With EOS- Excellence of Science the FWO and the FNRS invest more than €121 million for 37 new research projects.

20/12/2021 15:36

The FWO, together with its French-speaking counterpart F.R.S.-FNRS, has allocated funding of more than €121 million to 37 research projects within the framework of the second edition of the Excellence of Science programme (EOS). Unique in Belgium, this 4-year cooperation programme encourages joint fundamental research between researchers of the Flemish and French-speaking communities, possibly supplemented with federal and international research institutions. The FWO invests nearly €66m and the FNRS €55.5m.

Just like the first call in 2017, this EOS programme proved a great success. International expert panels evaluated as many as 278 submitted applications for their originality, excellence and excellent scientific approach. The 37 projects will conduct eminent basic research for four years. The selected research projects vary from the improvement of cancer immunotherapy to the synthesis of green hydrogen from plastics and the dynamics of stress transfer within families: 14 projects in science and technology, 7 in medical sciences, 4 in biology, 4 in humanities, 4 in social sciences and 3 interdisciplinary projects. Of these projects, 23 will also involve cooperation with a foreign research institution.

 “This joint initiative provides us with sufficient resources to make a difference in the field of science,” FWO President Willy Verstraete stresses.

“This is a great initiative that we can only applaud. Cooperation across borders – also within Belgium – often gives us new and fresh insights. All of the selected research projects are highly promising,” Flemish minister for Science Policy Hilde Crevits says.

Download the list of all results