Humanities in the European Research Area (HERA)

Overview

HERA – Humanities in the European Research Area – is a partnership between 24 Humanities Research Councils and the European Commission, with the objective of firmly establishing the humanities in the European Research Area and in the European Commission Framework Programmes. HERA aims to set new and innovative research agendas and thus enhance the humanities’ contribution to the European Research Area as well as to the ongoing debates on issues of particular relevance to European society.

The Irish Research Council is participating in the latest call ‘Crisis – Perspectives from the Humanities’ which opens on 26th May 2023.

NEW CALL FOR PROPOSALS – Announcement

Call for Proposals

Crisis – Perspectives from the Humanities

We are pleased to inform you that CHANSE – Collaboration of Humanities and Social Sciences in Europe and HERA – Humanities in the European Research Area announce a call for international research projects on Crisis – Perspectives from the Humanities.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE CALL:

Project team: Composed of at least four and maximum six Principal Investigators, i.e. partners, eligible to receive funding from four or more different countries participating in the call

Project duration: 24-36 months

Funding per project: up to a maximum amount of 1 500 000 € (across all partners)

The goal of the Crisis call is to promote diversity in research. When building research consortia, applicants are strongly encouraged to take into account the following aspects:

• Gender balance
• Academic age balance
• Geographical diversity – inclusion of Widening countries participating in the Call*
• Knowledge exchange and impact

Full call topic description is available HERE: Crisis Call theme description

 

 

Irish Research Council – Eligibility Requirements

IRC Eligibility Requirements for HERA JRP applicants based in Irish Institutions

Who can apply?
Project Leaders (PL) and Principal Investigators (PI) shall be full-time members of the academic staff, either permanent or on temporary contracts of sufficient duration to cover the period of the proposed project, of a higher education institution within the meaning of Section 53 of the Higher Education Authority Act 2022 and/or in receipt of public funding as approved by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for the purposes of the Free Fees Initiative.

Applications will also be accepted from permanent members of the academic research staff at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS). Researchers not formally affiliated with an institution recognised by the IRC may be part of a HERA Joint Research Programme [JRP] consortium but cannot function as formal project leader (PL) or principal investigator (PI).

Eligible costs:
Eligible personnel costs for the purpose of the HERA JRP must be sought at agreed national rates. These are available at: http://www.iua.ie/research-innovation/researcher-salary-scales/ PhD stipends must be in accordance with IRC stipend levels. PhD researchers should be aware that this programme is funded to a maximum of three years.

Eligible material costs can include:
• Travel & accommodation & meeting costs
• Costs for knowledge exchange
• All joint publication costs (incl. editing and translation costs)
• Other material costs, equipment where justifiable
• Consumables

The cost of institutional overheads may be included at a rate of up to 20% of overall direct costs less equipment.

Maximum amount of funding which can be requested is €166,000 including overhead costs. Please note that applicants must contact the IRC prior to the submission of their proposal, including for budget approval.

CONTACT:
Rosemary Sweeney
Irish Research Council
Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge, DUBLIN 4, IRELAND
E-mail address: HERA@research.ie 

HERA website Crisis Call

Fourth Joint Research Programme (2019 - 2022)

The HERA network, along with the European Commission, invested €21 million in 18 European research teams as part of its third Joint Research Programme ‘Uses of the Past’. The ‘Uses of the Past’ projects involved 18 project leaders; 62 principal investigators; 106 postdoctoral fellows; 30 PhD students and 76 associated partners. The 18 funded projects dealt with a variety of subjects ranging from the Carolingian world, identity and citizenship, HIV/AIDS, to economics, arts, religion and languages.

The following countries have committed to ‘Uses of the Past’: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

PREVIOUS HERA RESEARCH PROGRAMMES

The Irish Research Council previously funded projects under HERA’s Joint Research Programme (JRP) for ‘Public Spaces: Culture and Integration in Europe’, in its capacity as one of the funding councils involved in the HERA Network. The aim of the programme was to deepen the theoretical and empirical cultural understanding of public spaces in a European context. The HERA network, along with the European Commission, invested €20 million in 20 European research teams as part of ‘Public Spaces: Culture and Integration in Europe’. The 20 funded projects dealt with a variety of subjects ranging from housing, healthcare, and transportation to cemeteries, festivals, and urban culture.

The following countries were some of those involved in ‘Public Spaces’: Austria, Belgium (Wallonia), Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

The Irish Research Council also acted as the handling agency for the Public Spaces programme’s management.

Further information on the call can be found on the HERA website

Third Joint Research Programme (2016 - 2019)

Second Joint Research Programme (2013 - 2016)

In 2013, HERA provided €18.9 million and funded 18 international project consortiums across Europe, bringing together networks of researchers into 150 research centres, under the theme of ‘Cultural Encounters’.

The Irish Research Council acted as the handling agency for the programme’s management.

First Joint Research Programme (2009 - 2013)

First Joint Research Programme (2009 – 2013)

In 2009, HERA launched its first Joint Research Programme, investing €16.5 million in 19 transnational projects under two themes ‘Cultural Dynamics: Inheritance and Identity’ and ‘Humanities as a Source of Creativity and Innovation’.