The success of the ERA.Net RUS Plus funding round 2014/2015 is currently being continued with call 2017 with its 2 funding lines 'Science and Technology' (S&T) and 'Innovation'. The joint calls are supported by 20 funding organisations from 16 countries and aimed at strengthening the coordination of national research programmes of the EU MS / AC with Russia.

For the 'Science and Technology' call, 211 project sketches were submitted in July in the five thematic areas 'Nanotechnologies', 'Environment / Climate Change', 'Health', 'Social Sciences and Humanities' and 'Robotics'. The funding decision is expected to be made in November / December 2017.

A total budget of around 16 million Euros is available for both funding lines, of which 3.5 million euros are provided by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. From spring 2018, these funds will be used to support excellent European-Russian research projects over two or three years. The submission of project ideas for the second, topic-oriented 'Innovation' funding line is still possible until 10 October 2017.

The great response to the S&T Call demonstrates the enormous interest of European and Russian researchers in continuing to pursue good scientific cooperation. Germany is a key contributor to the success of the ERA.Net RUS PLUS initiative and the partnership-based cooperation between Russia and the EU through the strong participation of German researchers, the provision of appropriate funding by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the coordination of the funding network by the DLR Project Mangement Agency.

Further information is published on the website of the project.