IRC engagement with Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020 (H2020) is built around three pillars — excellent science, industrial leadership and research to tackle societal challenges.

With nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years, from 2014 to 2020, H2020 is:

• supporting the best ideas
• developing talent within Europe
• providing researchers with access to priority research infrastructure
• making Europe an attractive location for the world’s best researchers.

Ireland participated strongly in FP7 and secured €625 million worth of awards. Ireland’s H2020 strategy, published in 2014, EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014– 2020): Ireland’s Strategy and Target for Participation, set an ambitious target for the new programme: to double its financial draw down to €1.25 billion.

How we support Irish engagement with H2020

Our specific actions to support Irish engagement with H2020 include:

• Acting as joint national contact point for the European Research Council to raise awareness, advise on funding opportunities and support the preparation, submission and follow-up of grant applications > Find out more here
• Funding the Irish Marie Skłodowska-Curie Office, operated in partnership with the Irish Universities Association, to support researchers at all stages of their careers, across all disciplines and in all employment sectors > Find out more here
• Leading as national delegate and national contact point to support applications under Societal Challenge 6 ‘Innovative, Inclusive and Reflective Societies’ > Find out more here
• Developing and maintaining Irish links within European research networks and alliances, including Humanities in the European Research Area (HERA), GENDER-NET and New Opportunities for Research Funding Agency Co-operation in Europe (NORFACE).
• Preparing the Irish research community for interdisciplinary engagement with the European societal challenges by fostering creative connections across all disciplines
• Instigating a frontier research programme across all disciplines and all career stages to continue supporting the next generation of researchers to compete effectively on the global stage > Find out more here

Statement from UK Government on underwriting Horizon2020 proposals

UK Government paper on collaboration in science and innovation