The League of European Research Universities outlines its research and innovation priorities

News | Research
(13/06/2024)
The League of European Research Universities (LERU) has recently defined the priorities for the European Union’s next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, FP10, which will replace the current Horizon Europe in 2027. These priorities involve an “urgent” increase in investment in these two areas, among other actions that can be consulted in the LERU roadmap. 
News | Research
13/06/2024
The League of European Research Universities (LERU) has recently defined the priorities for the European Union’s next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, FP10, which will replace the current Horizon Europe in 2027. These priorities involve an “urgent” increase in investment in these two areas, among other actions that can be consulted in the LERU roadmap. 

The twenty-four member universities of the network, including the University of Barcelona, agree that the Framework Programme is an essential tool for tackling European challenges, increasing competitiveness and achieving strategic autonomy. For this reason, “it is necessary to simplify the functioning of the Framework Programme so that it can have a greater impact”. 

Inequality or climate change are threats that directly challenge European society. LERU firmly believes that research and innovation are the main pillars to continue building European progress. The network calls for a budget of 200 billion euros for the 10th Framework Programme, which would give stability to the European roadmap. 

LERU firmly believes that research and innovation are the main pillars to continue building European progress.

The main recommendations of the LERU for the elaboration of FP10 are the following: 

  • Strengthen and maintain the budget of the European Research Council (ERC Grants), the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and the European Innovation Council (EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition).  

  • Balancing the funding of basic and applied research and innovation activities, ready for commercialisation. 

  • Promote a smooth transition from research to innovation and vice versa, and amplify agility and flexibility. 

  • Apply a people-oriented approach to research and innovation. 

  • Emphasise the importance of open international collaboration and maintain research security. 

  • Emphasise the role that research infrastructures and innovation ecosystems play in the whole process. 

To stimulate the creativity and agility of collaborative and priority-oriented projects, LERU proposes a number of changes such as the introduction of research actions, open thematic calls for proposals to fund smaller projects.