In a joint statement released on 10 June 2025, CESAER and The Guild member universities call on the European Commission and the member states to ensure widely spread and predictable call deadlines of Research and Innovation Framework Programmes. They also urge an adjustment in the timing of these call deadlines to further support the professionalisation of research management, thereby enhancing European excellence and competitiveness.
According to CESAER and The Guild, the current clustering of 2025 Horizon Europe call deadlines in September—caused by work programme delays and shifting policy priorities—is putting significant pressure on research managers across Europe. This compressed schedule forces Research Support Offices to reduce services, making it harder to prepare and implement high-quality projects.