Horizon 2020 (H2020), the current FP, is a source of competitive funding that promotes ‘excellence’ and ‘collaboration’ in research, while ESIF leans towards funding ‘cohesion’ by helping countries and regions upgrade their R&I capabilities. The ‘Widening participation and strengthening synergies’ final report identifies key targeted national measures to help Member States participate more and better in the FPs, and build synergies between the two funding instruments so they “don’t miss out” on opportunities to improve R&I performance. Widening participation, the report says, is now a “policy imperative”. 

Increased H2020 participation, especially by EU countries with lower than average Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD), is only one part of the formula for boosting national innovation systems and narrowing R&I performance gaps. The other part is better synergies between related activities and programmes. “It is vital that funds emanating from one EU source act synergistically with those from another,” the report stresses.

The final report offers a summary of the recommendations under several topics – each addressed individually – for which specific reports are available. Lessons learned on the subject of “widening” include measures to attract qualified staff, encourage science-business cooperation, improve cross-sector networking and skills development, and communication channels between stakeholders. Synergy lessons are grouped under the headings: “dynamic”, “strategic” and “operating”.

Policy lessons include the need to develop coherent, long-term national and regional strategies to enhance R&I system performance. The report also emphasises the importance of improved governance structures that deliberately set out communication and coordination between the Managing Authorities responsible for overseeing the implementation of ESIF-supported activities at national and regional levels and those bodies responsible for H2020-related activities.

For more information:

Read the Summary Report of the Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility Mutual Learning Exercise on National Practices in Widening Participation and Strengthening Synergies

See the Factsheet on the PSF Mutual Learning Exercise on National Practices in Widening Participation and Strengthening Synergies

Learn more about the PSF MLE on National Practices in Widening Participation and Strengthening Synergies