Imperial College London has unveiled the Horizon Europe Connect Fund, a new initiative aimed at strengthening support for its academics in applying for and securing grants from the esteemed Horizon Europe funding programme.
Professor Mary Ryan, Vice-Provost for Research and Enterprise, highlighted the fund's potential impact:
"This fund will empower our scientists to explore exciting new partnerships, develop their ideas, and lay the groundwork for the next significant scientific discoveries."
Horizon Europe is the world's largest research and innovation funding programme, with its current grant scheme running until 2027. Imperial has been a leading UK recipient of this funding and was ranked as the 8th most successful higher education institution across Europe under its predecessor, Horizon 2020.
Objectives of the Horizon Europe Connect Fund
The fund is designed to:
- Support the development of high-quality proposals for Horizon Europe.
- Identify potential European partners for joint research projects.
- Assist early career researchers in building and expanding their European networks for future collaborations.
Professor Ryan emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts:
"Some of the most groundbreaking scientific research projects are being realized through the collaborative programmes facilitated by Horizon Europe. In the upcoming years, our researchers have the opportunity to leverage the programme's substantial benefits—and for those at the beginning of their careers, it's a chance to broaden their European networks."
Funding Details and Opportunities
Grants of up to £10,000 are available and can be used for:
- Facilitating visits to and from potential collaborators.
- Conducting capability-mapping to target specific Horizon Europe programmes.
- Organizing networking events and workshops to forge new connections or strengthen existing European collaborations.
Significantly, up to half of the funding through this new programme is earmarked to support early career researchers.
Open Call Across All Horizon Europe Pillars
The call for applications is open to all three pillars of Horizon Europe:
- Excellent Science (Pillar 1)
- Global Challenges and Industrial Competitiveness (Pillar 2)
- Innovative Europe (Pillar 3)
With the UK now fully associated with Horizon Europe, Imperial researchers can participate in and lead projects across the entire programme. Recently, Imperial secured major funding for projects in areas such as climate and weather, carbon capture, and Alzheimer’s healthcare.
Get Involved
For those interested in exploring opportunities within Horizon Europe, please reach out to the Research Office and the Enterprise Research Impact Management Office for more information and guidance.
By launching the Horizon Europe Connect Fund, Imperial College London reaffirms its commitment to fostering innovation, supporting its academic community, and strengthening international research collaborations that have the potential to drive significant scientific advancements.