The International Scientific Center “Observatory” on Mount Pip Ivan has become a participant in the network of research stations of the international INTERACT platform. These stations will be open for access to young research groups participating in the Transnational Access Call of the INTERACT Association’s field station network.
The INTERACT grant project for young research groups includes 25 stations across 10 countries (Canada – 4 stations, Denmark [Greenland and the Faroe Islands] – 5, Switzerland – 2, Norway [including Svalbard] – 4, Finland – 3, Poland – 1, Austria – 2, Iceland – 2, USA [Alaska] – 1, and Ukraine – 1). Thus, the International Scientific Center “Observatory” on Mount Pip Ivan is the sole representative from Ukraine in the international competition for access to field stations in the 10 countries participating in the INTERACT Association network. The station’s profile on the INTERACT platform can be viewed here: https://www.interact-gis.org/Home/Station/104
The aim of the INTERACT Association’s “Transnational Access Call” is to support the new generation of researchers by creating opportunities to conduct studies and fieldwork at research stations. Therefore, the first pilot call for access to stations is dedicated to early-career researchers, specifically: “students at the Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD level, and researchers who are active in science for no more than 5 years after obtaining their most recent degree”.
INTERACT Association supports terrestrial research in the Arctic, boreal, and alpine regions at any of the 25 stations across 10 countries, including Ukraine. (More about the platform and access programme is available at: https://www.interactassociation.org/). Access is granted exclusively to research groups for conducting scientific research — not for organizing or participating in courses, conferences, seminars, or workshops. Proposals must focus on terrestrial environmental studies; other types of research (e.g., marine or atmospheric) must demonstrate a strong connection to terrestrial themes in order to be eligible.
As part of the first pilot call, grants of up to EUR 15,000 per application may be awarded, covering station access, research implementation, travel, and logistics costs. INTERACT Association will fund projects within the overall budget allocated for the call and aims to support up to three research proposals in this first round.
The first pilot Transnational Access Call by INTERACT Association for research at these field stations in 2026 is open from May 2, 2025, to June 13, 2025, at 16:00 Central European Summer Time (CEST). The final deadline for applications is June 13, 2025, at 16:00 CEST (UTC+1). The INTERACT TAP system will automatically close after the deadline. Funded projects must be implemented between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2026.
How to apply:
1. Check your eligibility as an applicant (see below).
2. Register on the INTERACT Transnational Access Platform (TAP) – https://interact-tap.eu.inkode.org/
Applications can only be submitted via the online INTERACT TAP system before the deadline. Late submissions or applications sent by other means will not be considered.
You may work on your application in stages and submit it once the entire form is completed. Each applicant may submit only one proposal as a group leader.
3. Carefully read the application guidelines – “INTERACT 2025 Access Call Guidelines for Applicants”: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6425613f7ad2265690fa3ca9/t/68113c55e895fe4b7c3b294c/1745960026329/INTERACT_2025+Access+Call_Guidelines+for+Applicants.pdf.
This document includes the competition rules, instructions on how to properly fill in the application, budget requirements, and descriptions of the required attachments and their structure.
4. Prepare all necessary documents for uploading to the INTERACT TAP platform (https://interact-tap.eu.inkode.org/). Applicants must submit a: Research Plan, CV of the User Group Leader, Recommendation letter(s).
5. Contact the station manager to discuss the feasibility of your proposed research at the selected site. This is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended.
Contact information for station managers is available on the INTERACT GIS station pages: https://www.interact-gis.org/Home/Stations. For example, here is the page for the International Scientific Center “Observatory”: https://www.interact-gis.org/Home/Station/104.
6. Submit your application through the INTERACT TAP platform. If you encounter technical issues with the platform, contact the support team at: interact@inkode.it
For more detailed information on the application rules, project requirements, access conditions, applicant eligibility criteria, participating stations, and the proposal evaluation and selection procedure, please visit the INTERACT Association’s access program page: https://www.interactassociation.org/access-program
