HORIZON BLOG: European R&D policy newsbytes

The European University Association (EUA) and the Inspireurope+ consortium are calling on the EU to commit to supporting researchers at risk in their updated recommendations this year. 

“More researchers than ever are being forced to leave their countries against this backdrop of violent attacks, wrongful prosecutions, legislative and administrative actions restricting academic freedom, and other severe pressures,” their report reads. “Protection programmes can support these researchers to regain the intellectual space they need to continue their work.” 

Their recommendations include establishing a permanent European fellowship scheme for researchers at risk, facilitating their access to existing European funding programmes, including by enhancing visa pathways, creating national support programmes, and expand opportunities beyond academia. 

Read the full report here.

The European Commission has published a joint communication with India, laying out plans to deepen technology cooperation and launch a potential start-up partnership, while also inviting India to associate to Horizon Europe. 

“Now is the time to focus on reliable partners and double down on partnerships rooted in shared interests and guided by common values,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. 

More details here.

EIT Digital, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Hellenic Centre for Defence Innovation in efforts to help Greek start-ups access dual-use technologies. 

The deal will establish a framework for collaboration to speed up the growth of Greece’s innovation ecosystem and facilitate its integration into European and global markets. 

“By linking Greece’s entrepreneurial talent to EIT Digital’s EU-wide network, we can accelerate growth, attract international investment, and ensure that local breakthroughs contribute to Europe’s digital leadership and technological sovereignty,” said Federico Menna, CEO of EIT Digital. 

Read the full statement here. 

MSCA4Ukraine, an initiative funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) to support displaced researchers from Ukraine, has received 22 applications to its 2025 call, for which the European Commission has dedicated an additional €10 million. 

So far, the scheme has supported 173 of them with a budget of €35 million. With this new funding, an organisation or a consortium will be able to select and offer doctoral and postdoctoral researchers from Ukraine to pursue their work in the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe. 

“Fellows will benefit from favourable working conditions, high-quality supervision, training and career development opportunities, [and] family allowances and special needs support where applicable,” the MSCA statement reads. 

The call for researchers is set to open in the first half of 2026.  

More details here. 

In a newly adopted resolution, the European Parliament bemoans “the lack of research and innovation pillars within the [European university] alliances” which risks undermining cooperation between universities and suggests “a new vision” for the alliances. 

The Parliament calls on the European Commission to provide tailored solutions to support the development of the alliances as well as ensure coordinated, sustainable and predictable funding. It also hopes to see member states commit to co-financing them through national budgets. 

The report was adopted with 461 votes in favour and 100 against. 

More details here. 

France’s top university has decided that as of 2026, it would no longer submit data to the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, as European universities are taking steps towards a broader reform of research assessment.  

According to Nathalie Drach-Temam, president of Sorbonne University, the data used to assess the performance of universities is not open or transparent. “The reproducibility of the results produced cannot be guaranteed,” she said. “Furthermore, the indicators used to calculate an institution’s overall score struggle to convey the diversity and multidimensional impact of the work universities carry out, preferring criteria based on reputation and prestige rather than the long-term benefits of basic research, student success and the social and societal impact of a university’s research and education activities.” 

The University also said that it had decided to unsubscribe from the Web of Science citation database as well in order “to refocus its attention on free, open and participative infrastructures like OpenAlex.” 

Read the full statement here.

The European Commission has launched a new strategy on research and technology infrastructures in an effort to enable scientists, innovators and industry to have smoother access to labs and testing facilities. 

“An ambitious and coordinated European approach to research and technology infrastructures is crucial for us to remain a global leader in excellent science and in technology innovation,” research commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva said in a statement. 

More details here. 

Ekaterina Zaharieva and Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the EU commissioners for research and innovation and sustainable transport, respectively, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to speed up automotive research and innovation at the EU level.  

The MoU will combine the 2Zero Partnership, which focuses on zero-emission road transport, the CCAM Partnership, which stands for Connected, Cooperative, and Automated Mobility, and the BATT4EU Partnership, which looks at the battery value chain. 

More details here. 

On September 17, Masaryk University will bring together researchers, policymakers, universities and funding institutions to discuss the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine’s research and higher education sector. 

“Masaryk University [. . .] has stood by the embattled Ukraine since the very first days of the Russian aggression, and our commitment to this support will continue,” said Petr Suchý, Masaryk University’s vice-rector for internationalisation and external relations. “We are now putting the same energy into cooperation that will help to renew and modernise the Ukrainian science, research and education sectors.” 

More details here.

The HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network has entered a collaboration with the Center for International Studies (CIS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in efforts to connect MIT faculty and students with Hungarian researchers through joint research projects. 

“With the MIT–Hungary HUN-REN Seed Fund, we are investing in new international collaborations at their earliest stage. Our goal is to spark connections that can grow into long-term, large-scale research partnerships between MIT and Hungary–advancing science and innovation on both sides,” said Justin Leahey, assistant director for Global Seed Funds at CIS. 

The MIT-Hungary HUN‑REN Seed Fund is part of the MIT Global Seed Funds programme at CIS. It offers up to $25,000 per project to support bilateral travel, workshops and collaborative meetings.  

More details here.