ESPID Springboard Award

About this program

The European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases (ESPID) Springboard Award provides protected research-time salary support for clinician-scientists in paediatric infectious diseases transitioning toward academic independence. Awards provide up to €33,000 or 50% of full-time-equivalent annual salary, generally for up to 12 months, with up to €3,000 available for justified application-support costs. Applicants must be good-standing ESPID members, medically qualified with substantial infectious-disease research experience, completing or having completed relevant clinical training, and proposing paediatric infectious-disease research; they must also have institutional and ESPID-member mentor support and limited existing research salary funding. Applications must demonstrate strong potential for independence within two years and include an institutional support letter, mentor letter, budget, and disclosure of any AI use; applications are due 31 October 2026.