External funding opportunities

Institute of International Relations and Political Science at Vilnius University (IIRPS VU) is the leading institution for political science research and education in Lithuania and one of the most prominent political science centres in Central and Eastern Europe. The Institute brings together a vibrant community of scholars whose work spans a wide range of fields, including political behaviour and institutions, political philosophy, international relations, European studies, memory studies, political economy, public administration, and policy analysis. With a strong interdisciplinary orientation, IIRPS VU promotes innovative research that addresses some of the most pressing political, social, and governance challenges of our time. 

The Institute fosters a stimulating research environment that values intellectual exchange, methodological diversity, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Researchers regularly engage in dialogue across fields and work together on projects that connect theoretical insights with real-world challenges. IIRPS VU maintains an extensive network of partnerships with universities and a wide range of stakeholders, including decision-makers, public administration practitioners, social partners, and non-governmental organisations at national, European, and international levels. These collaborations strengthen knowledge exchange and enable the Institute to translate academic research into practical insights and policy recommendations that support informed decision-making and meaningful societal impact. 

IIRPS VU actively welcomes researchers who wish to apply for external funding programmes and carry out their ambitious and innovative research projects at Vilnius University. As a host institution, the Institute offers comprehensive administrative support, a dynamic academic community, and a strong research infrastructure that facilitates the successful development and implementation of externally funded research projects. 

Researchers interested in collaborating with IIRPS VU are encouraged to explore the profiles of our academic staff and the thematic focus of our research departments and centres to learn more about the Institute’s expertise, ongoing research initiatives, and opportunities for cooperation. 

Research support. IIRPS VU provides extensive support to researchers preparing applications for external research funding programmes. The IIRPS VU Science and Research Department brings together an experienced team of professionals who ensure a strong institutional framework for proposal development and offer personalised guidance to every applicant. 

IIRPS VU has a solid track record of participation in major national and international funding schemes, including Horizon Europe and Erasmus+. This experience enables the Institute to effectively guide applicants through the competitive research funding landscape and support the development of high-quality, impactful proposals. 

IIRPS VU Science and Research Department works closely with the Vilnius University Research Projects Office and collaborates with national and international partners, including National Contact Points (NCP). Through these partnerships, we are able to provide comprehensive and tailored support throughout the proposal development process. 

How can we support your research idea? From the initial project idea to the final submission, our team assists researchers in navigating programme requirements, refining and strengthening proposal structure and impact. By streamlining administrative procedures and offering targeted advice, we aim to reduce the organisational burden on researchers, allowing them to focus on developing ambitious, innovative, and competitive research proposals. 

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA PF) are among the most prestigious individual research fellowships in Europe. The programme is designed to support the career development of researchers by promoting excellence in research alongside international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary mobility. Through advanced training, knowledge exchange, and collaborative research, MSCA PF enables scholars to expand their expertise, develop new skills, and strengthen their academic and professional networks. 

Two types of fellowships are available. European Postdoctoral Fellowships support research stays in Europe for 12–24 months, while Global Postdoctoral Fellowships fund 24–36 month projects that include an outgoing research phase outside Europe followed by a mandatory return phase at a European host institution. The fellowship provides a competitive salary, a mobility allowance, a family allowance (if applicable), and funding for research, training, and networking activities. 

The call for applications is issued annually by the European Commission, typically in April, with a submission deadline in September. Researchers interested in applying can find detailed information about eligibility, funding conditions, and application procedures on the official call webpage. 

Eligibility criteria 

This funding programme is open to researchers who:  

• have a PhD degree at the time of the deadline for applications 

• must have a maximum of eight years of experience in research, from the date of the award of their PhD degree 

• should comply with mobility rule: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the beneficiary (for European Postdoctoral Fellowships), or the host organisation for the outgoing phase (for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships), for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline 

Please note: MSCA PF is a mobility grant. Researchers selected for funding must relocate to Lithuania for the duration of the fellowship. While the fellowship requires physical relocation, the programme allows for fieldwork, secondments, and research-related travel abroad as part of the project activities. 

Projects that receive an outstanding evaluation score but are not funded due to budget limitations are awarded the prestigious “Seal of Excellence”. This distinction recognises the high quality and potential impact of these proposals, while also opening additional funding opportunities through the reallocation of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) resources. This increases funding opportunities for promising projects and promotes the advancement of research and innovation.

Contact information and deadlines 

If you are interested in applying for MSCA PF with IIRPS VU as a host institution, please send your CV, list of publications, research idea proposal (1-2 pages based on the template) and the name of your preferred supervisor to International Research Projects coordinator Simona Vaškevičiūtė, simona.vaskeviciute@tspmi.vu.lt, by June 1, 2026. 

Success stories  

The MSCA PF programme is already contributing to the IIRPS VU’s dynamic research environment. Currently, researcher dr. Alfredo Hernandez Sanchez is implementing the MSCA PF project, Understanding FinTech Regulatory Sandbox Development in Europe (FIRSA), under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Vytautas Kuokštis.

“From the proposal stage onward, I found the institute to be highly supportive, well organized, and genuinely invested in helping researchers develop strong projects. The institute offered consistent administrative guidance during preparation, submission, and implementation and has been responsive and professional throughout. This has made a real difference in navigating what can otherwise be a very demanding process. At the same time, IIRPS VU has provided a welcoming and collegial academic environment that makes it easier to focus on the research itself.” – dr. Alfredo Hernandez Sanchez 

ERC grants support outstanding researchers of any nationality at any career stage in conducting ambitious, groundbreaking research projects that embrace unconventional and innovative approaches. The ERC’s mission is to promote the highest-quality research in Europe through competitive funding and to support investigator-driven frontier research across all disciplines. 

ERC funding follows a bottom-up approach, with no predetermined thematic priorities. Grants are open to all fields of research and are awarded through a rigorous peer-review process in which the excellence of both the proposed research and the Principal Investigator is the sole criterion for evaluation.  

Further information on eligibility, funding conditions, and application procedures is available on the official call webpage.  

Types of ERC grants 

The ERC offers five grant schemes: 

• Starting Grant – for outstanding early-career researchers (according to the 2027 Work Programme: 0-10 years after PhD completion), offering up to 1.5 million EUR for 5 years. 

• Consolidator Grant – for excellent independent researchers (according to the 2027 Work Programme: 5-15 years after PhD completion), offering up to 2 million EUR for 5 years. 

• Advanced Grant – for established senior researchers with significant research achievements, offering up to 2.5 million EUR for 5 years. 

• Synergy Grant – offering up to 10 million EUR for 6 years to support a small group of 2–4 Principal Investigators working together on ambitious research questions that can only be addressed through coordinated collaboration.  

• Proof of Concept Grant – for current and recently completed ERC grantees, offering up to 150,000 EUR for 18 months to explore the commercial and/or social innovation potential of ERC-funded research. 

Contact information  

If you are interested in applying for an ERC grant with IIRPS VU, please send your CV, list of publications, and research idea proposal (1-2 pages) to International Research Projects coordinator  Simona Vaškevičiūtė ( simona.vaskeviciute@tspmi.vu.lt). 

A researcher or group of researchers can apply to the Research Council of Lithuania for funding to conduct research on a chosen topic through the Researcher Group call. Both experienced and young social scientists may apply to compete for funding within their groups.  

The maximum project budget is 200,000 EUR. The maximum project duration is 36 months. The application should be written in English. 

Eligibility criteria  

• To apply for Competition I (projects in the humanities and social sciences led by experienced scientists), the principal investigator must hold a doctoral degree.  

• To apply for Competition II (projects led and implemented by early-stage scientists in areas of humanities and social sciences), the principal investigator and other project implementers with a doctoral degree must be early-stage scientists, i. e. persons who have obtained a doctoral degree no earlier than 7 years before the last day of the deadline for proposal submission indicated in the call (in the event of maternity leave, paternity leave or parental leave, the above-mentioned 7-year period shall be extended accordingly).  

Contact information and deadlines  

For more information, you may contact IIRPS VU research manager Paulius Vijeikis (paulius.vijeikis@tspmi.vu.lt). 

Success stories 

Each year, a number of IIRPS VU researchers apply for the Researcher Group call which is considered one of the major annual calls. At the moment, 3 Researcher Group projects are being implemented at the IIRPS VU in the disciplines of international relations, security studies, and political economy.

“Preparing an application requires submitting a considerable amount of administrative information, developing a data management plan, preparing a risk management plan, a detailed budget, etc. In this regard, the assistance provided by the IIRPS VU Science and Research Department is invaluable.” – Dr. Marius Kalanta.