Joint Programming
Joint Programming is one of the Commission’s main initiatives in support of the European Research Area (ERA). It involves building a new approach with the aim of strengthening research and research funding collaboration in Europe in the interests of addressing certain specific societal challenges.
Aims
Joint Programming focuses on urgent European or global challenges that cannot be solved through national measures alone. Such key societal challenges in Europe include, for instance, population ageing, climate change or energy issues. The plan is to select the first specific areas for Joint Programming in late 2009.
The aim is to combine, strengthen and broaden existing initiatives and actions. This is not a new form of funding, but a new approach to preparing and implementing major research projects. Funding comes from pooling national resources, and may comprise input from research organisations themselves and/or research funding from research funding organisations. Each Member State is free to decide for itself which joint initiatives it would like to join in.
Benefits
Joint Programming will be beneficial in the sense that it will enable more efficient utilisation of Member States’ research expertise, research funding resources, research facilities, materials and results. The potential for sizeable entities covering broad topics in a long-term perspective will also bring added value, as will improved coordination and transnational collaboration. All this will contribute to the impact and efficiency of European research.
Present status
A High-Level Group for Joint Programming has been created with representatives from Member States, and the Finnish representatives are Professor Markku Mattila, President of the Academy of Finland, and Executive Director Riikka Heikinheimo of Tekes. The High-Level Group has been charged with identifying Joint Programming themes.
More information:
More information: Sirpa Nuotio, Academy of Finland, tel. +358(0)9 7748 8262