Ambitious target set for Horizon 2020 funding

Late last year, more than 2,200 people gathered in the Convention Centre in Dublin for the national launch of the Horizon 2020 programme, which will invest more than €79 billion in research and innovation between 2014 and 2020. This is a 30 per cent increase over its predecessor, Framework Programme 7. However, given reductions in national investment across Europe, this will not necessarily lead to higher success rates. The Horizon 2020 programme will be fiercely competitive.

Researchers in Ireland were successful in achieving the national target of €600 million in funding from FP7. Ireland's average contribution to the EU budget over the period 2014-20 will be about 1.2 per cent. On that basis a return of €953 million would be required to break even with Ireland's estimated contribution to the EU's overall budget. However, the Government has set its eyes on a far more ambitious target of €1.25 billion in its publication on Horizon 2020, Ireland's Strategy and Target for Participation.

The Irish universities, in partnership with the private sector, have been the most successful participants in FP7, and their involvement is essential for Ireland to reach the national target. As part of their commitment to competing for these funds, the Irish universities' action plan, Horizon 2020: Sustaining Excellence in University Research and Innovation, was launched by Minister of State for Research and Innovation Sean Sherlock. This action plan, led by the vice-presidents and deans of research in the seven universities, sets out their position on the Horizon 2020 proposals and makes a series of recommendations to enhance the performance of Irish universities. This is the first time the universities have prepared such a plan, and it is a testament to the importance of European research funding.

The universities will attract excellent people and target those with high potential who are already here for European Research Council funding. There is a danger that the ERC may be seen by some as a means to plug any gaps in national funding. However, it must be kept in mind that EU funding is designed to bring added value, and cannot be a substitute for national funding. Attracting ERC researchers to Ireland in areas that are not supported nationally will be a
non-runner, for example.

Commercialisation opportunities
The universities will support academics across the humanities and social sciences to engage with this programme. There has always been the impression that the Framework Programmes give cold comfort to the humanities and social sciences; not so in Horizon 2020. These disciplines are well-covered under the heading of Excellent Science and Societal Challenges. For example, the first calls for the latter include themes on European cultural heritage, ethical factors affecting security and new ideas for overcoming the economic crisis.

The universities will establish partnerships with industry representative associations to seek out collaborations with the private sector. They will focus on commercialisation opportunities using the national technology transfer infrastructure that has been strengthened by the establishment of the Central Technology Transfer Office.

During FP7, 89 successful North-South projects secured funding of more than €80 million. There is a real opportunity to grow cross-Border co-operation in Horizon 2020. The universities will work with Queen's University Belfast and the University of Ulster, companies in Northern Ireland, InterTrade Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland to develop more collaborative ventures.

Ireland has moved from a very low base of research activity in the early 1980s to rank with the best in the world. What is not well-known is that the major growth period of research excellence was from 1987 to 2000. This is counterintuitive, as one would expect that this occurred during the period of intense national investment after 1998.

This growth was due to clever investment of structural funds coupled with high success in Framework Programmes 2, 3 and 4. Although the amount of European Structural and Investment Funds is now much lower, the universities are keen to take advantage of opportunities to harness the synergies between these and Horizon 2020.

Horizon 2020 is a real opportunity to maintain and grow this strength; the universities’ action plan will underpin this endeavour.

Conor O'Carroll is research director in the Irish Universities Association, iua.ie