Fostering and continuously advancing research is a core strategic priority of the University of Florence. The University actively engages in major research funding programs at the local, national, European, and international levels, aiming to contribute to the achievement of the European Union’s sustainable development goals and growth objectivesThe University of Florence actively facilitates researchers’ engagement with funding opportunities, fostering their professional development and promoting the formulation of high-quality research proposals.In December 2018, the University of Florence was awarded European accreditation for its Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R), a distinguished recognition granted to institutions committed to the continuous internal promotion of the principles enshrined in the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers—key pillars in the development of the European Research Area. Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) The University participates in all the main funding provided by the European Union, first of all Horizon 2020 launched in 2014, but also in the thematic programs LIFE, Justice, the Erasmus+ training program and the Creative Europe program for the dissemination of culture, playing the role of coordinator in more than 40 projects. Consult European Union projects The University is involved in the main calls for funding of national and international research projects. In particular, it participates in the calls issued by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR), specifically the PRIN call (Research Projects of Relevant National Interest), as well as those of other Ministries, always ranking at the top for the number of projects funded. With the PRIN 2022 call, the University of Florence obtained funding for 314 projects (115 coordinated projects and 199 with operational unit responsibilities) with a success rate of 52.6% in the macro-sectors:Life Sciences (LS): 100 Funded projects, success rate 48,5%Physical Sciences and Engineering (PE): 102 Funded projects, success rate 44,9%Social Sciences and Humanities (SH): 112 Funded projects, success rate 68,3%At the local level, it participates in the projects of the Tuscany Region, indirectly managed funding provided under the regional operational programmes (PorCreo Fesr, PSR EAFRD, OP FEAMP, PAR FAS). Consult national and regional projects Unifi projects Horizon Europe Under Horizon Europe, the European Union’s current framework programme for research and innovation, 75 projects have received approval, including 13 coordinated by the University of Florence. These projects represent a total funding allocation of approximately 33.5 million euros and encompass six prestigious European Research Council (ERC) grants for scientific excellence. European Union Projects Horizon 2020 Within the framework of Horizon 2020 (2014–2020), the European Union’s previous research and innovation funding programme—now concluded but with numerous projects still underway—the University of Florence secured funding for 149 projects, including 13 prestigious European Research Council (ERC) grants, amounting to a total of over 55 million euros. European Union Projects Projects of significant national interest (PRIN) Under the 2022 Progetti di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale (PRIN) call for proposals, a total of 314 projects received funding, 115 of which are coordinated by the University of Florence. Additionally, 111 projects were funded through the PRIN 2022 PNRR initiative, with University of Florence researchers serving as national coordinators in 36 of them. National, regional and international projects Italian Science Fund (FIS) Ten projects have been funded through the Fondo Italiano per la Scienza (FIS), a programme administered by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) that supports fundamental research across all European Research Council (ERC) domains at the University of Florence. Consult the projects Research support services To foster engagement in research funding initiatives, the University offers its academic staff, lecturers and researchers, a comprehensive array of specialized support services administered by the Research Infrastructure and Services Department.Thanks to established tools and expertise, our promotion and support activities cover a wide range of services, including:Regular monitoring of the main funding programmesIdentification of calls for proposals corresponding to the areas of interest of lecturers and researchers registered with the University's targeted information service (Research Registry)Newsletters and periodic information bulletinsDrafting of documents useful for participation (summary of the characteristics of funding programmes, guide to participation procedures, etc.)Organisation of information days, events, seminars and discussion forumsOrganisation of training courses to promote the project planning skills of university lecturers and researchersOrganisation of training courses dedicated to the promotion of soft skillsFor European projects, the staff of the European and International Research Office offers the following services during the proposal submission phase:Complete and in-depth study of the call for proposals (eligibility conditions, participation procedures, funding terms)Verification of the correspondence between the project idea and the objectives of the call for proposalsConsultancy for the drafting of the proposalSupport in the creation of transnational partnerships (in coordinated projects)Support in preparing the project budgetComprehensive support during the proposal submission phase, including the entry of administrative and financial data into the IT applications required by the funding programmeFor research projects, the Infrastructure and Research Services Offices provide departments with administrative assistance and expert guidance on project management protocols. Specifically, for projects financed through European programmes, the European and International Research Office assumes direct responsibility for overseeing periodic expenditure monitoring, preparing both administrative and financial reports, and coordinating Level 1 and Level 2 audit procedures.Information on the services offered to University staff can be found on the intranet, in the section dedicated to Research.