including 13 awarded to University of Tartu researchers. In last year’s call, the University of Tartu set a kind of record by securing funding for Estonia in all three ERC grant categories: Starting, Consolidator, and Advanced Grants.

In last year’s call, the University of Tartu set a kind of record by securing funding for Estonia in all three ERC grant categories: Starting, Consolidator, and Advanced Grants. According to data from the ERC dashboard, only 54 institutions across Europe achieved this in 2024, out of the nearly 400 that applied.

Under the current framework programme, 15 of the most prestigious ERC grants have come to Estonia, including 13 awarded to University of Tartu researchers. In last year’s call, the University of Tartu set a kind of record by securing funding for Estonia in all three ERC grant categories: Starting, Consolidator, and Advanced Grants. “This is an exceptional achievement in the Estonian context, confirming our researchers’ high international level and the diversity of outstanding research done at the University of Tartu,” said Mari Moora. According to data from the ERC dashboard, only 54 institutions across Europe achieved this in 2024, out of the nearly 400 that applied.

Besides excellent researchers, the success is also driven by the support provided by the university and ETAG for writing grant proposals and preparing for calls. The University of Tartu has offered various targeted support measures for writing ERC grant proposals since 2019 already. In addition, the university provides researchers with financial support for preparing the grant proposals and writing support to help them finalise the proposals.

According to ETAG analysis, the overall success rate of Estonian institutions in securing funding from Horizon Europe is 18.1%. This is slightly below the EU-27 average (19.1%) but above the average for EU-13 countries (17.0%). While this indicator is generally satisfying, the success rate for ERC grants that are intended for cutting-edge research remains lower than in Western European countries. This is one of the reasons why the university and ETAG provide comprehensive support to researchers applying for ERC grants.

Participation of Estonian institutions in Horizon Europe is diversifying

The ETAG overview shows that the profile of institutions participating in Horizon Europe is becoming increasingly diverse with each framework programme. Besides research institutions and universities, successful participants now include hospitals, professional associations, civil society organisations, and local authorities.

34% of the research funding allocated to Estonia has gone to enterprises, which is above the EU average of 27%. In addition to the University of Tartu, three other Estonian institutions have received more than €10 million in funding: Tallinn University of Technology (€32.1 million), Fibenol Imavere OÜ (€16.5 million) and Tallinn University (€15 million).

Participation of Estonian institutions in Horizon Europe in 2021–2025

• Estonian institutions have received €286 million in funding, including €86.67 million for the University of Tartu.
• 219 Estonian institutions have received funding.
• 598 project funding agreements have been signed, including 141 with the University of Tartu. The University of Tartu is the lead partner in 32 projects.
• 34% of the funding for Estonia has been allocated to companies.
• Estonia has secured 15 ERC grants (ongoing projects or agreements pending), 13 of which have come to the University of Tartu.
• 21% of the funding has been received through widening participation measures.
• 38 institutions in Estonia have acted as project coordinators.

This article was first first published on 15 September by University of Tartu.