Open Calls

RIF Launches €4.6 Million Call For Post-doctoral Researchers In Cyprus

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

The Research & Innovation Foundation (RIF) has announced a new €4.6 million funding call under the “Post-Doc” programme to support post-doctoral researchers leading ambitious projects across Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Social & Human Sciences. The programme aims to strengthen Cyprus’s research capacity, create high-skill jobs, and retain top talent.

Who should apply

The call is open to:

  • Post-doctoral researchers who will coordinate the project. The coordinator must hold a PhD awarded within the last 7 years(extensions allowed for maternity/paternity, military service, or certified long-term sick leave). 
  • Each Post-Doc can participate only in one (1) proposal, and each proposal can include
  • only one (1) Post-Doc. The Post-Doc must be named in the proposal and will be the Coordinator of the Proposal, and will be committed to working on the proposal for its whole duration. If the Post-Doc leaves the project, the project and its funding will be terminated.
  • Post-doc researchers must be employed by a Cyprus-based Host Organisation (Research Organisation, Enterprise, or Other Organisation) for the full duration of the project.
  • Host Organisations may be Research Organisations (A1/A2), Enterprises (B1/B2/B3), or Other Organisations (C1/C2) established in Cyprus. Large Enterprises (incl. private universities) may participate only if an SME also participates in the Cypriot consortium.

Benefits

Projects must fall into one of the following three scientific fields: Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering, and Social Sciences and Humanities. 

Grant per project (cap):

  • €150,000 for projects in Life Sciences and Physical Sciences & Engineering
  • €120,000 for projects in Social Sciences & Humanities
  • Project duration: 24 months

Total call budget: €4.6 million, allocated by scientific area:

  • €1.65m – Life Sciences
  • €1.65m – Physical Sciences & Engineering
  • €1.30m – Social Sciences & Humanities

Funding inside each scientific area is further split by host-type category, to ensure balanced participation:

  • Category A: Research Organisations & Other Organisations
  • Category B: Enterprises

Fair-selection note (applies at the funding stage): In each scientific area, the first two eligible proposals coordinated by a woman are selected first (where applicable), then the remaining proposals are funded in ranked order until the budget is used. This can improve the chances of funding for top-scoring proposals with female coordinators.

How to apply

  • Register on IRIS
    The project coordinator (post-doctoral researcher) and all Cyprus-based participating organisations must be registered in advance on the IRIS Portal. Review the Guide for Applicants and IRIS Portal User Manual in the IRIS document library before you start.
  • Select the correct call
    Choose POST-DOC/0925 (Category A: RO & Other; Category B: Enterprises) and confirm your scientific field (Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, or Social Sciences & Humanities) matches the Work Programme codes.
  • Prepare your proposal package (use the official templates) 
    Part A – General Information & Budget: Complete the online form in IRIS.
    Part B – Technical Annex (PDF): upload exactly the Part B template provided under the call documents—no modifications.
    Annex I – CV: Coordinator’s CV (PDF) — mandatory.
    Annex III – Call-specific information (PDFs):
    a) Single-submission declaration (“this project has been submitted only once to either EXCELLENCE/0925 or POST-DOC/0925”) — mandatory.
    b) PhD certificate of the coordinator — mandatory.
    c) If applicable, proofs for allowable extensions to the 7-year PhD window (e.g., maternity/paternity, military service, certified long-term sick leave).
  • Check key eligibility points (save time at preliminary check)
    The post-doctoral coordinator must have earned the PhD within 7 years before the call announcement (formal extensions accepted as above); must be employed by the Host Organisation in Cyprus for the full 24 months; and must allocate ≥70% of project months (timesheets). Only one coordinator per proposal, and each coordinator may appear in only one proposal in this call. 
  • Submit before the deadline
    Finalise and submit in IRIS by Friday, 28 November 2025, 13:00 (Cyprus local time).
    Late submissions won’t be accepted.
  • Know what evaluators look for
    Proposals undergo a preliminary check and remote peer review by two independent evaluators.
    Compatibility (programme objectives, Do No Significant Harm, and allowable TRLs 1–8) is verified before scoring.
    Evaluation criteria: Excellence (40%), Added Value & Benefit (20%), Implementation (40%).

Support & queries: support@research.org.cy| +357 22205000.
IRIS document library and call documents are available via the portal.

The League Opens Free Cyprus Basecamp For Young People To Build Agentic AI Systems

by News Editor

Overview

The League is opening applications for its first Agentic AI Basecamp, a free, in-person programme in Cyprus for participants aged 16 and over. The Basecamp offers 15 seats, and its eight-Saturday sprint will run at Space307 from 3rd October to 21st November 2026, every Saturday from 09:00 to 12:00. Applications open on 10 September and close on 25 September 2026.

The programme is the entry point into The League, a year-round educational ecosystem designed to bridge the gap between school and professional life. It is built around real company projects, expert mentorship, and continuous evidence-building, with participants joining independent programmes one at a time.

The wider Agentic AI Basecamp entry point is listed as running from October to December 2026 and includes the first Saturday sprint, eight Saturdays, plus a December Hackathon.

What Makes It Different

The League is neither a school, nor a university, nor a one-off camp. Its model is based on the idea that young people need proof of how they work, specifically how they break down unclear tasks, take ownership, collaborate, recover from setbacks, and deliver visible results.

The programme responds to a gap seen on both sides of the talent pipeline. Companies often struggle to identify young talent that can execute, collaborate, and take ownership, while teenagers are often pushed to choose a career direction without real exposure to industries, constraints, teams, or feedback.

What Participants Will Build

The Agentic AI Basecamp is an eight-Saturday sprint focused on building one real system from scratch. Sessions take place at Space307, described by the organisers as a working technology company environment rather than a classroom.

The first two weeks will cover what today’s AI can and cannot do, Python, and the use of git and GitHub in a real team context. Weeks three and four focus on building an agent loop, including an AI system that takes real actions and the use of a third-party AI API.

In weeks five and six, participants will develop their own agentic system around a real problem of their choice, wrap it in their own API, and work with Linux and real servers. The final two weeks cover Docker and deployment, including health checks, logs, testing against an evaluation set, and a final Demo Day.

Benefits

By the end of the Basecamp, every participant is expected to leave with a working agentic AI system they designed, built, and published online. They will also have a development record showing how the project evolved and what they personally contributed.

Participants will also complete an independent technical defence at Demo Day, receive written feedback from a professional mentor and join The League alumni community. Together, these outcomes are intended to give participants evidence they can show to a university or first employer.

The wider aim is not only technical output, but professional development. The programme is designed to build independence, ownership, teamwork, communication, resilience, judgement and career direction through real experience.

Who Can Apply

The Basecamp is open to people aged 16+. There are 15 seats available, and the first Basecamp starts on 3rd October 2026.

The programme is especially relevant for teenagers and young people who want early exposure to real technology work, AI systems, team-based problem-solving and professional mentorship before choosing or committing to a future study or career path.

How Selection Works

Applicants must complete an application form. The process also includes a short interview, described as a conversation rather than an exam. Fifteen offers will then be made for the first Basecamp.

The Wider League Ecosystem

The Agentic AI Basecamp is the first programme currently open for applications, but The League is designed as a wider year-round ecosystem. Planned programmes include an MIT MISTI Bootcamp in January 2027, a GameDev & Interactive Tech Sprint from late January to March 2027, a JASS Bootcamp at the end of March 2027, a Software & Product Sprint from April to June 2027, and a Talent Showcase in June 2027.

Each programme has its own application, interview, age range, and calendar. Completing the Basecamp brings participants into The League, but does not automatically secure a place in later programmes such as MIT MISTI or JASS.

How To Apply

Applications for the Agentic AI Basecamp open on 10 September and close on 25 September 2026. The programme is free, offers 15 seats, and will take place at Space307 in Cyprus.

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