European-Funded IRIS Programme Expands Postdoctoral Research Opportunities

The Interdisciplinary Research In Societal Challenges (IRIS) programme has announced the launch of its second international recruitment call for postdoctoral researchers, offering fully funded research opportunities in Brussels through a partnership between the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), and the European Commission.

The programme forms part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) COFUND initiative under the European Union’s Horizon Europe framework and is designed to support interdisciplinary research addressing major societal challenges.

International Fellowship Programme Running Until 2030

IRIS is a long-term postdoctoral programme operating from 2025 to 2030. During this period, the initiative will recruit a total of 36 international postdoctoral researchers through two open calls.

The distribution of fellowship positions includes:

24 postdoctoral researchers hosted at ULB
12 postdoctoral researchers hosted at VUB
Research appointments lasting 30 months
International recruitment through competitive open calls

The second recruitment call is scheduled to officially open

Focus on Interdisciplinary and Societal Research

The IRIS programme adopts a bottom-up research approach, allowing applicants from all academic disciplines to apply, provided their research aligns with interdisciplinary collaboration and regional societal priorities.

The programme specifically focuses on addressing six societal challenges identified within the Brussels-Capital Region.

Areas of emphasis include:

Social and economic transformation
Sustainability and environmental innovation
Public health and societal wellbeing
Urban development and governance
Technological advancement and innovation
Interdisciplinary policy-oriented research

Researchers are encouraged to design projects that integrate perspectives across disciplines while contributing practical solutions to contemporary societal issues.

Partnership Between Leading Institutions

The programme is jointly coordinated by two major Belgian universities:

Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

The initiative is co-funded by the European Commission through Horizon Europe’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme.

IRIS also works in collaboration with several strategic partners, including:

BeWiSe
Hub.Brussels
Innoviris
Joint Research Centre
Sirris
UNICA
Agoria

These partnerships aim to strengthen links between academic research, innovation, industry, and public policy.

International Mobility and Research Development

The IRIS fellowship programme is designed to attract international researchers seeking advanced postdoctoral experience in Europe.

Key programme benefits include:

International interdisciplinary research environment
Access to European research networks
Collaboration with academic and innovation institutions
Opportunities for policy and societal impact
Long-term professional research development

The initiative reflects Europe’s broader strategy of strengthening global research cooperation and addressing complex social challenges through innovation.

Growing Importance of Interdisciplinary Research

The launch of the IRIS programme comes amid increasing global demand for interdisciplinary research capable of addressing complex societal and policy issues.

Research institutions and funding bodies are increasingly prioritizing projects that combine expertise across fields such as:

Science and technology
Social sciences and humanities
Public policy and governance
Sustainability and climate studies
Health and innovation systems

IRIS positions itself within this growing movement by encouraging researchers to develop solutions-oriented projects with regional and international relevance.

Support Resources and Applicant Guidance

To support prospective applicants, the IRIS programme has released several informational resources and updates ahead of the second call.

Recent programme activities include:

Q&A sessions for interested applicants
Online information sessions and presentations
Guidance on ethics and data management in research proposals

These resources are intended to help candidates strengthen their applications and better understand programme expectations.

Brussels as a Research and Innovation Hub

The programme is based in Brussels, one of Europe’s leading centres for international research, policy, and innovation.

Researchers participating in IRIS will benefit from:

Access to European institutions and networks
International academic collaboration opportunities
A multilingual and multicultural environment
Strong connections to policy and innovation ecosystems

Brussels continues to attract scholars and researchers working in areas related to governance, sustainability, technology, and international cooperation.

European Commission Support Through Horizon Europe

IRIS is funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND mechanism.

The initiative operates under grant agreement number 101217407 and represents part of Europe’s ongoing investment in:

Research excellence
International mobility
Innovation and societal impact
Academic collaboration across borders

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions are widely regarded as among the most prestigious research funding programmes in Europe.

Conclusion: Major Opportunity for Global Researchers

The IRIS postdoctoral programme offers a significant opportunity for international researchers seeking interdisciplinary experience within Europe’s evolving research and innovation landscape.

By combining academic excellence, societal relevance, and cross-sector collaboration, the initiative aims to support the next generation of researchers tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

With the second call opening in March 2026, researchers across disciplines are expected to closely monitor the programme as competition for European postdoctoral opportunities continues to grow.

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.