Türkiye achieved the highest rate of newcomer participation in Horizon Europe. This milestone underscores Türkiye’s continued efforts to foster greater inclusivity and participation in EU-funded research and innovation activities.
A monitoring and evaluation report titled “Country Participation in the EU R&I Framework Programmes: A Retrospective on the First Three Years of Horizon Europe (2021-2023)”, prepared by the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG Research), has highlighted Türkiye’s remarkable success in the Horizon Europe Programme. As the National Coordinating Body for the Framework Programmes in Türkiye, TÜBİTAK is both pleased and proud to share these outstanding results.
Horizon Europe Report: Growth and Inclusivity in Research
The report evaluates Horizon Europe’s reach, revealing that it attracts over 23,000 distinct legal entities annually, marking a slight increase compared to Horizon 2020. It emphasizes the growing differences in research and innovation (R&I) performance across EU Member States, which is reflected in their participation levels in the Horizon Europe Programme. The report highlights a strong correlation between a country’s R&I potential measured by factors like R&D expenditure and scientific workforce, and its success in the programme. Notably, Widening Member States have shown significant progress, with a 10-percentage point increase in applications exceeding evaluation thresholds.
The report further underscores the importance of strategic investments to improve programme accessibility in underrepresented regions. By aggregating participation and funding data across countries and groups, the report provides valuable insights into the interlinkages between national R&I systems and participation levels. These findings aim to guide policymakers and stakeholders in promoting a more balanced and equitable European research landscape.
Newcomer Participation: A Key Metric for Success
Newcomers to Horizon Europe account for almost half (47%) of all participants, a growing trend compared to previous years. Türkiye leads in this metric, particularly among Associated Countries, where newcomers comprise 55.7% of participants, surpassing both Widening (48.3%) and Non-Widening Member States (45.4%). This success reflects Türkiye’s strategic efforts to improve accessibility and inclusiveness in Horizon Europe.
Despite challenges, Türkiye’s ability to attract and integrate newcomers into the Horizon Europe network demonstrates the strength of its R&I ecosystem and TÜBİTAK’s effectiveness in supporting participants.
Looking Ahead
TÜBİTAK remains committed to enhancing Türkiye’s participation in Horizon Europe, fostering international collaboration, and driving innovation. The findings in this report highlight Horizon Europe’s role in advancing research and innovation, and Türkiye’s achievements signal a promising future for the country’s R&I landscape.
The full report, “Country Participation in the EU R&I Framework Programmes: A Retrospective on the First Three Years of Horizon Europe (2021-2023)”, is available here for review. For more information on TÜBİTAK’s role in the Framework Programmes and its initiatives to support participants, please visit www.tubitak.gov.tr and www.ufukavrupa.org.tr.
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