On January 21, 2026, the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (hereinafter referred to as "TA CR") announced the fifteenth public competition in the the Program for the Support of Applied Research and Innovation SIGMA – Sub-goal 3, Support for the Innovation Potential of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts (hereinafter referred to as "SIGMA Program – DC3"). An online information webinar on the competition will take place on January 28, 2026, starting at 10:00 a.m. Competition deadline: begins on January 22, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. and ends on March 17, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
Competition period: begins on January 22, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. and ends on March 18, 2026, at the times listed below:
- 4:29:59 p.m. – is the latest possible time for submitting a project proposal via the SISTA information system;
- 11:59:59 p.m. – is the latest possible time for sending documents proving eligibility, which must be sent separately by each applicant.
UPOL is already registered in the system. Any questions or issues regarding UPOL's involvement in SISTA will be handled by PSUP. Contact me by email: ludmila.hrabakova@upol.cz, or by phone 585 631 404.
For project registration purposes, please note that it is necessary to make the project proposal available in SISTA by emailing: ludmila.hrabakova@upol.cz. Without this step, it will not be possible to ensure adequate cooperation from UPOL when submitting the project proposal. Projects in which UPOL is only a partner must also be made available.
Without making the project available at the above email address, it is not possible to see who is responsible for the project on behalf of UPOL.
We also ask the R&D department to provide a template for submitting a project proposal in a specific competition.
A sworn statement on behalf of UPOL will be sent.
Four areas have been defined for this public competition, and 12 research topics have been set for this public competition, with each project proposal having to cover one area and one selected research topic from the chosen area.
Thematic areas:
Disinformation and cognitive security
Safe and adaptable public space
Local economic resilience
Community cohesion, resilience, trust, and security
For applicants to the 15th public competition of the SIGMA program – DC3, TA ČR will hold an online information webinar on January 28, 2026 starting at 10:00 a.m.. You can watch the webinar live on YouTube (no installation or registration required).
Those interested in assistance with submitting a grant application can also contact the staff of the Project Service at Palacký University in Olomouc. https://www.upol.cz/ps/kontakty/. We will be happy to help you.
The TA ČR agenda is the responsibility of: Mgr. Eva Novosádová, eva.novosadova@upol.cz, tel.: 58 563 1401.
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The SIGMA – DC3 is focused on supporting projects that strengthen the social sciences, humanities, and arts (SHUV) in applied research and innovation activities and apply the outputs of these activities in the form of new or significantly improved products, procedures, processes, or services.
Sub-objective 3 supports the use of the innovative potential of SHUV and its involvement in projects that contribute to maintaining and improving the quality of human life in response to dynamic social, economic, globalization, cultural, or technological changes.
Source: tacr.gov.cz