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.

Proposals submitted to the POLARIN TA Call 2024 must address at least one of the following research priorities:

  1. Sea Ice and Polar Oceans in the Climate System
  2. Polar Ice Sheets, Glaciers and Sea Level
  3. Terrestrial Carbon Cycle and Permafrost
  4. Polar Ecosystems and Biodiversity
  5. Atmosphere Dynamics and Chemistry
  6. Paleoclimate Processes and Variability
  7. 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.

A webinar for applicants has been scheduled on October 21st at 14:00-15:30 CET.

Link to the Zoom meeting: https://oulu.zoom.us/j/66995374210
The webinar provides information about the TA/RA call and we will answer your  questions related to the application process and TA and RA in general. Recording and materials will be provided on this webpage after the webinar.

Proposals must contribute to addressing at least one of the following key research challenges in the polar regions:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.

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.

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.

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 countryÂ

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

Abisko Scientific Research Station

SPRS

Sweden

Abisko, Sweden

TA/RA

2–7

100 user/days

13 days

From 1.05.2025 – 30.04.2026

Adam Mickiewicz University Polar Station

AMU

Poland

Petunia Bay, Spitsbergen, Norway

TA

2–7

100 user/days

1-2 weeks

20.06.2025 – 10.09.2025

Arctic DTU Research Station

DTU

Denmark

Sisimiut, Greenland

TA

2–7

100 user/days

1-3 weeks

Not available in the TA Call 2024

Arctic Station

UCPH

Denmark

Disko Island, Greenland

TA

1–7

120 user/days

7 days

1.03.2025-30.04.2026.

AWIPEV Base

AWI/IPEV

Germany/ France

Ny-Ã…lesund, Svalbard, Norway

TA

1–7

60 user/days

14 days

1.05.2025 – 30.04.2026

Barrow Arctic Research Center

UICS

USA

Utqiagvik, Alaska, USA

TA/RA

1–7

120 user/days

2 weeks

1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026

Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik Research Complex

ULAVAL

Canada

Whapmagoostui, Nunavik, Québec, Canada

TA/RA

1–7

75 user/days

10-15 days

15.05.2025 – 15.05.2026

Arctic Station Dirigibile Italia

CNR

Italy

Nuuk, Greenland

TA/RA

2,4–7

80 user/days

15 days, see RI description for accessing the associated observatories

1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026

Greenland Institute of Natural Resources

GINR

Greenland (Denmark)

Nuuk, Greenland

TA/RA

1–7

120 user/days

1-2 weeks

1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026

Polish Polar Station Hornsund

IGF PAS

Poland

Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway

TA/RA

1–7

120 user/days

14 days

1.05.2025 – 30.09.2025

Kevo Subarctic Research Institute

UTU

Finland

Utsjoki, Finland

TA/RA

3–7

80 user/days

5-30 days

1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026

Kilpisjärvi Biological Station

UH

Finland

Kilpisjärvi, Finland

TA/RA

3–7

80 user/days

1 week

1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026

Koltur Research Station

SAVN

Faroe Islands (Denmark)

Tórshavn Municipality, Faroe Islands.

TA/RA

1, 4–7

60 user/days

5 days

1.06.2025 – 30.09.2025

Nicolaus Copernicus University Polar Station

UMK

PL

Kaffiøyra Svalbard, Norway

TA/RA

1–7

120 user/days

1-2 weeks

1.06.2025 – 30.09.2025

Oulanka Research Station

UOULU

FI

Kuusamo, Finland

TA/RA

4–7

60 user/days

5-14 days

1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026

Pallas-Sodankylä Atmosphere-Ecosystem Supersite

FMI

FI

Muonio, Finland (Pallastunturi); Sodankylä, Finland (Sodankylä)

TA/RA

4–7

60 user/days

10-15 days

1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026

The DMI Geophysical Observatory Qaanaaq

DMI

DK

Qaanaaq, Greenland

TA/RA

1, 3–7

100 user/days

1-2 weeks

1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026

Rif Field Station

RIF

IS

Raufarhöfn, Iceland

TA/RA

1, 4–7

80 user/days

2 weeks for TA, 1 week for RA

1.05.2025 – 15.10.2025

Sermilik Station

UCP, UGRAZ

DK, AT

Sermilik Fjord, Ammassalik Island, Greenland

TA

1–7

60 user/days

7-10 days

1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026

Sudurnes Science and Learning Center

SSLC

IS

Sangerdi, Iceland

TA

4–7

60 user/days

Few days up to 1 month

1.04.2025 – 30.11.2025

Ny-Ålesund Research Station – Sverdrup

NPI

NO

Ny-Ã…lesund, Svalbard

TA

1,2,4–7

100 user/days

1-2 weeks

1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026

Toolik Field Station

UAF

SE

North Slope of Alaska, USA

TA/RA

3–7

80 user/days

1-2 weeks

1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026

Tarfala Research Station

SU

US

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

NERC: Ny-Ålesund Research Station – Harland-Cox Huset

UKRI

UK

Ny-Ã…lesund, Svalbard, Norway

TA

1,2,4–7

80 user/days

14 days

1.04.2025 -30.09.2025

Villum Research Station

AU

DK

Station Nord, Grenland

TA/RA

2–7

100 user/days

1-4 weeks

1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026

Western Arctic Research Centre

ARI

CA

Inuvik, Norwest Territories, Canada

TA/RA

1–7

75 user/days

9 days

1.04.2025 – 30.04.2026

Zackenberg Research Station

AU

DK

North-East Greenland

TA/RA

1–7

120 user/days

2-3 weeks

15.05.2025 – 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

FRAM: Frontiers in Arctic Marine Monitoring observatory

AWI

DE

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

Â

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

Akademik Vernadsky Station

NASC

UA

Galindez Island, Argentine Islands Archipelago, Antarctica

TA/RA

1–6

120 user/days (max 4 users)

1 month to max 90 days

TA: 15.12.2025-31.03.2026Â

TA: 15.12.2026-31.03.2027Â

RA: 15.12.2025 – 31.03.2027Â

Bulgarian Antarctic Base St. Kliment Ohridski

BAI

BG

Livingston Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica

TA/RA

1–5

120 user/days

10-30 days

1.12.2025 – 15.02.2026

Concordia Station

CNR/IPEV

IT

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

Professor Julio Escudero Station

INACH

CL

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 Â

Spanish Antarctic Station “Gabriel de Castillaâ€

MCIN

ES

Deception Island, Antarctica

TA

4–6

150 user/days

15 days

1.01.2026 – 25.03.2026

Juan Carlos I Antarctic Station

CSIC

ES

Livingston Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica

TA

4–6

150 user/days

15 days

1.01.2026 – 25.03.2026

Mario Zucchelli Station

CNR

IT

Terra Nova Bay, AntarcticaÂ

TA/RA

1–5, 6

user/days (user groups of 2-3 users)

15-20 days

10.11.2025 – 31.01.2026

Neumayer Station III

AWI

DE

Ekström Ice Shelf, Queen Maud Land

Antarctica

TA/RA

1,2,4–6

90 user/days

42 days

1.11.2026 – 28.02.2027

Captain Arturo Prat Navy Station Laboratories

INACH

CL

Iquique Cove, Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica.Â

TA

1,3–7

90 user/days

15-30 days

Not available in the TA Call 2024

Troll Research Station

NPI

NO

Jutulsessen, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica

TA

1,2,4–7

120 user/days

1 month

1.11.2025 – 15.02.2026

Wasa Station

SPRS

SE

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

CCGS Amundsen

ULAVAL

CA

Everywhere in the Canadian Archipelago and adjacent Arctic seas.

TA/RA

1,2,4–7

6 working days / 6 users

14-28 days at sea

06. – 10.2026

08. – 10.2027**(note dry dock year from Jan to Jul)

06 – 10.2028

Arni Fridriksson

MFRI

IS

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

RV Celtic Explorer

MI

IE

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

MV Le Commandant Charcot

PONANT

FR

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 Â

Single missions or long-term missions in 2025 and 2026.

RV Dana

DTU

DK

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

HAAKON  RV Kronprins Haakon Â

NPI

NO

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.

BIO Hespérides

MCIN

ES

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 seaÂ

1 January-25 March 2026.

Â

RS Karpuj

INACH

CL

The vessel is only available in combination with Prat or Escudero stations,Â

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.

RVIB Laura Bassi

OGS

IT

Ross Sea area

TA/RA

1,2,4–6

6 working days  for a user group of up to 4 users

45 days at seaÂ

From middle of December to early days of March

Noosfera

NASC

UA

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

Â

RV Polarstern

AWI

DE

Â

TA/RA

1,2,4–6

Â

42 days at sea

Not available in the TA Call 2024

TARA polar station

TARA

FR

Â

TA/RA

1,2,4–6

Â

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 Ice Core Repository

AWI

DE

Bremerhaven, DE

RA

6

Â

1-3 days

Not available in the TA Call 2024

AWI Sediment Core Repository

AWI

DE

Bremerhaven, DE

TA/RA

6

60 days

1-3 days

Not available in the TA Call 2024

UK Polar Sediment Core Facility

UKRI

UK

Cambridge, UK

TA/RA

6

30 days

1-3 days

1.04.2025 -30.4.2026

Core repository and geological laboratories

UIT/APECS

NO

Tromsø, NO

TA/RA

6

60 days

Variable, see RI description

1.04.2025 -30.4.2026

  1. Read carefully the Guidelines for Applicants.
  2. Create a user account in POLARIN TAP
  3. Contact the RI operators you are applying for access to consult if your proposal is feasible to be conducted at the RI.
  4. Fill in the application form in POLARIN TAP.
  5. Prepare and upload the appendices to the application.
  6. 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.

The evaluation and selection process, including the evaluation criteria and access priorities are described in detail in the Guidelines for Applicants .

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

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 <link>.

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