The call for Research on Routes through Consortia (ORC) is now open. This annual funding instrument from the National Science Agenda (NWA) funds research projects by knowledge-chain-wide, inter- and transdisciplinary consortia that may include societal partners and citizens.
The NWA ORC program calls for research proposals on themes that elaborate on one or more of the cluster questions from the NWA. For 2025, there are 12 themes for which proposals can be submitted. NWO organizes collaborative workshops per theme, consisting of two meetings. During the workshops, you will be connected with other interested parties and supported in combining ideas and exploring collaboration opportunities. To participate, you must register in advance.
Participate in NWA ORC 2025
- Explore the themes of 2025 and join one of the themes;
- Get informed during the webinar on March 31 (10:00 – 11:30) via this link.
- Register for the collaborative workshops, preferably a week before the respective workshop;
- Participate in the collaborative workshops between April 14 and May 14;
- Consult all conditions in the Call for proposals.
Note: The main applicant must participate in both collaborative workshops of the respective theme or appoint a substitute.
Changes from the 2024 Round
- The Impact Plan approach is mandatory for 10 of the 12 themes in this call. For two themes, the Impact Outlook approach is mandatory. Both approaches are explained in the Call for proposals.
- Registration for the collaborative workshops is done via the form on the NWO website. This form asks about the participants expertise and contribution to the themes impact. These registrations form the basis of the workshops and are shared with participants in advance.
- NWA ORC projects with a duration of more than 4 years will be evaluated no later than 3 months before the end of the first 4 years through a joint workshop with partners and stakeholders.
- To give consortia more time after the collaborative workshops, the period between the workshops and the submission deadline has been extended to 8 months. This supports the formation of broad, innovative consortia.
National Science Agenda Program
The foundation for the creation and renewal of the National Science Agenda lies with citizens. In the NWA program, the connection between society and science is essential. Governments, researchers, societal organizations, and citizens jointly develop and utilize knowledge to achieve scientific and societal impact. Through science communication, knowledge is shared in society to increase involvement and trust in science.