The Una Europa Helsinki Researcher Mobility Instrument is a new opportunity for researchers at the University of Helsinki, created within the context of the Una Europa alliance. The instrument complements the aims and objectives of Una Europa by offering targeted support to University of Helsinki researchers who wish to establish new connections with researchers at Una Europa partner institutions.
We are excited to announce the launch of a call for travel grants through this instrument, inviting researchers to apply for funding to facilitate their visits to partner institutions. This is an excellent chance to foster collaboration and expand research networks within Una Europa.
The Mobility Instrument aims to:
The University of Helsinki welcomes applications for travel grants to support researchers from the University of Helsinki to visit one of the ten Una Europa partner institutions for duration of 5 days to 15 days.
The grants are particularly intended to support early career and senior researchers who aim to:
Researchers are encouraged to include visits with the hosting researcher’s local partners, such as companies, civil society organizations, city agencies, or other organizations.
Priority will be given for applicants with a demonstrated research connection to one of the six Una Europa focus areas:
A maximum of 3 500 EUR will be awarded per individual grant.
Eligible costs include:
The following costs are not eligible for funding with the grant:
All costs covered by grant must follow the University of Helsinki’s policies and guidelines.
Eligible applicants are early career researchers* or senior researchers** affiliated with the University of Helsinki via an employment contract, right to study in a doctoral programme, or a
Visiting researchers are not eligible to apply. A Docent affiliation with the University of Helsinki alone is not sufficient affiliation with the University of Helsinki to qualify for the grants.
The period of mobility must take place before December 2026.
* Level 1 and 2 in the University of Helsinki’s four-level career model for teaching and research staff,
** Level 3 and 4 in the University of Helsinki’s four-level career model for teaching and research staff,
Funding awarded to employees of the University of Helsinki will be administered as a standard work trip. Selected applicants will need to submit a travel request using the WBS provided to them. Grantees are expected to follow the University of Helsinki policies when booking their travel. Costs will be reimbursed after the completion of the mobility, in accordance with the University’s usual practices.
Funding awarded to non-employees of the University of Helsinki will be provided as a grant, paid in advance of travel. Selected applicants will need to complete a Confirmation of Travel Grant document to process the grant.
Each funded applicant will be asked to submit a combined financial report and short report on the activities and outcomes upon the completion of the visit. A reporting template will be provided.
The following criteria will be used for evaluating the travel grant applications:
The online application form will open on 5 January 2026 and close on 13 February 2026 at 23:59.
Applications are submitted using an online form you can find
Included in the application form, the following attachments are required as one single PDF document, named according to the following format Surname_Firstname.pdf.
The funding decisions will be made by 10 March 2026 and the results will be emailed to all applicants.
Questions may be sent to Una Europa Helsinki,
As a researcher from the University of Helsinki, may I apply for the Researcher Mobility Instrument to collaborate with any university in Europe?
No. To be eligible for the Researcher Mobility Instrument, you must carry out the mobility with a host researcher and institution that are part of the Una Europa Alliance. Researchers from the University of Helsinki may therefore travel only to one of the ten Una Europa partner universities. Our partner universities are:
Freie Universität Berlin
Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna
University College Dublin/An Coláiste Ollscoile Baile Átha Cliath
University of Edinburgh
Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie
Universiteit Leiden
KU Leuven
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
Universität Zürich
What is the required duration of the mobility to apply for the Researcher Mobility Instrument?
To be eligible for the Researcher Mobility Instrument, the mobility period must last a minimum of 5 days and a maximum of 15 days. Periods outside this range are not eligible for funding.
When does the mobility need to take place?
Once the researcher is notified of their selection, the mobility must take place before the end of 2026.
What is a per diem, and how do I know the amount?
A per diem is a daily allowance intended to cover typical expenses incurred during travel, such as meals and accommodation costs.
The exact per diem amount depends on the destination and is determined by the Finnish Tax Administration. You can find the applicable rates in the Decision of the
What does a letter of invitation mean?
A letter of invitation is a document written by a researcher from the host institution confirming their willingness to host the applicant. There is no need to submit separate letters from the individual researcher and the institution. The letter does not need to be an official visiting letter issued by the host university’s research or administrative office.
Does my research field need to be related to the Una Europa focus area?
Yes. Priority will be given for applicants with a demonstrated research connection to one of the six Una Europa focus areas. All of these themes adopt an interdisciplinary approach, so the application should demonstrate a connection to at least one of the specified areas. For more information about the focus areas and what they address: