EUPopLink Virtual Mobility Grant for the WG3 Expert Survey on Populism and Euroscepticism

The COST Action EUPopLink (CA23102) invites applications for a Virtual Mobility Grant (VM) to support the implementation of the WG3 Expert Survey through the identification and mapping of experts working on issues related to populism and Euroscepticism.

This Virtual Mobility Grant will contribute to the activities of Working Group 3 (WG3) by developing a structured pool of relevant national experts who will be invited to participate in the EUPopLink Expert Survey at a later stage.

Objective

The objective of this Virtual Mobility Grant is to identify relevant national experts and produce a structured, well-documented expert list that can support the subsequent implementation of the EUPopLink Expert Survey.

The activity will strengthen WG3’s expert mapping across participating countries and create the basis for a later phase of expert recruitment and interviews.

Scope of the Activity

The successful applicant will work virtually with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Action and the WG3 Leader and Vice-Leaders to:

• identify experts with academic or professional backgrounds in populism, Euroscepticism, or the ideological positions of national political parties, normally at PhD level or with equivalent relevant expertise;
• compile and verify a structured list of relevant national experts, including the required professional and publicly contact information;
• use relevant academic, professional, institutional, and national networks to identify suitable experts and broaden the pool available to WG3;
• indicate, where possible, experts who may be particularly suitable and approachable for participation in the later interview phase;
• be willing and able to support WG3 at a later stage by facilitating contact with experts through their academic and professional connections;

Expected Outputs

The Virtual Mobility Grant is expected to produce:

• One structured list of relevant experts for the applicant’s national context, suitable for the later implementation of the WG3 Expert Survey. The list will exclude the email addresses of EUPopLink members;
• the list must include, for each expert: full name, country, institutional affiliation, field of expertise, publicly available professional email address, and the source or webpage where the professional contact information is publicly available;
• where relevant, the list should also indicate useful academic, professional, or institutional connections that may help WG3 approach and recruit experts during the later interview phase;

Data protection note: Only professional contact details that are already publicly available (for example, on an institutional or professional webpage) should be provided. Private or non-public personal email addresses should not be included.

Financial Support

The successful applicant will receive a contribution of up to €1500 toward the preparation and implementation of the expected outcomes described above.

Eligibility

The Virtual Mobility Grant is open to:

• Applicants with an interest or experience in populism, Euroscepticism, expert surveys, political parties, electoral politics, or comparative political research.
• Young Researchers and Innovators (YRI);
• Applicants must have a research profile that fits the main aim of EUPopLink. 

Priorities

Priority will be given to:

• Participants of the EUPopLink Training School, who have already contributed and submitted expert lists to EUPopLink Scientific Secretaries, provided that they meet the eligibility requirements, and apply for this call through e-COST.
• Members of EUPopLink WG3 (gender balance will also be considered).
• Applicants with strong academic or professional networks and demonstrated capacity to identify and facilitate access to relevant national experts.
• Applicants actively participating in EUPopLink activities, including the EUPopLink Survey.
• Applicants enrolled in an official research programme (e.g. PhD or postdoctoral level).

Evaluation criteria:

Applicants must submit a Curriculum Vitae (CV) demonstrating their knowledge and experience in the field of the project. Applicants will be evaluated based on:

• relevance of the applicant's academic or professional profile to the objectives of EUPopLink;
• knowledge of populism, Euroscepticism, political parties, electoral politics, or related areas;
• familiarity with the national political and academic context relevant to the Expert Survey;
• capacity to identify a sufficiently broad and appropriate pool of experts and deliver an accurate, well-documented expert list within the grant period;
• strength of the applicant’s academic of professional connections and capacity to facilitate later contact and recruitment of experts;
• justification of the budget requested in relation to the expert-mapping work and expected output;

Deadline for application: September 15, 2026, 12:00 PM Brussels time.

Decision process and announcements of results: September 18, 2026.

End of the virtual mobility grant: October 5, 2026

How to Apply

Submit your application via e-COST. You may need to create an account first. Select Action Number CA23102. For detailed guidance, please consult the COST Action Grant Awarding Guide.

Required Documents:

1. Virtual Mobility Grant Application (e-COST template).
2. CV, including specific reference to the applicant's native language
3. An expert-mapping plan describing the national context, identification approach, and relevant academic or professional networks. Applicants who previously submitted expert lists through the EUPopLink Training School should state this and may refer to that submission.

Questions? Contact Grant Awarding Coordinator Dr. Egle Butkeviciene (egle.butkeviciene@ktu.lt) or the EUPopLink Scientific Secretaries (eupoplink@polsci.auth.gr).