Europe

Horizon Europe is the EU’s research and innovation framework programme for the years 2021–2027. The programme is designed to create new growth and jobs across Europe by strengthening scientific knowledge and know-how within the EU, by supporting the development and introduction of new technologies and innovations and by tackling major societal challenges facing Europe. The programme resembles the current Horizon 2020 programme in many ways, and it is, in fact, based on the mantra of “evolution, not revolution”. 

The programme is built on three pillars.

Pillar 1: Excellent Science

Excellent Science focuses on basic research and basic research funding. The European Research Council (ERC), which funds top-level research, and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), which promote mobility, continue their work under this pillar. The first pillar also includes a research infrastructure development programme.

Pillar 2: Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness 

The second pillar consists of thematic clusters that will primarily be developed through consortium projects. The clusters are as follows:

• Health
• Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
• Civil Security for Society
• Digital, Industry and Space
• Climate, Energy and Mobility
• Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment.

Pillar 3: Innovative Europe

Innovative Europe strives to turn science into European innovations. The pillar includes one of the framework programme’s new features, the European Innovation Council (EIC). The EIC is a system developed primarily for small and medium-sized European businesses with the aim of accelerating the adoption of breakthrough innovations by fast-growing SMEs. The pillar also supports the development of European innovation ecosystems.

Overview of the framework programme

The framework programme also features a system for strengthening the European Research Area (ERA). These actions are designed, among other things, to promote research in the framework programme’s least competitive countries.

Horizon Europe introduces a new approach to research and innovation. Pillar 2 incorporates mission-based research to bring science closer to the public and to overcome major global challenges.

The mission areas have already been identified, and they are as follows:

• adaptation to climate change including societal transformation
• cancer
• healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters
• climate-neutral and smart cities
• soil health and food.

The details of the missions themselves will be agreed as planning progresses. Each of the missions has its own dedicated mission board consisting of representatives of the scientific community, businesses and civil society, which plays a key role in planning the mission. 

European Partnerships will also continue under the new framework programme. The programme features co-programmed, co-funded and institutionalised partnerships. 

Partnership projects relating to Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) will be split up under the new framework programme. FET Flagships will become cluster-based and fall under Pillar 2. FET Open and FET Proactive actions will be coordinated by the EIC as part of the framework programme’s third pillar.

One of the most important new features of Horizon Europe, the EU’s framework programme for research and innovation (2021–2027), are research and innovation partnerships between European funding agencies. The Commission’s aim is to build a simpler, more strategic partnership portfolio based on longer-term planning. The new research and innovation partnerships are hoped to have a bigger impact and produce results that are easier for policymakers to leverage. Another goal is to increase synergy between EU policies and various EU programmes. The partnerships will be partially funded through national sources and partially through existing EU programmes. 

The strategic Horizon Europe framework programming document included 49 candidates for partnerships that are designed to build on the current ERA-Nets, Joint Programming and European Joint Programme networks and incorporate more scientific disciplines. Member States’ relevant government departments, private-sector operators, non-governmental organisations and key operators in other sectors are also encouraged to get actively involved in the partnerships. The new partnerships are due to be launched in two waves (2021–2022 and 2023–2024) as part of the first Work Programmes for Horizon Europe. The first new partnership calls are expected to open to researchers towards the end of 2021.  

There are three types of partnerships: institutionalised, co-programmed and co-funded. Co-funded partnerships will largely replace and/or merge existing networks in which the Academy of Finland has played an active part. Some of the current networks are also likely to continue operating alongside the new partnerships. The Academy of Finland will participate in certain co-funded partnerships and the associated research funding calls. More information will be published later in 2020 as planning progresses and the Commission’s timelines for the partnerships are confirmed. 

More information

• ERA-LEARN 2020 website
• Partnerships under the Horizon Europe framework programme 

Horizon 2020 is the EU’s funding programme for research and innovation. The programme is designed to create new growth and jobs across Europe by strengthening scientific knowledge and know-how within the EU, by supporting the development and introduction of new technologies and innovations and by tackling major societal challenges facing Europe. The Horizon 2020 budget amounts to approximately EUR 80 billion and covers the years 2014–2020.

Horizon 2020 provides opportunities for a wide range of operators. The programme is open to universities, research centres, businesses, individual researchers and all other organisations that carry out or rely on research in their operations, such as unions and local authorities. The programme is mostly designed for funding international research and innovation collaborations, but ideas put forward by individual researchers can also be considered. The European Commission invites experts from different fields to review project proposals submitted during each call, and only the best proposals are funded.

The Academy of Finland acts as Finland’s National Contact Point (NCP) for Horizon 2020 together with Business Finland. The programme committee and NCP responsibilities are divided between the Academy and Business Finland.

The Academy has the main responsibility for Horizon 2020 Pillar 1, Excellent Science, which includes the European Research Council (ERC), Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA), Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) and research infrastructures. Under Pillar 3, Societal Challenges, the Academy is also responsible for SC 1, Health, Demographic Change & Wellbeing, and SC 6, Inclusive, Innovative & Reflective Societies. Academic science advisers are also active in NCP and expert roles in other parts of the Horizon programme. 

In Finland, communication on EU framework programmes has been concentrated to the website of the Finnish EU Research and Innovation Programmes office (EUTI).

More information

• EUTI’s Horizon 2020 website
• European Commission’s Horizon 2020 website
• Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
• CORDIS – EU research results
• EU funding & tender opportunities
• Horizon Dashboard
• Strategic Research Council’s EU matching funds

ERA-NETs (European Research Area Networks) bring together national research programmes and funding agencies to provide a mechanism for promoting European cooperation in the implementation of framework programmes for research and technology. ERA-NETs help to connect national or regional programmes, support cooperation and coordination between national and regional research programmes, increase the systematic exchange of information among programmes and chart obstacles to cooperation.

ERA-NETs organise multinational calls for joint research projects in fields chosen by the members of each network. During the Sixth and Seventh Framework Programmes, the European Commission reimbursed national research funding agencies for the costs incurred from coordinating and managing ERA-NETs. The Commission’s ERA-NET Plus funding during the Seventh Framework Programme was pooled with funding from the members of ERA-NETs to finance research projects. Horizon 2020 comes with a scheme called ERA-NET Cofund for co-financing both research projects and the networks’ own activities.

ERA-NET partners can choose whether or not to participate in individual joint calls. Once the Commission’s funding comes to an end, ERA-NETs can function as independent (funding) networks or contribute to Joint Programming.

The Academy of Finland has been actively involved in various ERA-NET initiatives and coordinated actions that tie in with the Academy’s work in Finland. During the 2014–2019 Horizon 2020 programming period, the Academy contributed a total of approximately EUR 32 million towards Finnish research teams’ work in ERA-NETs, Joint Programming and European Joint Programme project consortia.

Other EU partnership networks

The EU’s framework programmes for research also contribute to funding agencies’ other partnership networks established to promote European cooperation in certain fields or, for example, to identify best co-financing practices (e.g. ERA-LEARN). During the Horizon 2020 programming period, these networks are being financed through so-called Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs). This form of funding can also be used to support Joint Programming initiatives or to help funding agencies to establish new partnership networks.

The Academy of Finland currently funds the following ERA-NETs and other EU partnership networks:

• AquaticPollutants
• BiodivERsA
• CHIST-ERA
• EJP RD
• ELSA
• ERA-LEARN
• ERA PerMed
• EU-CELAC-Platform
• ERA-NET RUS
• HERA
• IC4Water
• LEAP-Agri
• NORFACE
• Quant-ERA
• Trans-Atlantic Platform
• WaterWorks2017

More information

• Contact details for network coordinators can be found on each network’s website.
• See open calls

Our email addresses are in the format firstname.lastname(at)aka.fi. 

Joint Programming is an European approach to planning and implementing complex research projects in a few key areas. The objective is to tackle common European or global challenges that cannot be overcome by individual nations alone. Joint Programming enables a more coordinated approach by pooling together national resources such as operators, research organisation’s investments and/or funding agencies’ research grants.

Ultimately, the approach is hoped to help countries to use their scientific capital, financial resources, research infrastructure, data and results more effectively. Added value comes from the potential for large-scale and long-term interdisciplinary initiatives and better coordination and cooperation between the participating countries.

A total of ten Joint Programming Initiatives (JPIs) have been launched to date. Finland participates in eight of these. The Academy of Finland is one of the coordinators of the Water JPI. The Academy’s representatives also contribute to the administration or national support groups of other initiatives.

• Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND)
• Agriculture, food security and climate change (FACCE JPI)
• More years, better lives (JPI MYBL)
• Connecting Climate Knowledge for Europe (JPI Climate)
• Urban Europe: global changes – local solutions (JPI UE)
• Water challenges (Water JPI)
• Antimicrobials resistance (JPI AMR)
• See open calls

BONUS is a joint Baltic Sea research and development programme established between Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. The programme provides a framework for cooperation between the participating countries through joint funding calls.

Five calls have been organised so far: Viable Ecosystems 2012, Innovation 2012, Sustainable Ecosystem Services 2014, Blue Baltic 2015 and Synthesis 2017. The programme has provided a total of approximately EUR 80 million in funding to 48 project consortia. Finnish participants have received more than EUR 13 million.

BANOS CSA (Baltic and North Sea Coordination and Support Action) is a project aimed at formulating a research and innovation strategy for the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. The BANOS CSA receives funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, and it is due to run until the spring of 2021. The project is coordinated by the BONUS Secretariat. The Academy of Finland has permanent observer status in the BANOS CSA. The Academy’s permanent observer status gives Finland and Finns a good opportunity to influence the strategy and therefore the themes of calls for research and innovation proposals under the new framework programme (Horizon Europe) and, most importantly, the new European Partnership, “A climate neutral, sustainable and productive Blue Economy”.

More information

• Website of the BONUS programme
• Website of the BANOS CSA
• European Partnerships on the ERA-LEARN website
• Jaana Lehtimäki, Senior Science Adviser, tel. +358 295 335 060

Our email addresses are in the format firstname.lastname(at)aka.fi.

The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) is a partnership programme between countries in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa and the European Union. EDCTP primarily aims to support collaborative research that accelerates the clinical development of new or improved drugs, vaccines and diagnostics to prevent or treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected infectious diseases. Research will be supported over a period of ten years (2014–2024) with a total of nearly 1.4 billion euros. Half of the funding comes from Horizon 2020 and half from the participating countries. As full member, the Academy of Finland contributes to the programme through the funding scheme for development research. Finnish researchers can also apply for funding directly from EDCTP funding calls.

More information

• Link to EDCTP website
• EDCTP programme and contributions of Academy of Finland (pdf)
• Sirpa Nuotio, Senior Science Adviser, tel. +358 295 335 082

Our email addresses are in the format firstname.lastname(at)aka.fi.

The European University Institute (EUI) runs annual calls for doctoral programmes. The institute is based in Florence, and it provides researcher training in the fields of History and Civilization, Economics, Law, and Political and Social Sciences.

The EUI’s Doctoral Programme is four years long. The course is primarily taught in English. The postgraduate students chosen for the programme are expected to write their doctoral dissertation during the course. The EUI is particularly driven to promote international and comparative research, but dissertations do not need to focus exclusively on European history or society. The EUI gives postgraduate students an opportunity to work in an international, multidisciplinary scientific community. Approximately 160 new postgraduate students are admitted to the EUI each year. Finnish universities aim to secure places for between three and five postgraduate students. The Academy of Finland supports Finnish postgraduate students at the EUI by means of scholarships worth EUR 1,925 per month (EUR 2,325 if the student has underage children).

The EUI can also accept a few Academy Research Fellows and Postdoctoral Researchers funded by the Academy of Finland to do research work at the EUI for one or two years at a time. Places at the EUI can be applied for in connection with Academy Research Fellow and Postdoctoral Researcher funding. Applicants are advised to familiarise themselves with the EUI’s research in advance and to contact the Academy of Finland’s EUI coordinator.

More information

• Website of the European University Institute
• Heikki Koskinen, Science Adviser, tel. +358 295 335 047

Our email addresses are in the format firstname.lastname(at)aka.fi.

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is an organisation dedicated to connecting different scientific disciplines across Europe.

COST Actions are initiated on subjects proposed by researchers. COST Actions are especially designed to promote network-based cooperation between young researchers and new research teams in new fields of science and technology. For example, research communities have been able to use COST Actions to set up European consortia for Horizon 2020 projects. Although the actions are Europe-centric, the networks are open to research teams from anywhere in the world.

COST Actions are coordinated by representatives of the countries that have joined the organisation. The COST Office also helps with project management. Cooperation in connection with COST Actions is funded through the EU Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (Horizon 2020).

More information

• COST website
• COST Actions on Business Finland’s website
• Tuula Aarnio, Programme Manager, tel. +358 295 335 146

Our email addresses are in the format firstname.lastname(at)aka.fi.

The Academy of Finland has a funding partnership agreement with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

DAAD collaboration extends to all scientific disciplines. The partnership facilitates mobility in the context of joint projects between Finnish and German researchers. The mobility funding is designed to cover Finnish research teams’ travel and living expenses in Germany. To qualify for funding, projects must have both a Finnish and a German coordinator, each of whom needs to file an application with their local funding agency. The Academy’s calls are published in September, but the application period for DAAD may be different. Funding can be sought for two years at a time.

More information

• DAAD’s website
• DAAD Evaluation Form
• Ulla Ellmén, Science Adviser, tel. +358 295 335 011

Our email addresses are in the format firstname.lastname(at)aka.fi.

Science Europe is an association of European research and funding organisations that play key roles in their respective national research systems. Science Europe was founded in 2011, and it is headquartered in Brussels.

Science Europe helps its members to pursue shared goals in order to strengthen the European Research Area by, for example, conducting studies and surveys relating to European science and research partnerships together with its members. Science Europe does not provide research funding. The Academy of Finland is a member of Science Europe.

Science Europe and the American National Science Foundation (NSF) have established a global partnership forum called the Global Research Council, which convenes annually to discuss the latest developments.

More information

• Science Europe website
• Johanna Hakala, Manager, International Affairs, tel. +358 295 335 147

Our email addresses are in the format firstname.lastname(at)aka.fi.