Gathering strength for Horizon Europe

We face enormous societal and climate challenges that require solutions. Here, research and innovation play a key role by developing scientifically substantiated knowledge and innovative solutions. But it is also about the need for multidisciplinary efforts that combine resources and competencies from different disciplines, areas of technology and areas of knowledge.

Participation is a prerequisite

Next year, Horizon Europe, the new European framework program for research and innovation, will be launched with the aim of strengthening the work of research and innovation actors for a sustainable, prosperous and just society.

Participation in Horizon Europe is an important prerequisite for fulfilling the national research policy goal of Sweden being one of the world's foremost research and innovation countries and a leading knowledge nation. High-quality research, higher education and innovation will promote the development of society, welfare and the competitiveness of business. This in turn ensures that the societal challenges we face can be handled, and then not only in Sweden but also globally.

Maximize Swedish participation

For a strong Swedish participation in Horizon Europe, it is necessary to develop strategies. They need to be based on high ambitions and objective that are set to maximize Swedish participation, but which are at the same time adapted to different actors and constellations of stakeholders. Both regions and sectors as well as groupings of different actors or individual actors need to have their own strategies.

Five ambition increases

Formas, Forte, the Swedish Space Agency, Statens Energimyndighet, the Swedish Research Council and Vinnova have, on behalf of the government, produced a proposal for a strategy for how Sweden should strengthen its participation in Horisont Europa. It is based on five ambition increases regarding Swedish participation in Horizon Europe:

1. Research quality and innovative power that will hold world class.
2. Develop the ability to meet societal challenges and the transition to sustainable development.
3. Sharing of resources and data and ensuring efficient use of resources.
4. Develop the ability for inclusive collaborations between actors in different countries, between sectors and between disciplines in the research and innovation system.
5. Greater Swedish influence on the EU's research and innovation policy and on the focus of the framework program.

A basic criterion for being able to successfully participate in research and innovation initiatives is that there are the right conditions for applying for project funding and then implementing the project. Through a stronger participation in Horizon Europe, Sweden can have an increased influence over the EU's research and innovation policy. The Commission's work with the framework program is largely dependent on various expert groups, and these are therefore important arenas for Swedish advocacy work.

A common Swedish strategy

An opportunity to shift up national initiatives can be found in the Europeiska Partnerskapen set up between the European Commission and the member states, where each partnership is based on a common research agenda. The strength of the partnership is that European and global actors from different sectors can together meet societal challenges and gather strength around an emerging area of research and innovation.

With a common Swedish strategy, we can create the conditions for participation in Horizon Europe, which strengthens Sweden as an important research and innovation nation. A participation that raises the quality of Swedish research and innovation, creates synergies and exchanges the benefits of Swedish research and innovation initiatives and that ensures that the contributions from research and innovation result in sustainable development.

The article was first published in Altinget on 19 November 2020

Take a look at the entire proposal

Read the report Gathering strength for Horisont Europa - proposal for a national strategy for stronger Swedish participation