Transnational Access Call 2024
The EU funded project POLARIN invites the scientific community to submit proposals to access 49 Research Infrastructures (RIs) in both polar regions,contributing to addressing key research priorities.
1. Call Description and Deadline
Proposals submitted to the POLARIN TA Call 2024 must address at least one of the following research priorities:
- Sea Ice and Polar Oceans in the Climate System
- Polar Ice Sheets, Glaciers and Sea Level
- Terrestrial Carbon Cycle and Permafrost
- Polar Ecosystems and Biodiversity
- Atmosphere Dynamics and Chemistry
- Paleoclimate Processes and Variability
- Humans, Societies and Global Changes
More information about the content of each research priority can be found below.
Download the Guidelines for Applicants with detailed instructions and important information on this call.
Deadline for submission of proposals: 28th of November 2024, 4 pm CET.
The proposals applying to the POLARIN TA call must be submitted through the POLARIN Transnational Access Platform (POLARIN TAP) on-line system by the proposal deadline. Late submissions and submissions via any other channel will not be accepted.
The access decisions will be announced in mid-March 2025 via the POLARIN TAP.
2. Webinar for Applicants
The webinar for applicants took place on October 21st at 14:00-15:30 CET with 100 participants.
The webinar provided information about the TA/RA call and answered questions related to the application process and TA and RA in general.
Did you missed it? You will find the recording of the webinar here, and the presentations to download below.
3. Call Topic: Research Priorities in Polar Regions
Proposals must contribute to addressing at least one of the following key research challenges in the polar regions:
- Sea Ice and Polar Oceans in the Climate System: Understanding the properties and dynamics of the sea ice covers and polar oceans and their mutual interaction, their variability at all time scales and their relations to the atmosphere and land is essential to evaluate their role in shaping regional and global climate and major biogeochemical cycles. This includes determining the conditions of occurrence of extreme events such as marine heat waves as drivers of sea ice retreat, the role of sea ice in the Earth’s surface energy balance, the causes of changes in ocean bottom waters properties in relation to their source waters and their impact on the global overturning circulation, the biogeochemical ocean processes in relation to nutrient cycling, ocean carbon uptake, or the release of greenhouse gases from under-ice waters.
- Polar Ice Sheets, Glaciers and Sea Level:Understanding the behavior of the polar ice sheets and glaciers is essential to narrow down the uncertainties on their contributions to global sea-level rise under current and future climate scenarios, including risks of possible collapse in the future. Focus should be put on understanding the dynamics of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, including the impact of subglacial processes on the ice flow, the ice sheet mass balances, and the leading processes controlling their stability, and on monitoring the polar glacier mass balance and retreat in response to global warming.
- Terrestrial Carbon Cycle and Permafrost:Investigating the terrestrial carbon cycle in polar regions, particularly the role of permafrost and polar ecosystems in storing and releasing carbon, is essential to understand the implications for the atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and potentially global warming. This includes understanding the permafrost dynamics, distribution and state in Arctic regions, including events of rapid thawing, and quantifying carbon dioxide and methane fluxes from permafrost regions and possible feedback mechanisms.
- Polar Ecosystems and Biodiversity:Understanding the structure, function, and biodiversity of polar ecosystems and how these are affected by environmental changes across different geographical sectors and habitats, including the cumulative effects of multiple drivers, is essential to plan for improved management of these unique ecosystems. Focus should be put on the drivers and characterization of changes, possible occurrence of thresholds or irreversible changes, the connectivity with the lower latitudes and the impacts of human activities.
- Atmosphere dynamics and chemistry: Investigating the atmosphere dynamics and processes in polar regions and their influence on local and global climate systems is essential to improve regional and global climate projections and to plan for the extent of regional and global warming, including changes in extremes in the polar regions and beyond. Focus should be on characterizing changes in weather systems, clouds, and precipitation in the polar regions, understanding the role of clouds in the energy balance and major climate feedbacks in the polar regions, including the major cloud-aerosol feedback, the unique polar atmosphere chemistry, and the sources, pathways and impacts of atmospheric pollutants.
- Paleoclimate Processes and Variability: Collecting and analyzing ice and sediment cores and reconstructing past climate conditions in polar regions is essential to improve understanding of long-term trends and natural climate variability, including past glaciations, ice sheet extent and retreat patterns, and to inform climate projections. This includes integrating multiple proxy data sources to create comprehensive reconstructions of past climate variability and its drivers.
- Humans, societies and global changes:Assessing the impacts of global changes on humans and societies in the polar regions is essential to develop strategies for adaptation and resilience. Focus should be put on understanding the socio-economic impacts on Arctic communities, including cumulative impacts, on livelihoods, health and well-being and adaptation pathways based on co-production of indigenous and scientific knowledge, the contribution of economic development and innovation to welfare, the interdependency between subsistence economy and industrial activities, and impacts on education and schooling trends.
4. Eligibility Criteria
Proposals for access received by the notified submission date will only be accepted for evaluation if they meet the following Eligibility Criteria:
1. Affiliation:
a) The user group leader, and at least the 80% of the users must work in countries other than the country(ies) were the legal entity operating the requested infrastructure is based (when the infrastructure is composed of several research facilities, operated by different legal entities, this condition must apply to each facility), except when access is provided by an International organisation, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), an ERIC or similar legal entities with international membership.
b) User teams with more than four users must include researchers from at least two different countries.
2. Expertise:The user group leader must have the appropriate expertise to lead the research at the requested research infrastructure.
3. Duration of the period of access to RIs: The maximum duration of granted access at a RI is limited to the units of access offered in POLARIN and must in any case be less than three months.
4. Key research challenges: Proposals must contribute to addressing at least one of the key research challenges in the polar regions as detailed in the call text. More information available above.
5. Dissemination: Only user groups that are allowed and willing to disseminate the results they have generated under the project are eligible for access (unless the users are working for SMEs).
6. Data policy: User groups must agree to comply with the POLARIN data policy.
The non-fulfilment of any of the previous criteria implies non-acceptance of the proposal for further evaluation.
5. Access modalities
POLARIN provides Transnational Access (TA) free of charge to research infrastructures for selected user groups. Transnational access can be either in-person (hands-on) or remote.
In-person access means free of charge, transnational (or cross-border) access to research infrastructures or installations for selected user groups. The access includes the use of the RI, and the logistical, technological and scientific support and the specific training for researchers using the infrastructure.
Remote Access is a form of Transnational Access in which the user(s) do not visit the infrastructure/installation physically themselves; instead, the users are either provided with reference materials or samples, get access to a high-performance computing facility, or receive the data from the study that the staff of the infrastructure/installation has conducted according to their research plan and protocol.
It is also possible to combine in-person and Remote Access, meaning that users physically visit the station and set up the required field experiments/monitoring, after which study continues by using Remote Access.
6. Infrastructures offering access in POLARIN TA Call 2024
Forty-nine (49) of the POLARIN RIs are offering Transnational Access in the 2024 Call for Proposals. Detailed information about the RIs and their conditions for access can be found on the POLARIN website . Map-based information on the RIs can be found from INTERACT GIS (Arctic terrestrial RIs), PolarDex (Antarctic RIs and vessels), and individual websites of the RIs.
* for simplification, in this table we use the terms TA as in person access, RA as remote access, TA/RA both in person and remote access.
Arctic Stations | ||||||||
RI Name | Partner (acronym) | Operator country | Location | Access modality TA or/& RA* | Contribution to research priorities** | Total access offered in POLARIN | Typical duration of work | RI availability in TA Call 2024 |
SPRS | Sweden | Abisko, Sweden | TA/RA | 2–7 | 100 user/days | 13 days | From 1.05.2025 – 30.04.2026 | |
AMU | Poland | Petunia Bay, Spitsbergen, Norway | TA | 2–7 | 100 user/days | 1-2 weeks | 20.06.2025 – 10.09.2025 | |
DTU | Denmark | Sisimiut, Greenland | TA | 2–7 | 100 user/days | 1-3 weeks | Not available in the TA Call 2024 | |
UCPH | Denmark | Disko Island, Greenland | TA | 1–7 | 120 user/days | 7 days | 1.03.2025-30.04.2026. | |
AWI/IPEV | Germany/ France | Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway | TA | 1–7 | 60 user/days | 14 days | 1.05.2025 – 30.04.2026 | |
UICS | USA | Utqiagvik, Alaska, USA | TA/RA | 1–7 | 120 user/days | 2 weeks | 1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026 | |
ULAVAL | Canada | Whapmagoostui, Nunavik, Québec, Canada | TA/RA | 1–7 | 75 user/days | 10-15 days | 15.05.2025 – 15.05.2026 | |
CNR | Italy | Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway | TA/RA | 2,4–7 | 80 user/days | 15 days, see RI description for accessing the associated observatories | 1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026 | |
GINR | Greenland (Denmark) | Nuuk, Greenland | TA/RA | 1–7 | 120 user/days | 1-2 weeks | 1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026 | |
IGF PAS | Poland | Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway | TA/RA | 1–7 | 120 user/days | 14 days | 1.05.2025 – 30.09.2025 | |
UTU | Finland | Utsjoki, Finland | TA/RA | 3–7 | 80 user/days | 5-30 days | 1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026 | |
UH | Finland | Kilpisjärvi, Finland | TA/RA | 3–7 | 80 user/days | 1 week | 1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026 | |
SAVN | Faroe Islands (Denmark) | Tórshavn Municipality, Faroe Islands. | TA/RA | 1, 4–7 | 60 user/days | 5 days | 1.06.2025 – 30.09.2025 | |
UMK | Poland | Kaffiøyra Svalbard, Norway | TA/RA | 1–7 | 120 user/days | 1-2 weeks | 1.06.2025 – 30.09.2025 | |
UOULU | Finland | Kuusamo, Finland | TA/RA | 4–7 | 60 user/days | 5-14 days | 1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026 | |
FMI | Finland | Muonio, Finland (Pallastunturi); Sodankylä, Finland (Sodankylä) | TA/RA | 4–7 | 60 user/days | 10-15 days | 1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026 | |
DMI | Denmark | Qaanaaq, Greenland | TA/RA | 1, 3–7 | 100 user/days | 1-2 weeks | 1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026 | |
RIF | Iceland | Raufarhöfn, Iceland | TA/RA | 1, 4–7 | 80 user/days | 2 weeks for TA, 1 week for RA | 1.05.2025 – 15.10.2025 | |
UCP, UGRAZ | Denmark, Austria | Sermilik Fjord, Ammassalik Island, Greenland | TA | 1–7 | 60 user/days | 7-10 days | 15.7.2025 – 15.9.2025. | |
SSLC | Iceland | Sangerdi, Iceland | TA | 4–7 | 60 user/days | Few days up to 1 month | 1.04.2025 – 30.11.2025 | |
NPI | Norway | Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard | TA | 1,2,4–7 | 100 user/days | 1-2 weeks | 1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026 | |
UAF | USA | North Slope of Alaska, USA | TA/RA | 3–7 | 80 user/days | 1-2 weeks | 1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026 | |
SU | Sweden | Tarfala Valley, Kiruna municipality, Swedish Lapland | TA/RA | 2–7 | 100 user/days | 4-10 days | 1.03.2025 – 30.04.2025 1.07.2025 – 20.09.2025 1.03.2026 – 30.04.2026 | |
UKRI | United Kingdom | Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway | TA | 1,2,4–7 | 80 user/days | 14 days | 1.04.2025 -30.09.2025 | |
AU | Denmark | Station Nord, Grenland | TA/RA | 2–7 | 100 user/days | 1-4 weeks | 1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026 | |
ARI | Canada | Inuvik, Norwest Territories, Canada | TA/RA | 1–7 | 75 user/days | 9 days | 1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026 | |
AU | Denmark | North-East Greenland | TA/RA | 1–7 | 120 user/days | 2-3 weeks | 15.04.2025 – 07.09.2025 | |
Observatories | ||||||||
RI name | Partner (acronym) | Country code | Location | Access modality TA or/& RA* | Contribution to research priorities** | Total access offered in POLARIN | Typical duration of work | RI availability in TA Call 2024 |
AWI | Germany | Fram Strait and Central Arctic Ocean | RA only | 1,2,4,6,7 | sensor deployed | 1-2 sensors (max 8) | 1.04.2025 – 30.04.2027 | |
 | Many research stations have associated access to observatories /monitoring networks. The access is connected to the RI where the observatory is located. Check the research station descriptions for details. | |||||||
Antartic Stations | ||||||||
RI name | Partner (acronym) | Country code | Location | Access modality TA or/& RA* | Contribution to research priorities** | Amount of Access provided | Typical duration of work | RI availability in TA Call 2024 |
NASC | Ukraine | Galindez Island, Argentine Islands Archipelago, Antarctica | TA/RA | 1–6 | 120 user/days (max 4 users) | 1 month to max 90 days | TA: 15.12.2025-31.03.2026 TA: 15.12.2026-31.03.2027 RA: 15.12.2025 – 31.03.2027 | |
BAI | Bulgaria | Livingston Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica | TA/RA | 1–5 | 120 user/days | 10-30 days | 1.12.2025 – 15.02.2026 | |
CNR/IPEV | Italy | East Antarctic Plateau, Antarctica | TA/RA | 2,5,6 | 50 user/days (user groups of max 2 users) | 15 days | 10.11.2025 -31.11.2025 | |
INACH | Chile | King George Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica | TA/RA | 1, 3–6 | 180 user/days | 15-30 days | 1.02.2026 – 31.03.2026 1.02.2027 – 31.03.2027  | |
MCIN | Spain | Deception Island, Antarctica | TA | 4–6 | 150 user/days | 15 days | 1.01.2026 – 25.03.2026 | |
CSIC | Spain | Livingston Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica | TA | 4–6 | 150 user/days | 15 days | 1.01.2026 – 25.03.2026 | |
CNR | Italy | Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica | TA/RA | 1–5, 6 | user/days (user groups of 2-3 users) | 15-20 days | 10.11.2025 – 31.01.2026 | |
AWI | Germany | Ekström Ice Shelf, Queen Maud Land Antarctica | TA/RA | 1,2,4–6 | 90 user/days | 42 days | 1.11.2026 – 28.02.2027 | |
INACH | Chile | Iquique Cove, Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica | TA | 1,3–7 | 90 user/days | 15-30 days | Not available in the TA Call 2024 | |
NPI | Norway | Jutulsessen, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica | TA | 1,2,4–7 | 120 user/days | 1 month | 1.11.2025 – 15.02.2026 | |
SPRS | Sweden | Princess Martha Coast Queen Maud Land Antarctica | RA only | 1,2,4–7 | 50 sampling days | 1 week | 15.12.2025 – 31.01.2026 | |
Polar vessels and platforms | ||||||||
RI name | Partner (acronym) | Country code | Operational area in TA Call 2024 | Access modality TA or/& RA* | Contribution to research priorities** | Total access offered in POLARIN | Typical duration of work | RI availability in TA Call 2024 |
ULAVAL | Canada | Everywhere in the Canadian Archipelago and adjacent Arctic seas. | TA/RA | 1,2,4–7 | 6 working days / 6-10 users | 14-28 days at sea | 06. – 10.2026 08. – 10.2027**(note dry dock year from Jan to Jul) 06 – 10.2028 | |
MFRI | Iceland | North Atlantic/Polar area – Iceland | TA/RA | 1,2,4–7 | 8 working days/6 users | 22 days at sea | June to November 2025 North Atlantic/Polar AREA – Iceland | |
MI | Ireland | Polar code region up to 82 N  in summer /Early Autumn. Greenland to Norway. | TA/RA | 1,2,4–7 | 8 working days for a user group of up to 8 users | 20 days at sea | 2026 and 2027 | |
PONANT | France | Arctic and Antarctic: See detailed information in vessel description. | TA/RA | 1,2,4–7 | 1400 user/days (user groups of up to 4 users) | 2-3 weeks at sea  | Single missions or long-term missions in 2025 and 2026. | |
DTU | Denmark | Greenland and Nordic seas. | TA/RA | 1,2,4–7 | 8 working days  for a user group of up to 8 users | 7-21 days | 1st January 2026 onward | |
NPI | Norway | Arctic Ocean and Fram Strait. | TA/RA | 1,2,4–6 | 180 user/day  for a user group of up to  6 users | 25 days at sea | Specific cruises in 2025 and 2026. See detailed information in vessel description. | |
MCIN | Spain | Antarctic: South Drake passage, Bransfield Strait, and South Orkney-Elephant Island Strait | TA/RA | 1,2,4 | 180 user/days  for a user group of up to 6 users | 30 days at sea | 1 January-25 March 2026 | |
INACH | Chile | The vessel is only available in combination with Prat or Escudero stations, South Shetlands Islands | TA/RA | 1,2,4,5,6 | 15  days  for a user group of up to 5 users | 1-10 work days | The vessel is only available in combination with ESCUDERO or PRAT stations. | |
OGS | Italy | Ross Sea and George V Land – Adelie Land | TA/RA | 1,2,4–6 | 6 working days  for a user group of up to 4 users | 45 days at sea | From middle of December to early days of March | |
NASC | Ukraine | Cape Town – Ushuaia – Academik Vernadskyi Antarctic Station – Ushuaia – Cape Town | TA/RA | 1,2,4–6 | 8 working days for a user group of up to 6 users | 28 days at sea | Any year: End of February – end of April  | |
AWI | Germany |  | TA/RA | 1,2,4–6 |  | 42 days at sea | Not available in the TA Call 2024 | |
TARA | France |  | TA/RA | 1,2,4–6 |  | 50 days at sea | Not available in the TA Call 2024 | |
Core Repositories | ||||||||
RI name | Partner (acronym) | Country code | Location | Access modality TA or/& RA* | Contribution to research priorities** | Amount of Access provided | Typical duration of work | RI availability in TA Call 2024 |
AWI | Germany | Bremerhaven, DE | RA | 6 | Â | 1-3 days | Not available in the TA Call 2024 | |
AWI | Germany | Bremerhaven, DE | TA/RA | 6 | 60 days | 1-3 days | Not available in the TA Call 2024 | |
UKRI | United Kingdom | Cambridge, UK | TA/RA | 6 | 30 days | 1-3 days | 1.04.2025 -30.4.2026 | |
UIT/APECS | Norway | Tromsø, NO | TA/RA | 6 | 60 days | Variable, see RI description | 1.04.2025 -30.4.2026 | |
7. How to apply?
- Read carefully the Guidelines for Applicants.
- Create a user account in POLARIN TAP.Â
- Contact the RI operators you are applying for access to consult if your proposal is feasible to be conducted at the RI.
- Fill in the application form in POLARIN TAP.
- Prepare and upload the appendices to the application.
- Submit before the deadline.
Fill in the application form carefully. You can work on the application in several sessions and store the application in-between the sessions, but you can submit only one application per call.
To apply, applicants must comply with the POLARIN Data Policy .
Templates and other documents required at proposal submission
Applicants are requested to provide a Project Description, the CV of the user group Leader, and a preliminary TA Data Management Plan in the application. The templates including guidelines can be downloaded from the POLARIN website and the POLARIN TAP .
Project description:The Research Plan must follow the structure provided in the Project Description Template and Guidelines and adhere to the maximum number of pages depending on the type of RI you are applying for access.
CV of the User group Leader: Use the CV POLARIN template to fill in the CV of the user group leader. The page limit is 1 page.
Preliminary TA Data Management Plan: Use the POLARIN template Preliminary TA Data Management Plan (DMP)Âto describe the management of data gathered by your project. The DMP will only be assessed if the project is selected for implementation, but a preliminary version must be submitted with the proposal.
Letter of recommendation: Early career researchers (undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate level up to 5 years active in science after last degree) applying as user group leader must provide 1-2 letters of recommendation from their academic supervisor and/or other relevant person in support of their application.
8. Evaluation and Selection Process
The evaluation and selection process, including the evaluation criteria and access priorities are described in detail in the Guidelines for Applicants .
9. Contact Information
General questions about POLARIN TA applications: polarin_ta[at]listserv.dfn.de Â
For any inquiry regarding the Scientific Evaluation of Proposals, please contact polarin_evaluation_secretariat[at]ogs.it
Technical matters regarding POLARIN TAP polarin[at]inkode.itÂ
10. Disclaimer
All travel arrangements to POLARIN research infrastructures are the responsibility of the applicant. In case of technical or logistical challenges, user groups should first contact the Research Infrastructure Manager/Operator. Only in exceptional situations, where local personnel cannot assist, should POLARIN coordination be contacted.
POLARIN is not liable for any injuries, damages, or losses that may occur during access to its infrastructures. User groups are responsible for organizing their own travel, ensuring they have appropriate travel and health insurance, and fulfilling all passport, visa, vaccination, and other entry requirements for each destination. It is also the responsibility of the user groups to be aware of safety and security conditions at their respective research sites throughout their travel and stay.
All members of user groups must have sufficient travel and health insurance and be clear on their legal responsibilities through their employers. POLARIN does not cover the cost of insurance or any additional expenses arising from unforeseen circumstances such as travel delays, cancellations, customs, shipment, or other logistical issues. POLARIN also assumes no legal responsibility for the health and welfare, including emergency and accident situations, of those awarded access to its infrastructures.
By applying for access through POLARIN, you confirm that you have read and accepted these terms and agree with our Data Protection Policy.
11. Updates (NEW!)
18.10. 2024 –RVIB Laura Bassi: Operational area changed from “Ross Sea” to “Ross Sea and George V Land – Adelie Land”.
23.10.2024 – Recordings from the webinar of applicants are uploaded in section 2: Webinar for Applicants
28.10.2023 – BIO Hesperides: Access description updated in RV page:Â The vessel is available for a team of up to 6 users, for an effective 6-7 working days within the 30 days cruise length.Â
13.11.2024 – CCGS Amundsen: team composition from 6-10 users. User groups including one Canadian partner might be able to access an extension of funding days though internal (Canadian) funding. Contact the vessel operator for more information.
19.11.2024 Zackenberg Research Station Availability date starts from April 15th 2025.
12. Collaboration platform (NEW!)
- Register on the Calatyst platform with your email address https://polarcatalyst.eu/register
- Go to “Discussions” page that can be found under “Tools” https://polarcatalyst.eu/discussions
- Find the POLARIN discussion group titled “POLARIN-1st-call”on the left side of the page
- Click on “Subscribe” next to the name of this discussion group (at top of the page), so you get a notification by email whenever there is a new message in this discussion.
- Explore more news and events from the polar research community on the Catalyst website: https://polarcatalyst.eu/
