TDCC SSH Challenge Call 2025

This page contains SSH-specific information related to the NWO TDCC call 2025. For general information about the call, refer to the link below:

^{The roles of the TDCC SSH vs. NWO.}

^{The timeline of the process of the TDCC SSH.}

This is the process for participating in the NWO TDCC Challenge call 2025 through the TDCC SSH. There are four main stages, leading up to one submission deadline for submitting proposals to NWO on 20 November 2025. In order to submit a proposal to the NWO, you must follow our process.

Step 1. Submit idea  February - April 2025

Submitting Expressions of Interest

This period runs from February 2025 to 24 April 2025. You can submit a project idea to us as an “Expression of Interest” through our submission form, where you provide general information about your idea, e.g. a rough action plan, outcomes, and potential partners. If you have already contacted possible partners and related initiatives in the Dutch research landscape, please mention this. 

To stimulate project ideas, we will host an in-person Project Idea Generator event on 2 April 2025 in Amsterdam. Attendance is not a requirement in order to submit an expression of interest, but it is a great opportunity for meeting colleagues and potential project partners. 

The last moment for submitting an expression of interest is 24 April 2025, 14:00 CET, but you can already submit your idea at any point before that.

After the deadline for expressions of interest, we will review the ideas against a limited criteria check (led by the TDCC SSH team). Viable project ideas will then move forward in the process.

Step 2. Refine idea: May - June 2025

Community Review

All viable expressions of interest will be shared publicly by 29 April 2025. This allows our network to reach out to the submitters with input and about possible collaborations. It also enables the submitters to see what other people have submitted, and join forces with them in case of overlap.

Matchmaking sessions

On 13, 14, and 15 May 2025, we will host online matchmaking sessions. All submitters must briefly present their idea and we facilitate matchmaking with others. The time slots for the individual ideas will be allocated based on availability and topics, where possible. It is mandatory for every project idea to be presented.

Writing Project Plan

Following the matchmaking, the submitters can start writing their project plan together with their project teams. In it, they explain their project idea in more detail than in their expression of interest, including additional information on any parties that have already confirmed their involvement, a general budget estimate, sustainability plans, etc.

The deadline for submitting the project plan is 1 July 2025, 14:00 CEST. Submissions are only valid if they are complete, fulfill the requirements (word limits), and are submitted through our submission system ‘ConfTool’.

Selection by ranking

After another limited criteria check of the formal aspects by the TDCC-SSH team, our Assessment & Selection Committee (consisting of members of the Advisory Board and the wider community) will review the submitted project plans. The assessment will be based on a weighted list of criteria (incl. Feasibility, level of collaboration, budget estimates), leading to a ranking of all submissions. The A&S Committee members will convene to discuss the budgets of the project ideas with the highest ranking. Projects submissions will be moved to the next phase from highest ranking to lowest, until the total of €800k available funding is used up.

The announcement of which projects will move forward will be made in the beginning of September 2025.

Step 3. Proposal Writing: September - November 2025

If your project idea has been selected - congratulations! You and your team are invited to write your proposal following the NWO template and guidelines on the NWO call page. By 8 October 2025, 14:00 CET, you must submit your full proposal draft to us for feedback by your peers. In turn, you are required to give feedback to up to 3 proposals of your peers. The deadline for sending your feedback is 21 October 2025, 14:00 CET. The exact dates may be subject to change.

Please note that failure to participate properly in the peer feedback process will disqualify you from our project process and you will not receive a submission letter. 

Step 4. Submission Letter: November 2025

All proposals submitted to NWO must be accompanied by a Submission Letter from the TDCC SSH. Our TDCC-SSH Executive Board is responsible for providing these letters. If you follow all steps of the process properly, you will be provided with a letter in time for the submission deadline in November 2024.

Step 5. Proposal Submitted to NWO: November 2025

Once your final proposal and submission letter are ready, you submit both to the NWO through the ISAAC online platform. Submissions for TDCC SSH projects will be accepted until 20 November 2025, 14:00 CET.

NWO Approval Process: from November 2025

After the proposal submission deadline, NWO will convene an internal check for all applications via an international review committee. We expect this process to take up to three months, counting from the submission deadline.

Please note that this process is only the second iteration and is still relatively new to us and to NWO. We look forward to working with you and will refine and iterate the process together as we go. Please contact the TDCC SSH team with any questions that may remain, by sending an email to ssh@tdcc.nl.