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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.

NASA Space Apps Challenge 2026 To Take Place In Nicosia And Limassol On 14–15 November

by News Editor

Overview

The NASA Space Apps Challenge 2026 will take place on 14–15 November, with local events in Nicosia and Limassol giving participants in Cyprus the opportunity to join the international hackathon.

Held under the theme “The Next Frontier,” the two-day event invites participants to develop solutions to challenges involving Earth and space science, using publicly available data from NASA and its international space agency partners.

The global competition brings together students, engineers, scientists, developers, designers, entrepreneurs, and other enthusiasts to work in teams, exchange ideas, and develop projects addressing scientific and technological challenges.

Participation is free, and previous experience in programming or space science is not required.

What To Expect

The NASA Space Apps Challenge is an international hackathon in which teams work on challenges developed by NASA experts.

Participants use open scientific data to develop applications, data visualisations, games, prototypes and other creative solutions.

The challenges cover a range of subjects related to Earth and space science, including space exploration, astrophysics, agriculture, software development and storytelling.

Participants can bring together skills from different disciplines, including artificial intelligence, data analysis, engineering, science, design and communication.

Teams can include up to six participants, who select a challenge according to their interests and expertise.

Completed projects must be submitted through the official NASA Space Apps platform. Submissions are evaluated through a local judging process, with selected eligible projects nominated for consideration in the global judging stage.

Two Local Events In Cyprus

The 2026 competition includes local events in both Limassol and Nicosia, allowing participants to take part in the same global hackathon from either city.

Limassol

The Limassol edition is scheduled for 14–15 November 2026.

Further information and local registration are available through the NASA Space Apps Challenge Limassol page.

Nicosia

Participants should consult the NASA Space Apps Challenge Nicosia page for venue information, local arrangements and registration.

Both events form part of the same international NASA Space Apps Challenge.

Who Can Participate

The hackathon welcomes people of all ages, experience levels and professional backgrounds.

Participants do not need to be programmers or scientists. The competition encourages collaboration among people with interests and skills in technology, engineering, entrepreneurship, design, communication, science, and other fields.

Individuals can register and form or join a team, while existing groups can participate together.

Participants under the age of 18 must be registered by a parent or legal guardian and accompanied by a parent or legal guardian throughout the event, in accordance with NASA’s participation rules.

How To Register

Registration for the NASA Space Apps Challenge 2026 is open through the official competition website.

Participants must create or access a NASA Space Apps account, register for the 2026 competition, and select their preferred local event in Nicosia or Limassol.

Team formation and project submissions are also managed through the platform.

Global registration remains open until the hackathon closes on 15 November 2026. Projects must be submitted by 23:59 local time on Sunday, 15 November, to be considered for judging.

Participation is free.

Full details, official challenges and registration instructions are available at spaceappschallenge.org/2026.

About The NASA Space Apps Challenge

The NASA Space Apps Challenge is an annual international hackathon bringing together participants from different disciplines to develop solutions using NASA’s open data and information from its space agency partners.

Held annually since 2012, the competition encourages collaboration, problem-solving, and public engagement with science and technology.

According to NASA, the 2025 edition attracted more than 114,000 registered participants across 551 local events worldwide.

The 2026 edition involves 17 international space agency partners, including the European Space Agency.

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