Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence - fifth call invitation for Polish Research Institutions (open)

The Dioscuri Programme aims to strengthen international standards of scientific excellence in Central and Eastern Europe and to support the ongoing scientific transformation processes in the EU-13 countries. The person-centered programme was initiated by the Max Planck Society (MPS) and is jointly managed by MPS and the National Science Centre Poland (NCN). Funding for the programme is provided by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), funding for the Centres of the 5th call is provided by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MNiSW) through the National Science Centre Poland (NCN).

The 5th call will invite proposals for the establishment of two Dioscuri Centres in Poland, focusing on interdisciplinary research that combines at least two research domains. Each established Centre will cooperate scientifically with a German Partner (scientist working at German research institution).

The 5th call for proposals for establishing two interdisciplinary Dioscuri Centres in Poland will be announced in April 2026 and closed in September 2026. The final results will be announced at the end of 2026.

The 5th call shall accept proposals from outstanding researchers with a PhD degree obtained within a period not exceeding fifteen years prior to the submission of their applications to Dioscuri. Researchers shall submit proposals jointly with a Polish research institution, provided that they have not been employed at the institution for more than 3 years preceding the date of submitting the proposal. Each awardee (Dioscuri Leader) shall establish and lead a Dioscuri Centre, in which the researcher will conduct innovative, interdisciplinary research at the highest international level and cooperate with a German scientific partner (no funds for the German partner are planned).

By submitting a joint proposal to the Dioscuri call, the Applicant (researcher) will be formally associated with the Polish research institution as its host. In the event of a successful application, the Host Institution will receive an annual grant of up to €300,000, to be used exclusively for the operations of the Dioscuri Centre, provided that the institution meets the eligibility conditions specified in the call.

The funding period for each Dioscuri Centre comprises five years and may be extended by another five years (subject to mid-term evaluation and availability of funds).

The funding may be used to finance:

1. remuneration for the head of the Dioscuri Centre (awardee of the Dioscuri call): the equivalent of up to € 100,000 per year;
2. salaries for members of the Dioscuri Centre’s research team and scholarships (scholarships may be granted solely in accordance with the NCN regulations);
3. costs for research activities of the Dioscuri Centre (costs of materials, travel, publications and other research activities, etc.);
4. costs of cooperation with the German Partner;
5. funding does not cover overheads of the Host Institution, administrative and financial costs, research equipment and infrastructure.

The full name of a Dioscuri Centre shall read:

Dioscuri Centre of Scientific Excellence. A programme initiated and coordinated by the Max Planck Society, jointly managed with the National Science Centre in Poland, and funded by MNiSW through NCN.

Research units specified in article 7 section 1,4,5,6 and 6b of the Act of 20 July 2018 Law on Higher Education and Science (Journal of Laws of 2018 no 1668) hereinafter referred to as “research institution”.

Consortia of research institutions are not eligible in the invitation and the call for Dioscuri – Centres of Scientific Excellence.

The research institution hereby commits to fulfil basic conditions:

1. sign a contract of full-time employment with the Leader of the Dioscuri Centre for the entire funding period i.e., 5 years (also in the case of funding period extension for another 5 years);
2. sign contracts with Dioscuri Centre personnel: the form of employment is to be agreed upon by all parties (contract of employment, contract of specific task, contract of mandate; scholarship);
3. provide from its own budget additional funding for the Dioscuri Centre in the amount of at least EUR 25 000 on average per year for the entire funding period;
4. provide the Dioscuri Centre with optimal conditions for carrying out its research, including office/laboratory space and research equipment necessary for the completion of the interdisciplinary research;
5. provide administrative and financial services and support to the Dioscuri Centre, including support related to the successful applicant’s relocation (if applicable) and stay in Poland;
6. provide at its own expense a full-time English-speaking administrative employee i.e. Centre coordinator exclusively for the Dioscuri Centre for the entire funding period;
7. offer a long-term perspective to the principal investigator beyond the Dioscuri funding period. This includes a commitment to employ or create a permanent position at the end of the funding period for which the principal investigator will be eligible to apply.

The research institution may also offer additional benefits (other than listed above) to facilitate the Dioscuri Centre, among others:

8. additional financial contribution for the Dioscuri Centre, allotted for research, personnel costs related to employing a member/members of the Dioscuri Centre’s research team, etc.;
9. general support or other incentives to encourage the establishment of a Dioscuri Centre at the institution;
10. others.

The National Science Centre reserves the right to verify whether an institution fulfils the conditions declared at any stage of the procedure through visits to the institution intending to establish a Dioscuri Centre. Should a research institution fail to meet the declared conditions, the Dioscuri Centre may be established at another research institution.

REGISTRATION FORM

Information required in the proposal submission has been specified in the registration form for this invitation. All information must be provided in English. The proposal should be submitted no later than by 11 May 2026.

1. Submissions will be accepted only in digital form, i.e.:
   1. a single PDF file with a qualified electronic signature in PAdES format by an authorised representative of the research institution
      and
   2. a file in an editable format (e.g., .doc), containing identical information (as 1); this file need not bear a qualified signature

   Submissions must be sent to the address of the Electronic Correspondence Register ESP (ePUAP) of the National Science Centre: /ncn/SkrytkaESP. In the subject line of the message please enter: "Zgloszenie Jednostki Naukowej Dioscuri 5".

2. The submission will undergo an eligibility check by the NCN, and in the case of fulfillment of all requirements, it will be published in the Dioscuri call announcement, listed among the research institutions capable of acting as a Host Institution to a Dioscuri Centre.
3. Research institutions may submit more than one proposal, provided that each proposal will be submitted under a different research field combination and disciplines, as listed in section 5 of the registration form.

Contact
Małgorzata Jacobs-Kozyra, Program Coordinator at NCN
phone: +48 508 567 215, email: malgorzata.jacobs-kozyra@ncn.gov.pl

Online information meetings via Teams (registration per email)

1. 31.03.2026, 14-16 (in Polish)
2. 08.04.2026, 10-12 (in English)
3. 22.04.2026, 10-12 (in Polish)
4. 06.05.2026, 14-16 (in English)