Researchers across the island of Ireland have an exciting opportunity to engage in increased cross-border collaborations on the Horizon Europe Programme, thanks to support from InterTradeIreland. This collaborative approach represents a significant opportunity for researchers across the island to tap into Horizon Europe’s vast resources, strengthening north south ties while contributing to vital research and innovation goals within the EU.
Horizon Europe is the seven-year European Union scientific research initiative running from 2021 to 2027. The EU’s flagship research and innovation funding programme boasts a total fund of €95.5 billion, available until 2027.
The key opportunities for collaboration for academia and industry include:
- Researchers have the unique chance to collaborate with their closest neighbours, benefiting from shared language, similar cultures, and strong and complementary research capabilities.
- Proximity for meetings and interaction, with ease of mobility for people and ideas.
- For industry, including SMEs, there are opportunities to access new markets, develop staff skills, and build credibility internationally.
- InterTradeIreland offers practical support to foster cross-border partnerships, including both cross-border and EU travel vouchers to facilitate collaboration across jurisdictions. See: https://intertradeireland.com/innovation/horizon-europe/travel-vouchers
A series of online workshops and match making/partner search opportunities will be held in 2025 aimed at promoting collaboration across the island. These will primarily focus on Pillar 2 calls within Horizon Europe, which focuses on Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness. Pillar 2 is primarily focused on 6 clusters or research areas, which include:
- Cluster 1: Health
- Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
- Cluster 3: Civil Security for Society
- Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space
- Cluster 5: Climate, Energy and Mobility
- Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
Gráinne Lennon, International Funding and Collaborations Broker at InterTradeIreland, said:
InterTradeIreland is dedicated to helping researchers find suitable partners where they can fully maximise opportunities available. By encouraging cross-border collaboration, we’re not only enhancing research capabilities, but also fostering innovation that addresses real-world and also global challenges. Our travel vouchers and support mechanisms are there to make this collaboration easier, and we’re excited to see how researchers will benefit from these opportunities.
Gráinne Lennon, International Funding and Collaborations Broker, InterTradeIreland
Kevin Burke, National Director for Horizon Europe at Enterprise Ireland, said:
Horizon Europe provides an excellent platform to continue the longstanding tradition of Research & Innovation collaboration across the island of Ireland. We are now building on the initial collaborative progress made in areas such as food, agriculture, biodiversity, bioeconomy, health and sustainability to further deepen and increase all-island collaborative research activities spanning all research disciplines in our Higher Education Institutes and multiple enterprise sectors. Our respective Horizon Europe National Contact Point and National Delegate teams have regular interactions with each other to maximise collaborative opportunities in Horizon Europe based on an all-island perspective.
Kevin Burke, National Director for Horizon Europe, Enterprise Ireland
Mark Lee, Director of Higher Education, Department for the Economy NI Said:
The Department for the Economy is fully committed to building momentum in cross border collaboration and boosting joint participation in Horizon Europe. The scale of opportunities available in Horizon Europe through the main pillars and missions offers mutual benefits for both jurisdictions that cannot be underestimated.
Mark Lee, Director of Higher Education, Department for the Economy NI
If you would like to express an interest in attending the online workshops in 2025, please email horizoneurope@intertradeireland.com
