EUniWell secures €3.1 million for MSCA postdoctoral fellowships in well-being research
EUniWell, the European University for Well-Being, has secured €3.1 million in European Commission funding for SPARK (Strengthening People and Societal Well-being through Academic Research and Knowledge Transfer), a postdoctoral fellowship programme focused exclusively on well-being research. Selected under the 2026 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) COFUND programme, SPARK will bring together early-career researchers from around the world at institutions across the EUniWell Alliance and additional partner universities for interdisciplinary research, international collaboration, and experience beyond academia.
The successful funding marks an important achievement for both EUniWell and the University of Cologne, which coordinates the Alliance and will lead the implementation of SPARK. Professor Joybrato Mukherjee, Rector of the University of Cologne, commented: “SPARK demonstrates the strength of our international research collaboration and our ability to develop ambitious programmes that connect excellent research with the challenges facing society. This funding is an important recognition of the quality and potential of the research and training opportunities we are developing together through EUniWell.”
Advancing research on well-being
Over the course of five years, SPARK will support a total of 26 postdoctoral researchers in two cohorts. The programme will combine research with Triple-I experiences, i.e. interdisciplinary, international, and intersectoral collaboration. Fellows will undertake 24-month research projects addressing well-being from three interdisciplinary perspectives linked to the EUniWells Thematic Arenas: The Human Mind and Body; The Social World; and The Environment. These perspectives bring together research on psychological, social, economic, biological, and environmental dimensions of well-being.
“SPARK brings together two priorities that are central to EUniWell: advancing knowledge about well-being and creating meaningful and impactful opportunities for researchers to work across disciplines, institutions, and sectors,” said Professor Beatrix Busse, EUniWell Chief Development Officer. “We want to give early-career researchers the environment, networks, and experience they need to develop their research and contribute to well-being in society.”
Training researchers for diverse careers
Alongside their individual research projects, SPARK fellows will take part in a comprehensive training programme that includes topics such as research methods, open science, research data management, ethics, science communication, artificial intelligence, and career development. Fellows will also have access to the EUniWell Research Training Academy and a programme-wide network of peers, supervisors, as well as intersectoral associated partners who will serve as hosts for secondments.
A dual supervision model will connect each fellow with a senior researcher at their host institution and a co-supervisor from their main secondment institution. This cross-institutional approach is designed to support both research excellence and professional development, including the exploration of career paths beyond academia.
Graham Harrison, Managing Director of EUniWell, highlights the wider value of the programme for the Alliance and its partners: “SPARK demonstrates the value of European collaboration in creating opportunities for researchers to develop their expertise while gaining experience across institutional and sectoral boundaries. It strengthens the connections between universities and wider society, and contributes to EUniWell’s long-term development as a sustainable European University focused on well-being.”
Research across disciplines and borders
Coordinated by the University of Cologne, SPARK brings together five additional implementing partners: Linnaeus University (Sweden), the University of Konstanz (Germany), the University of Florence (Italy), the University of Murcia (Spain), and Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln (Germany). The programme also involves a wider consortium of academic and non-academic partners, with 13 academic institutions and 17 non-academic intersectoral organisations contributing to fellowships, training, and career development.
Beyond the SPARK consortium, fellows will also be able to draw on EUniWell’s wider network of more than 60 associated partners across Europe, creating opportunities for collaboration across academia, the public sector, civil society, and business.
About the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are the European Union’s flagship funding programme for doctoral education and postdoctoral training under Horizon Europe. They support researchers at all career stages through international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral mobility, training, and career development. COFUND stands for “Co-funding of regional, national and international programmes”. The scheme specifically supports consortia in establishing or strengthening doctoral and postdoctoral programmes in line with MSCA principles and standards.
About EUniWell
The European University for Well-Being (EUniWell) is a European Universities alliance of twelve universities, supported by more than 60 associated partners. Established in 2020 through the Erasmus+ European Universities Initiative, EUniWell activities in education, research, innovation, and civic engagement advance individual, societal, and environmental well-being.
Contact
Media Contact:
Professor Dr Beatrix Busse
Chief Development Officer, European University for Well-Being
Vice-Rector for Teaching and Studies, University of Cologne
beatrix.busse[at]uni-koeln.de
Press and Communications Team:
Eva Laurie
Head of Communications
European University for Well-Being
eva.laurie[at]uni-koeln.de
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