"Horizon Europe Policy Support Facility" Newsletter Issues

Denmark’s mission to build a world-leading innovation system (07/02/2019)

Denmark is a trendsetter: from furniture design, to urban cycling and the growing international popularity of ‘hygge’. The country is an ‘innovation leader’ according to the European Innovation Scoreboard, and has an admirable track record in research and innovation (R&I). The Danish government is now keen to see its knowledge-based innovation system rank among the global elite.

Stimulating science-business links: lessons from the Policy Support Facility (10/04/2019)

Science-business links (SBL) are an important element of research and innovation (R&I) policies in many countries and are high on the policy agenda of those trying to catch up with the EU’s innovation leaders. A new article brings together evidence and experience from EU countries and beyond about how and when science-business links (SBL) can be used to support policy development.

Bringing business to the lab: science-business links in Cyprus (21/03/2019)

Helping scientists and entrepreneurs to work together is a key way of encouraging innovation. Many countries try to facilitate this and Cyprus is no exception – in fact the country is looking to boost such efforts. A new Policy Support Facility panel of experts is exploring ways of optimising the use of public research infrastructures in Cyprus by businesses.

Montenegro is keen to grow its entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem (22/03/2019)

Over a period of 15 years, Montenegro has established democratic institutions, built good relations with its neighbours and embarked on a process of accession to the European Union. The government is now developing regulations, policies and funding schemes to foster and internationalise the country’s nascent entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. Montenegro called on the Policy Support Facility (PSF) for support in this – and the PSF panel presented their policy messages and recommendations on 25 March in Podgorica.

Mutual learning at the heart of R&I international cooperation (09/04/2019)

National experts from 15 countries met in Brussels to kick off a wide-reaching mutual learning exercise (MLE) aimed at developing national strategies and roadmaps for future international cooperation in research and innovation (R&I). The meeting sets the scope and lays down an initial programme of topics to be addressed in the course of the one-year project which involves a series of country visits.

What is the H2020 Policy Support Facility? Watch our new video (15/04/2019)

Find out in this video how the H2020 PSF helps EU Member States and countries associated to H2020 with practical advice on how to enhance the quality of their research and innovation investments, policies and systems.

Participation and synergies, a ‘policy imperative’ for H2020 and ESIF (12/12/2018)

A new PSF report looks at ways to widen participation in, and strengthen synergies between, the EU Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation (FP) and European Structural Investment Funds (ESIF) – both being key financial instruments for research and innovation (R&I) in the EU. The report results from a PSF Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) where 12 countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Spain and Turkey) were actively involved and identified lessons learned and strategies to boost national innovation systems and R&I performance.

Promoting integrity for excellent science and enhancing societal trust in research (04/12/2018)

Public trust in science largely depends on the integrity and transparency of scientific research, as does the excellence of research itself and the reliability of its results. In order to promote a strong culture of research integrity in Europe, and ensure excellent science, 14 countries have just launched a new mutual learning initiative under the Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility.

Open science … the bigger picture (14/12/2018)

On 21 November, the Open Science Conference 2018, organised back-to-back by the Belgian authorities and European Commission, reflected upon the Belgian and European Open Science landscapes; the challenges and opportunities, including incentives, skills and rewards– based on the findings of the PSF Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) on Open Science.

Innovation and public procurement, valuable lessons (14/12/2018)

A new report provides a snapshot of key ‘innovation procurement’ lessons from a Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) carried out by experts brought together by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility. Presented at the Austrian Presidency conference Ecovation 2018 in Vienna, Austria, on 26 November, the report on ‘Innovation-related Procurement’ offers insights, good practices and policy recommendations to strengthen professionalism in this important field, and, more broadly, to promote investment in innovation.

Evaluation of business R&D grant schemes: new challenges, new opportunities (28/09/2018)

Grants and loans play a vital role in public innovation policy, prompting businesses to spend more on R&D and helping them overcome barriers to innovation such as risk aversion and market failures. The Policy Support Facility (PSF) Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) on Evaluation of Business R&D Grant Schemes presented its main findings, lessons learned and reflections on the way forward at an event in Brussels on 19 September 2018. The final report covers behavioural change, new mixed-method approaches and the opportunities of big data.

Integrating and internationalising Slovenian research and innovation (12/12/2018)

PSF experts have recommended how to better integrate the Slovenian research and innovation system – by building up links between academia and business – and strengthen its links with the European and global research system.

What is the Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility? (04/07/2018)

When countries want to upgrade their research and innovation (R&I) systems, they can turn to the Policy Support Facility (PSF). The PSF provides expertise on demand, reviewing national R&I systems, offering recommendations and guidance in implementing reforms, or bringing countries together to exchange knowledge and good practice.

Keeping Estonia ahead of the curve (25/11/2018)

Estonia is home to unspoilt nature, an historic capital, the inventors of the code behind Skype and also an increasingly successful start-up culture and e-government initiatives. With the launch on 20 October of a new PSF Peer Review of its research and innovation (R&I) system, Estonia has signalled its intention to stay ahead of the innovation curve.

Malta plans ahead to boost its R&I performance (04/12/2018)

The Maltese government has called on the Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility (PSF) for helping to boost its research and innovation (R&I) system's performance. The PSF peer review will inform the design of Malta’s 2020 National R&I Strategy.

Towards Open Science – mutual learning for systemic change (20/06/2018)

Small fixes are not enough to reach Open Science’s full potential. The results of a 13-country mutual learning exercise (MLE) on Open Science are now available in a detailed report including a roadmap, good practice examples and lessons learned on how to improve access to – and use of – research across Europe and beyond.

A toolkit for performance-based research funding (29/06/2018)

More countries are adopting Performance-based Research Funding Systems (PRFS) to improve their research and innovation systems. A Horizon 2020 PSF Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) brought together practice and experience with this relatively new policy instrument from around Europe and beyond, providing a platform for an extensive discussion on the challenges related to the design and role of PRFS. The work delivered a comprehensive report full of insights on the different policy options, and recommendations for optimal PRFS design.

Lessons learned from the PSF for performance-based research funding (29/06/2018)

Projects conducted under H2020 Policy Support Facility (PSF) are building a growing knowledge base covering the latest trends, lessons learned and good practices in research and innovation policy. A new article brings together evidence and experiences from EU countries and beyond about how and when performance-based research funding systems (PRFS) can be used to support policy development.

Prioritisation, selectivity of funding and science-business links: how to improve Georgia’s research and innovation system (28/06/2018)

The final report of the PSF Specific Support to Georgia was presented to representatives of the government, national research and innovation agencies, universities and research organisations, in Tbilisi on 14 June 2018. The report’s policy messages are summarised around four groups of issues which Georgia needs to address over time: Coordination, Concentration, Collaboration and Coherence.

Support for start-ups in Montenegro (02/07/2018)

On 21 June 2018, the Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility (PSF) Specific Support to Montenegro kick started in Brussels, Belgium. The Montenegrin government has asked for policy advice in building a friendlier environment and a supportive ecosystem for start-up enterprises in the country.

Fair, transparent, simple and low-cost: funding reforms to improve Bulgarian research (22/05/2018)

Bulgaria’s research and innovation landscape urgently needs reform to reduce fragmentation, increase funding and improve international competitiveness, according to a new PSF expert report. This can prepare the ground for an integrated, fair and transparent system for relating research funding to performance.

PSF 2.0 – taking stock and building European R&I reform for the future (29/01/2018)

The Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility (PSF) has successfully promoted reforms that enhance the impact of research and innovation (R&I) investments, systems and policies, and should maintain its best features as it evolves into a platform for sustained policy learning and understanding. These were the conclusions of a recent European Commission seminar on policy support for the reform of national R&I systems.

Growing Romania’s entrepreneurship scene into a start-up ecosystem (19/03/2018)

Trust, predictability and transparency are essential to a well-functioning innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Romania has a great opportunity to build on its strengths in innovation and entrepreneurship in order to develop such an ecosystem, according to a new PSF expert report.

Tunisia at the crossroads: how to boost research and innovation? (16/03/2018)

At the crossroads of the Atlas Mountains, Sahara Desert and Mediterranean Sea, Tunisia is a land of rich diversity, history, beauty and untapped potential. Keen to add another superlative to this list, Tunisia has set out in March 2018 to boost its research and innovation (R&I) system with the help of a PSF expert panel. Chaired by Philippe Busquin, former European Commissioner for Research, the experts’ fact-finding missions will build a detailed picture of how the R&I system works, with a specific focus on research-industry collaboration and the design of national research priorities.

Internationalisation to strengthen countries’ global science role (20/02/2018)

Attracting and nurturing the talent to drive innovation and get global attention takes a long-term commitment to major reforms across the research and innovation landscape, say experts reporting on the Polish higher education and science system.

The Policy Support Facility at a glance (29/03/2017)

When countries want to upgrade their research and innovation (R&I) systems, they can turn to the Policy Support Facility (PSF). The PSF provides expertise on demand, reviewing national R&I systems, offering recommendations and guidance in implementing reforms, or bringing countries together to exchange knowledge and good practice.

New ways to work together: en route to boosting participation and synergies in EU research (05/12/2017)

How to get the best out of EU research and innovation programmes? This is a key question for many countries that still do not reach their potential in accessing and making best use of all EU funding available to support research and innovation. A new Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) on National Practices in Widening Participation and Strengthening Synergies, launched in October 2017, is already well advanced in its work to bring countries together, support new actors in joining the EU research programmes and find synergies with EU regional funding.

Turning Latvia’s research and innovation ambition into a long-term strategy (21/03/2018)

A decade of stagnant public research spending and disjointed national response to global forces left Latvia lagging behind EU averages on key R&D metrics. PSF experts have recommended changes to the country's governance, policies and practices to drive innovation, economic development and growth.

Lithuania: experts recommend a package of reforms to upgrade Lithuania's research and innovation ecosystem (11/10/2017)

Vilnius, 12 October 2017 - A team of independent experts, set up under the European Commission's Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility, has presented policy recommendations to the Lithuanian government, aimed at upgrading Lithuania’s research and innovation (R&I) ecosystem. The recommendations focus on strengthening research and innovation partnerships, boosting science-business cooperation and attracting innovative Foreign Direct Investment.

Georgia on their mind – experts kick off support to reforms to raise impact of science and entrepreneurship (19/10/2017)

Georgia is already known for mountains, good food and wine, but soon it could be known for its science and entrepreneurship too. On 5 October, a PSF expert team launched their tailor-made review of Georgian research and innovation policy in Brussels – looking at how to prioritise research fields where Georgia has most capacity or potential, narrowing the gap between research and business, and funding research based on performance.

How can national research programmes work better together? (19/10/2017)

Teamwork is essential to science and research; scientists work together in the lab, universities and institutes work together in collaborative projects, and countries increasingly work together by aligning and launching joint research programmes. A PSF Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) brought research ministries and agencies together from 12 countries to work on how to improve this – resulting in good practice examples and case studies, a self-assessment tool for any country to identify potential improvements, and a commitment by all to meet again in one year to discuss progress and next steps.

Welcome to the Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility newsletter (06/09/2017)

Dear Reader, As Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation I want to support countries to increase their impact – scientific, technological, economic and societal – from their spending on research. Many Member States know that they need to reform the way they do research and innovation. But this requires expertise and a clear diagnosis of the challenges ahead, as well as persistence and political courage. This is where the Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility (PSF) plays a vital role.

Expert panel calls for clear-cut reforms in Poland to unleash the full potential of its higher education and science system (19/09/2017)

On 13 September 2017, after nine months of work, a dedicated Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility (PSF) Peer Review panel presented its final report and recommendations in Warsaw on how to reform Poland's higher education and science system to improve quality and impact.

Slovakia: Reforming the business environment to boost entrepreneurship (09/06/2017)

In recent years, a small but fully fledged startup ecosystem has started to emerge in Slovakia; this entrepreneurial sector can contribute significantly to the modernisation of the country’s economy, becoming more competitive and innovation-driven; but it must be nurtured by supporting investors and reforming the business environment: these are the findings of a panel of international experts asked to advise the Slovak government under the Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility (PSF).

No time to waste in Ukraine's road to boost science (09/06/2017)

Ukraine has put in place a wide-ranging legal framework to govern the development of its science and innovation system, but must move from theory to action, and faces tough implementation challenges, according to an international Peer Review carried out in the second half of 2016.

How to evaluate R&D grants to businesses? A new Mutual Learning Exercise looks at big data & behavioural change (11/07/2017)

In recent years, some European countries have invested in the data infrastructures needed to evaluate the results and effectiveness of R&D grants awarded to businesses. A new Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE), organised by the Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility (PSF), sets out to consider a variety of approaches – sophisticated quantitative methods, qualitative, behavioural aspects and holistic systems analysis – and their applicability to other countries.

Sharing lessons learned on aligning national research programmes (20/09/2017)

On 28 June in Brussels, eleven months’ work in the Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) on Alignment and Interoperability of Research Programmes culminated in presentations of the findings and lessons-learned to an audience from across the EU. Results include a final report featuring good practices and case studies, a self-assessment tool that can be used by any country to identify potential improvements, and a commitment by all participating countries to meet again in one year to compare progress and identify next steps.