785 participants, 11 meetings, 8 cities across Poland, and online events with national and international reach – this is the balance of a three‑month information campaign carried out by the NCP Poland’s experts Karina Barantseva and Maria Szlachta, dedicated to the Twinning call under the WIDERA 2026–2027 work programme of Horizon Europe.

Twinning is the first call launched under the new WIDERA 2026–2027 Work Programme and, at the same time, one of the most widely recognised Widening instruments among Polish research institutions. It is also the final Twinning call implemented within the Horizon Europe framework, with a total budget of €264.50 million and envisaged funding for approximately 210 projects. Twinning actions are designed to strengthen the research excellence and institutional capacity of organisations from countries that, in previous framework programmes, demonstrated comparatively lower levels of participation and success in securing research and innovation funding (the so‑called Widening countries). The deadline for submitting applications was April 9, 2026.

High level of interest in the Twinning call

In February and March 2026, Polish NCP in cooperation with the Horizontal National Contact Points, conducted a nationwide information campaign comprising on‑site events held in Kraków, Gliwice, Warsaw, Poznań, Olsztyn, Gdańsk, Wrocław and Białystok.

The meeting format—including two‑day workshops dedicated to the practical aspects of Twinning proposal preparation, delivered in parallel groups—enabled direct engagement with participants and in‑depth discussion of specific project provisions tailored to the characteristics of the planned consortia.

The on‑site training activities were complemented by a series of online events, most notably the International Information Day “Twinning: general conditions, practical information, project presentation”. The event was co‑organised with the National Contact Points for Horizon Europe from Romania, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine, as well as the NCP_WIDERA.NET project. It attracted 464 participants, demonstrating not only a high level of interest in the Twinning call but also its significant role in fostering international cooperation within the Widening area.

The WIDERA Work Programme for 2026–2027 was officially published in January 2026. Nevertheless, as early as November and December 2025, NCP Poland had organised a series of online information days, enabling potential applicants to familiarise themselves with the planned objectives and assumptions of the call before its formal launch.

Key challenges identified by applicants

NCP experts Karina Barantseva and Maria Szlachta emphasise that an analysis of the questions and issues raised during training sessions, workshops, and consultations made it possible to identify several key areas requiring targeted support. These relate primarily to new European Commission requirements concerning the description of research activities in Twinning projects, changes to the application template, as well as practical aspects of budget preparation under the lump‑sum funding model.

Participants noted that the Twinning instrument, as a mechanism for strengthening the research capacity of institutions from Widening countries, remains a simple and effective tool that responds well to the needs of the research community.

An effective campaign supporting Polish applicants

According to the European Commission, a total of 1,905 grant applications were submitted under the Twinning call. In Poland, more than 100 research teams expressed their intention to apply, of which 40 proposals underwent preliminary screening by Polish NCP experts. Additionally, within the framework of the NCP_WIDERA.NET project coordinated by the NCP, 14 projects were assessed by external experts. The broad scope and high intensity of the information and training activities are considered to have made a significant contribution to enhancing the preparedness of Polish institutions for participation in the latest edition of the Twinning call under the Horizon Europe Programme.

With the closure of the grant application submission process by the European Commission, the nationwide information and training campaign dedicated to the Twinning call has come to an end. However, the NCP experts continue to provide support to applicants by offering free telephone and email consultations, online meetings, and preliminary assessments of proposals prepared for other Widening calls before their official submission to the European Commission.

Interested in Widening calls?
Contact the KPK experts at National Centre for Research and Developement.

Applicants are also encouraged to take advantage of free preliminary project proposal assessment services provided by external experts under the NCP_WIDERA.NET project coordinated by Polish NCP.
(contact: widera@ncbr.gov.pl).