Finnish Centres of Excellence

The Research Council of Finland’s Centre of Excellence Programmes are a success story in Finnish research. Centres of Excellence (CoE) are at the very cutting edge of science in their fields, carving out new avenues for research, developing creative research environments and innovations, and training new talented researchers for the Finnish research and business sectors.

The units granted CoE status by the Research Council of Finland are scientifically first-rate research communities that have capacity for renewal and high societal impact. The CoE Programmes contribute to the renewal of science by supplying new research topics, new methods and approaches, and new research teams. Thanks to the long-term funding provided in collaboration with CoE host organisations, the funding instrument effectively works as an incentive for risk-taking and new initiatives in research.

The Research Council of Finland selects CoEs based on international reviews and science policy objectives. The CoE term is eight years. In terms of the research plan, there are three primary review criteria: scientific quality, contribution to science renewal and scientific impact.

The CoEs are jointly funded by the Research Council of Finland, universities and research institutes. Funding is also made available through other sources.

Research Council of Finland to open call for Centres of Excellence 2026–2033. Read more on our website.