The results of this year’s ENLIGHT Thematic Network and Incubator Grant Calls are in, and the engagement across our ten universities has increased significantly. With 104 proposals and more than 1,400 academics involved, the 2025 calls mark a new record for collaboration within our community.
Participation grew by 30% compared to last year (80 project applications), reflecting our growing alliance and the shared belief that working together helps colleagues exchange ideas, share best practices, and create innovative projects with broader applicability and bigger impact.
ENLIGHT Thematic Networks: connecting disciplines and people
The ENLIGHT Thematic Networks (ETNs) strengthen long-term collaboration by linking education, research, and outreach across our six focus areas. Each selected network receives up to €100,000 to tackle complex societal challenges through joint activities and innovation in teaching and research.
Just last week, the 16 new ENLIGHT Thematic Networks were selected following a rigorous evaluation by independent reviewers from all partner universities.
Selected ENLIGHT Thematic Networks (ETNs) 2025:
AMITY – Accelerating MIcrobial Technologies for a sustainable circular economY through a biennial challenge-based program in environmental (bio)technology
Lead: Ángel Estévez, Ghent University
Partners: University of Galway, University of Groningen, University of Tartu and University of the Basque Country
Main Focus Area: Energy & Circular Economy
B-MOVE – Beyond Migration: Organisms, Matter, Voices, Ecologies
Lead: Bianca Rita Cataldi, University of Galway
Partners: Comenius University Bratislava, Uppsala University and Ghent University
Main Focus Area: Culture & Creativity
CoMOVE – Collaborating for early motor development
Lead: Lynn Bar-On, Ghent University
Partners: University of Groningen and Uppsala University
Main Focus Area: Health & Wellbeing
CROSS-ACCESS – Inclusive Systems Transformation for Migrants with Disabilities
Lead: Pavol Kopinec, Comenius University Bratislava
Partners: Uppsala University, University of Galway and University of Göttingen
Main Focus Area: Health & Wellbeing
ETHYC – Education and Training for HYdrogen eCosystems
Lead: Pau Farras Costa, University of Galway
Partners: Ghent University, University of Groningen, University of Bern and University of the Basque Country
Main Focus Area: Energy & Circular Economy
IDenti-T – Interdisciplinary Dialogue on Evolving ideNtities in TImes of democratic Transformations
Lead: Ekaterina Yahyaoui, University of Galway
Partners: University of Göttingen, University of the Basque Country and University of Bordeaux
Main Focus Area: Equity
IMPULSE – INTERDISCIPLINARY NETWORK ON THE IMPACT OF SEX & GENDER IN HEALTH
Lead: Lucía Gallego, University of the Basque Country
Partners: University of Bern, University of Bordeaux, Comenius University Bratislava, University of Galway, Ghent University, University of Göttingen and Uppsala University
Main Focus Area: Health & Wellbeing
InfraCARE – Urban Infrastructures for Climate Action and Repair
Lead: Ethemcan Turhan, University of Groningen
Partners: University of Galway, University of the Basque Country and University of Bern
Main Focus Area: Climate Change
LeMuR – Linguistic Equity in Multilingual Regions
Lead: Verena Platzgummer, University of Galway
Partners: University of Tartu, University of the Basque Country and University of Bern
Main Focus Area: Equity
NAI²TURE – Network for Accessible and Interdisciplinary AI Transformation at Universities through Research and Exchange
Lead: Alexander Silbersdorff, University of Göttingen
Partners: Uppsala University, University of Groningen, University of the Basque Country, University of Galway and University of Bordeaux
Main Focus Area: Digitalisation
NETCARE – NeTwork for CAncer Research and Education
Lead: Frederic Saltel, University of Bordeaux
Partners: University of Bern, Comenius University Bratislava, University of Galway, Ghent University, University of Göttingen, University of Groningen, University of Tartu and Uppsala University
Main Focus Area: Health & Wellbeing
NEUROSOFT – Soft Materials for Brain Health and Neurotherapies
Lead: Aitor Larrañaga Espartero, University of the Basque Country
Partners: University of Galway and Ghent University
Main Focus Area: Health & Wellbeing
NextGenOffShore – Educating the Next Generation of Offshore Renewable Energy Professionals
Lead: Antonis I. Vakis, University of Groningen
Partners: Uppsala University, University of the Basque Country and Ghent University
Main Focus Area: Energy & Circular Economy
PainNet – ENLIGHT Pain Education and Research Network
Lead: Michelle Roche, University of Galway
Partners: University of Bern, University of Bordeaux and Ghent University
Main Focus Area: Health & Wellbeing
SERA – Sexual and Reproductive heAlth and rights in the European Region
Lead: Mats Målqvist, Uppsala University
Partners: University of Bern and Ghent University
Main Focus Area: Health & Wellbeing
TOGETHER: Towards Open Game Environments for Teams in Higher Education and Research
Lead: Daniël Vullings, University of Groningen
Partners: University of Bern, Ghent University and Uppsala University
Main Focus Area: Energy & Circular Economy
Together, these networks reflect our shared ambition: to connect people and ideas that can create lasting impact. Their work over the next two years will bring new teaching formats, research collaborations, and outreach activities that respond to societal challenges.
ENLIGHT Incubator Grants: inspiring education for the future
Alongside the ETNs, 23 projects were selected for the ENLIGHT Incubator Grants, which support academics and students in creating innovative teaching and learning initiatives.
Each project receives up to €30,000, or €50,000 for joint degree development, and involves at least three partner universities. For virtual exchanges, double degree schemes, and microcredential programmes, at least two partners are required.
Selected ENLIGHT Incubator Grants (IG) 2025:
HHiP – Health Humanities in Practice
Lead: Jürgen Pieters, Ghent University
Partners: Rina Knoeff, University of Groningen, Michaela Kostičová, Comenius University Bratislava and Michal Molcho, University of Galway
HELIOS – Health Psychology Education and Learning in an International Open Society
Lead: Erik Olsson, Uppsala University
Partners: Els Clays, Ghent University and Molly Byrne, University of Galway
QEF – Master in Quantitative Economics and Finance
Lead: Glenn Rayp, Ghent University
Partners: Kristina Czura, University of Groningen, Féidhlim McGowan, University of Galway and Jaan Masso, University of Tartu
DEMPOWER – Joint Masters in Global Media, Democracy and Digital Power
Lead: Tom Felle, University of Galway
Partners: Maksym Khylko, Comenius University Bratislava and Miriam Ureta García, University of the Basque Country
HATCH – Humour as a Communication Tool in Healthcare
Lead: Michaela Kostičová, Comenius University Bratislava
Partners: Hans Beldhuis, University of Groningen, Claudia Faust, University of Göttingen, Annelie Drakman, Uppsala University and Duygu Sezgin, University of Galway
MIGMERICAS – People on the Move: European Migration and the Remaking of the Americas in the Long 19th Century
Lead: Christian Büschges, University of Bern
Partner: Oscar Alvarez Gila, University of the Basque Country
FRONTLINE – Precision Medicine: Integrating Precision Medicine into Tomorrow’s Medical Curriculum
Lead: Sharon Mitchell, University of Bern
Partners: Tammy Schellens, Ghent University and Derek Morris, University of Galway
DIS/CONNECT – Gender, Power, and Disinformation Across Borders
Lead: Anukriti Dixit, University of Bern
Partners: Maelle Noir, University of Galway, Miriam Friz Trzeciak, University of Göttingen and Marília Gehrke, University of Groningen
SRHR-LEP – Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: Linking Evidence to Policy
Lead: Olivier Degomme, Ghent University
Partner: Mats Målqvist, Uppsala University
REBEST – Rethinking Economics and Business through Education for Sustainability Transformation
Lead: Lara Lundsgaard-Hansen, University of Bern
Partners: Bart Defloor, Ghent University and Vanessa Michel-Oltra, University of Bordeaux
FUTUREFOUNDERS – Empowering the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
Lead: Lenka Bednárová, Comenius University Bratislava
Partner: Natalie Walsh, University of Galway
GLAD – Genetics, Linguistics and Archaeology in the Digital Age
Lead: Harald Hammarström, Uppsala University
Partners: Ester Oras, University of Tartu and Koen Bostoen, Ghent University
W@W BIPDOC – Wellbeing @ Work: BIP Meets Doctoral Course
Lead: Elsy Verhofstadt, Ghent University
Partners: Erik Olsson, Uppsala University and Lucia Mokrá, Comenius University Bratislava
EOFS – Earth Observatory Field School
Lead: Gordon Bromley, University of Galway
Partners: Aodhán Dermot, Uppsala University and Josu Aranbarri, University of the Basque Country
SUBVERSIVE VOICES – Women, Identity and Resistance in East European and Baltic Literature and Culture
Lead: Miglena Dikova-Milanova, Ghent University
Partners: Ksenia Kuzminykh, University of Göttingen and Eret Talviste, University of Tartu
AMALEO – Future Builders: Developing a Train-the-Trainer Programme in Futures Thinking
Lead: Matias Valdenegro, University of Groningen
Partners: Nils Nolke, University of Göttingen and Jean-Christophe Taveau, University of Bordeaux
E2 – ENLIGHT Empathy Incubator
Lead: Neil Ferguson, University of Galway
Partners: Arno Ratzinger, University of Bern, Bastian Baccarne, Ghent University, Marko Uibu, University of Tartu and Nahia Idoiaga Mondragon, University of the Basque Country
TRIALLEARN – Training for Clinical Researchers to Use and Generate Real-World Evidence
Lead: Sharon Mitchell, University of Bern
Partners: Declan Devane, University of Galway and Shaun Treweek, Uppsala University
GENAI-SWE – Generative AI for Software Engineering
Lead: Michael Madden, University of Galway
Partners: Martin Takáč, Comenius University Bratislava, Jens Grabowski, University of Göttingen and Matthia Sabatelli, University of Groningen
COCREATE – Culture and Creativity
Lead: Catherine Meissner, University of Groningen
Partners: Thierry Villard, University of Bern and Angelika Thielsch, University of Göttingen
MCASID – Management Control Practices as Motivators of Sustainable Performance in Diverse Teams
Lead: Breda Sweeney, University of Galway
Partners: Paula Dirks, University of Groningen and Sophie Hoozée, Ghent University
UNDERSTANBEL – Understanding Belarus: Past Challenges, Present Situation, Future Issues
Lead: Matthew Kott, Uppsala University
Partner: Maryia Danilovich, University of Göttingen
RMT – Rethinking the Master’s Thesis: Integrating Generative AI and Practice-Based Partnerships
Lead: Bertel De Groote, Ghent University
Partners: Oskar Roemeling, University of Groningen and Helen Hint, University of Tartu
Every proposal matters
Behind every proposal – selected or not – stand teams of academics, educators, and professionals united by a shared goal: to make collaboration part of everyday work. The record participation this year reflects that spirit of trust and creativity.
To everyone who contributed: THANK YOU. Your ideas continue to shape our path forward.
If your project was not selected this time, more opportunities are coming. The final ENLIGHT Incubator Grants call opens in Spring 2026, and the ENLIGHT+ call remains open for small-scale, inclusive, and sustainable initiatives, with the next deadline on 31 January 2026.
Looking ahead
All selected projects will begin as of 1 November 2025 and run until 31 October 2027, engaging hundreds of academics, students, and partners. Together, they’ll turn shared ideas into lasting impact – showing once again that collaboration is our strongest force.
For more details about the ENLIGHT Calls, visit our calls page, funded projects’ page or contact your institutional ENLIGHT Coordinator.
