From AI to healthcare: 56.6 million for multidisciplinary research projects

Artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, high performance computing, cybersecurity, and innovations in healthcare. These are the five thematic areas on which the Ministry of Universities is betting through the Prin Hybrid call for proposals worth 56.6 million: a new type of funding - provided for in the three-year research plan and strongly desired by Minister Anna Maria Bernini - that bets on research projects of national importance to cultivate multidisciplinarity and dialogue between scientific, technological and humanistic, social and artistic knowledge on cutting-edge topics. And, if possible, foster the development of integrated skills.

The announcement comes just a few days after the Prin of 260 million also issued by the Mur. By 30 April 2026, the release of the Synergy Grant, a new instrument dedicated to funding highly innovative research projects, is also planned.

Projects eligible for funding must have a duration of three years and be based on the five aforementioned themes (quantum technologies, high performance computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, innovative technologies and pathways in healthcare). Involving at least two of the three Erc macro fields (life sciences, physical sciences and engineering, social sciences and humanities) and compulsorily including the social sciences and humanities. This requirement also applies to the heads of the individual operational units that make up the research group.

The Prin Hybrid, like its predecessor Prin 2026, finances projects that, due to their complexity and nature, require the collaboration of several research units - between four and six in number - from different universities, organisations or institutions, thus facilitating the circulation of expertise.

Funding of between EUR 1.2 and 1.7 million is envisaged for each project. A share of 15% of the total budget is reserved for projects submitted by researchers under 40 years of age on the date of publication of the call.