EU Priority Signal Mapping Sheet
A practical follow-up to FP10 Readiness Brief #2: Reading EU priorities before the calls are published.
The EU Priority Signal Mapping Sheet is a practical FP10 readiness tool for researchers, research managers and universities. It helps translate emerging EU policy priorities, strategic orientations and programme signals into early questions for Horizon Europe / FP10 proposal preparation.
Work programmes and calls are not the starting point of FP10 preparation. Before calls are published, universities and research teams can already observe signals in EU policy priorities, strategic plans, expert reports, stakeholder debates, programme architecture and partnership discussions.
The purpose of this mapping sheet is to help research offices, universities and research teams read those signals in a structured way and connect them to research strengths, institutional assets, possible FP10 entry points and next monitoring steps.
This tool does not predict future calls. It supports earlier preparation by helping teams ask better questions before opportunities become urgent.
What this tool helps you do
Use this sheet to:
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identify repeated EU priority signals across policy, strategy and programme-related documents;
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group those signals into useful categories;
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connect them to research strengths, researchers, infrastructures, datasets, networks and institutional capacity;
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identify possible FP10 entry points or instruments to monitor;
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decide what should be prepared, discussed or followed next.
How to use it
Start with one policy, strategy or programme-related document, or compare several documents. Look for repeated language, recurring themes and broader directions of travel, rather than isolated keywords.
The aim is not to copy EU terminology into future proposals. The aim is to understand where credible connections may exist between research expertise and the future European research and innovation landscape.
The tables below are intended as a preview of the worksheet structure. A downloadable version can be used for internal mapping.
Step 1. Identify the source documents
Note which documents or sources you are reviewing and why they may matter.
Document or source | Type of source* | Date | Why it matters
* Political priority / strategic plan / expert report / stakeholder position / programme document
Step 2. Map repeated EU priority signals
Look for themes, terms or clusters that appear repeatedly. Group them under one of three broad categories.
EU priority signal | Signal category* | Repeated language or evidence | Why it may matter
* Thematic transformation / Capacity-building / Programme-design
Suggested categories:
Thematic transformation signals may include competitiveness and innovation capacity, the green transition, digital transformation and critical technologies, security, preparedness and resilience, inclusion, democracy and social fairness, and Europe’s global role.
Capacity-building signals may include open strategic autonomy, skills and talent, research and technology infrastructures, institutional capacity, trusted partnerships and knowledge circulation.
Programme-design signals may include simplification, impact orientation, fewer topics, shorter time to grant, European Partnerships, EU Missions, the European Innovation Council, research and technology infrastructures, and possible moonshot-style initiatives.
Step 3. Connect signals to research strengths
Ask which internal strengths, people, assets or networks may connect credibly to the signals identified.
EU priority signal | Relevant research strengths | Researchers, groups | Institutional assets | Initial relevance*
* Strong / Medium / Emerging
Consider research themes, methods, datasets, infrastructures, previous EU projects, international networks, partnerships, field sites, laboratories, policy expertise, stakeholder links and support capacity.
Step 4. Identify possible FP10 entry points
The question is not only “what topic might appear?” but also “which part of the future programme architecture or which type of instrument should be monitored?”
Signal, area | Possible FP10 entry points* | Why relevant | Monitoring priority**
* Excellent science / collaborative research / missions / partnerships / infrastructures / EIC / ERA / moonshot-style initiatives
** High / Medium / Low
Step 5. Decide next preparation steps
Use the mapping to decide what should happen next.
Area or signal | Next step* | Who should be involved | Timing | Status**
* Prepare internal note / map researchers / develop profile / draft concept note / monitor documents
** Planned / In progress / Done
Possible next steps include:
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preparing an internal briefing note,
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mapping relevant researchers,
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updating European research profiles,
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drafting early concept notes,
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identifying potential partners,
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monitoring relevant instruments,
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discussing implications with departments and research groups.
Quick check
Before moving on, ask:
Which signals appear repeatedly across documents?
Which signals are most relevant to our research strengths?
Which researchers, infrastructures, datasets, networks or partnerships could become visible in future consortia?
Which possible FP10 entry points should we monitor most closely?
What should we prepare now so that we are not starting from zero when a relevant call appears?
Need support with early FP10 priority mapping?
I support universities, research offices and research teams with FP10 readiness, EU priority scanning, research strength mapping and early proposal positioning.
Connected brief
This tool is connected to FP10 Readiness Brief #2: Reading EU priorities before the calls are published, which explains why early EU policy signals matter and how universities and researchers can use them to prepare before work programmes and calls are finalised.