Odysseus Programme

The Odysseus Programme sits under FWO (Flemish Research Foundation) and is built for researchers who have developed their careers outside Belgium and want to establish a research group at a Flemish university. It is a five-year offer aimed at bringing internationally established talent into the Flemish research landscape, with a biannual call and a 2026 call budget of €21.8 million. The programme has two tracks. Type I supports internationally recognised pioneers with research funding of €400,000 to €700,000 per year, or €2 million to €3.5 million over five years. Type II supports postdoctoral researchers with up to 12 years of postdoctoral seniority and provides €100,000 to €200,000 per year, or €500,000 to €1 million over five years. The award covers staff, equipment, and consumables, and the host university must nominate the candidate and commit to appointing them for five years if selected. Strong candidates are researchers who can show a clear record outside Belgium, a credible plan for building an independent group, and a host institution ready to back the appointment. The call allows only one application per candidate, and the selection model favors people whose profile matches the track closely: established leaders for Type I, and younger postdoctoral researchers with clear international potential for Type II. The programme is designed less as a general research grant than as a structured route for moving an external researcher into a Flemish academic post with project money attached.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.