Stockholm Trio course provides networks and tools for EU funding applicants
Visit at the European Commission. Photo: Emmy Hallare.
In December, 18 researchers from Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and Stockholm University gathered in Stockholm and Brussels for Stockholm Trio's annual EU course. This year's course gave participants the opportunity to visit the European Commission and meet with its representatives.
The course provides both information about resources available at the universities for researchers applying for EU-funding, as well as meetings in Brussels that bring insight into EU research policy, how decisions are made, and opportunities to influence EU policy-making. This year, participants met with COST, an EU-funded program for international research networks, and the Innovative Health Initiative, a public-private partnership under Horizon Europe that supports projects in the life sciences. The cohort also visited the Commission, where they met Julia Calay from the Directorate for Translation who gave an overview of the EU and its workings, as well as Rita Perreira from the Directorate for Research and Innovation, who presented the work programme for Horizon Europe 2026-2027, which had just been completed and presented the day before.
Anass Sedrati, researcher in communication systems at KTH, says that the course has provided new insights into ways of applying for EU funding.
“Something I hadn't thought of before is the opportunity to be an evaluator of EU projects in order to learn more about how the evaluation process works and see what successful applications actually look like. The course has also informed me about several platforms and organizations where you can apply for funding that I didn't know about before.”
Janina Seubert, researcher in cognitive neuropsychology at KI, participated to learn about applying for funding for applied research.
"My research is curiosity-driven and mostly at a basic level. I am interested in taking my research to a more applied level and have received several suggestions on how to apply for funding for this," says Janina Seubert, adding that the training has given her a greater understanding of Horizon Europe as a political steering instrument.
“Something I need to think about is whether I want to participate in this type of political project, and if so, how my research could contribute to these types of political goals. But it is something I see as a possible way forward.”
Jessica Sjöholm Skrubbe, Professor of Art History at Stockholm University, participated to explore the possibilities of obtaining EU funding for research in the humanities.
“My understanding has been that EU funding is primarily directed toward applied research for specific purposes, and that research in the humanities often falls outside this scope,” says Jessica Sjöholm Skrubbe, who has been tasked with summarizing the course for her colleagues back home in Sweden, something she believes will be useful for many of them.
“Although I was right to some extent in saying that there is a focus on applied research in Horizon Europe, I also have seen opportunities that I was not aware of before. Among other things, there is funding for research in cultural heritage, which I will share with my colleagues who work in that field.”
Jessica Sjöholm Skrubbe has been tasked with summarising the course for her colleagues back home in Sweden, something she believes will be useful for many of them.
“Although I was partly right in thinking that there is a focus on applied research in Horizon Europe, I also feel that I have seen opportunities that I was not aware of before. Among other things, there is funding for research in cultural heritage, which I will share with my colleagues who work in that field.”
Anass Sedrati, Researcher at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Janina Seubert, researcher at Karolinska Institutet and Jessica Sjöholm Skrubbe, Professor at Stockholm University. Photo: Emmy Hallare.
Facts about the Stockholm trio's EU course
- Held annually in the fall/winter and open to researchers and staff at Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and Stockholm University.
- Provides researchers and staff with in-depth knowledge and tools to develop a plan and strategy for increasing participation in EU-funded research and innovation. The course also provides an opportunity to establish contacts across university boundaries and exchange experiences with other researchers who want to work more strategically with EU applications.
- Focus on EU applications, but also opportunities to evaluate project applications, participate in EU networks, contribute to policy input, or participate as an expert.