The third Transnational Access (TA) Call under the IRISCC Access Programme has attracted a large and diverse pool of 41 applications, currently in the Merit Review stage. The data highlights strong international participation, growing demand for research infrastructures, and a shift toward interdisciplinary climate change risk research.
Global and Diverse Community
The call includes applicants from 20+ nationalities, spanning Europe and extending to countries such as Brazil, Colombia, India, and Australia.
- ~65% of applicants are male, ~35% female
- Representation ranges from:
- First Stage Researchers: ~30%
- Recognised Researchers: ~30%
- Established Researchers: ~30%
- Leading Researchers: ~10%
This balanced distribution shows strong participation across career stages.
Strong Engagement from New Users
A key success of the call is its ability to attract a broad mix of both new and experienced users, supporting the continued expansion of the IRISCC research community.
~75% of applicants identify as new users, while ~25% are returning or experienced users.
This demonstrates that IRISCC is successfully broadening access to research infrastructures while also maintaining engagement with established user communities across its service providers.
High Demand for Research Facilities
Applicants requested access to a wide range of services, with some facilities and installations appearing repeatedly:
- HCMR Mesocosm Facility (most requested)
- Finokalia Atmospheric Observatory
- SMEAR II Station
- NTU SeaLab
- ATMOS / OPAR / SIRTA platforms
Access Types Requested:
- Physical access: ~60%
- Hybrid access: ~30%
- Remote access: ~10%
This confirms that hands-on access remains central, while hybrid and remote models are gaining traction.
Climate Change Risk Focus: A Systems Approach
The majority of proposals address multiple dimensions of climate change risks:
- Hazards: addressed in ~90% of proposals
- Exposure: addressed in ~75–80%
- Vulnerability: addressed in ~65–70%
Importantly:
- ~50% of projects address all three components together, showing a strong systems-based approach.
Interdisciplinarity Dominates
The call is strongly driven by cross-disciplinary research approaches, reflecting the complexity of climate change risk challenges.
~70% of proposals are interdisciplinary and ~10% transdisciplinary, indicating a clear emphasis on integrated research across domains.
(Note: classifications are based on applicant self-reporting in proposals and will be further assessed during the evaluation process.)
Fields of Research
Applications are concentrated in environmental sciences:
- Atmospheric sciences: ~35–40%
- Eco-biosphere: ~25–30%
- Hydrosphere: ~15–20%
- Other fields (engineering, biomedical, etc.): smaller shares
Eligibility and Data Quality
Out of ~41 applications:
- ~2 applications (~5%) were flagged as administratively ineligible
- Main issues: missing information or incorrect access type
This suggests generally high-quality submissions, with only minor administrative gaps. We encourage the applicant to review our FAQ and Access Handbook and connect with the service providers before sending an application to minimise submission issues.
Conclusion
The IRISCC 3rd TA Call reflects a vibrant and expanding research ecosystem committed to tackling climate risks through advanced facilities/services and collaborative science. With strong participation from new users, widespread interdisciplinarity, and a clear focus on hazard–exposure–vulnerability dynamics, the programme continues to play a critical role in enabling high-impact climate change risk research. As proposals move through expert evaluation, the selected projects are expected to start from July 2026 and contribute significantly to advancing the understanding of climate change risks, while also supporting research that can inform evidence-based approaches and solutions in a rapidly changing world.
