The four countries have teamed up to bring together Germany’s political heft with the expertise in digital transformation of the Baltic states and inject fresh impetus into the EU single digital market agenda

Merging institutions can bring economies of scale, strengthening finances and research - and attracting staff and students. But vested interests often block this route to moving up the league tables 

A partnership with the Central European Research Infrastructure Consortium is one of the latest moves to try and improve success rates in getting finance from the EU start-up funder

Concerted efforts to increase success in winning grants from the research programme are bearing fruit. While still low in the EU league table, the two countries now have the networks and support systems in place to make further headway 

SynergistEIC supports start-ups to give them a better chance of success in the EIC Accelerator. But high demand means getting selected for the scheme is almost as competitive as the EIC Accelerator itself

With the likely new government promising to increase R&D funding and ‘depoliticise’ science, researchers are pointing to further reforms they say are needed to increase the standing and quality of the country’s research system

As things stand, the country’s national contact points have to juggle their day jobs with helping researchers to win funding. Creating a professional network is now on the cards, but it may take some time

After a slow start, the new instrument allowing partners in Widening countries to join a project after it starts is beginning to have an impact – but reservations remain about the way the scheme is being run

As the first moves are made in shaping the 2028 – 2034 R&D programme, there are informal discussions about shifting the focus of Widening measures away from country level and using this initiative to support all less-advanced regions across the EU

A sustained effort to diversify funding sources has enbled steady progress. Now, almost 40 years after joining the EU, that Portugal is in sight of meeting the target of spending 3% of GDP on research by 2030