Deadline: January 20, 2026
The Monitoring and Evaluation of the Societal Readiness Pilot aims to analyze the way Societal Readiness is addressed and integrated in piloted projects and to help design an efficient, clear, and effective framework for future projects under the Horizon Europe Cluster 5 Work Programme.
The focus areas encompass assessing the experiences, challenges, and lessons learned from the implementation of Societal Readiness activities, including participation and types of external actors in co-design methods, responses to Societal Readiness guiding questions, and possible adjustments in research and innovation activities. It also involves analyzing interdisciplinarity mechanisms (Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) versus STEM and collaboration with societal stakeholders), effectiveness of interdisciplinary approaches in practice, evolutions in partner behaviors, and their perceptions of Societal Readiness activities. Annual workshops are to be organized for pilot project representatives to interact and exchange experiences. Monitoring activities are to continue for future Societal Readiness pilot projects funded under Horizon Europe whenever there is overlap with operational phases.
This action expects to deliver mid-project recommendations to provide preliminary guidance for future Societal Readiness projects. The analysis will result in publications offering concrete tips to help future project partners integrate implementable, efficient, and well-accepted interdisciplinary practices within consortia and towards external actors. A public First report on Societal Readiness is to be delivered within the first six months, focusing on the project’s vision, initial societal needs, reflections, preliminary responses, and plans on Societal Readiness integration. The Final report, due in the last three months of the project, reflects on the project’s experience, differences between expected and actual outcomes, challenges, lessons learned, societal actor engagement, and recommendations for future projects.
The approach emphasizes the inclusion of all types of project partners—STEM and SSH profiles—to engage effectively and sustain interactions. It encourages early and inclusive participation from proposal development throughout the project lifecycle, fostering an interdisciplinary approach aligned with project objectives. Resources should be allocated explicitly to Societal Readiness related activities integrated transversally across work packages. Consortia should have sufficient SSH expertise to facilitate socio-technical interfaces and design project objectives compatible with Societal Readiness activities.
Participants must engage with the Coordinating and Support Action HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D2-09 through participation in annual workshops, interviews, exchanges with other pilot projects, and provision of access to relevant information. Travel costs for workshop participation will be covered.
The duration of this action is planned for 42 months, aiming to support the integration and advancement of Societal Readiness practices in Horizon Europe projects to increase the societal uptake of research and innovation results and to improve responses to societal needs and concerns.
The Commission estimates that an EU contribution of around EUR 1.50 million would allow the outcomes to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of a proposal requesting different amounts.
The total indicative budget for the topic is EUR 1.50 million.
For more information, visit EC.
