Ambitions are high as UK celebrates a year in Horizon Europe
Source: gov.uk (2025-03-18)

Hundreds of researchers, business leaders and academics gather at the Oval in London to mark a year of UK success in Horizon – and plan for much more.

- Hundreds of researchers, business leaders and academics gather at the Oval in London to mark a year of UK success in Horizon – and plan for much more
- £80 billion Horizon Europe programme is the world’s largest international research endeavour, and an important part of the UK’s relationship with Europe
- International research collaboration is a key driver of economic growth, and the government’s Plan for Change
More than 500 of the UK’s leading researchers, businesspeople and scientists will gather at London’s Oval today (Tuesday 18 March) to celebrate the successes that have already been delivered since the UK associated to the Horizon Europe programme, last year. They’ll also hear advice from industry experts, European diplomats, and leading academics on how to seize the opportunities for funding and collaboration that Horizon offers, with £80 billion up for grabs through the programme.

Initial signs suggest UK association is trending in the right direction. Recent ERC Synergy Grants saw awards made to 18 UK-hosted projects, the second highest number. Horizon is giving British researchers and innovators access to funding, so they can tackle some of the biggest issues facing society, from breakthroughs in healthcare, to putting AI to work across the economy. All of this stands to unleash growth and create jobs in high-potential new industries, all of which supports the growth goals at the heart of the government’s Plan for Change (https://www.gov.uk/missions).

In 2025, the government is doubling down on its efforts to help the UK’s brightest minds access the opportunities on offer through Horizon, through a new PR blitz, networking events in Italy, Germany and Spain for British businesspeople and researchers, and grants to help cover the businesses cover the cost of attending R&D events across Europe.

Science Minister Lord Vallance, who will speak at today’s Showcase, said:

Science is stronger when we work together with others, and as new technologies like AI develop rapidly international collaboration on research is more important than ever before.

Investing in R&D unlocks the door to more productive businesses, highly skilled and paid jobs, economic growth, and innovations that improve our lives and health. We need to go even further to seize the opportunity our association to Horizon represents and then reap the benefits.

Besides Lord Vallance’s keynote, attendees at the Showcase will also hear from UKRI’s International Champion Professor Christopher Smith, DSIT’s Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Chris Johnson, and Cyril Robin-Champigneul from the EU’s delegation to the UK. That will be supplemented by sessions with experts from the UKRI on how to build the best bids for Horizon grants, and networking opportunities.

DSIT Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Chris Johnson said:

Over the last year we’ve seen some initial green shoots of recovery when it comes to UK participation in Horizon Europe. Events like today are an important chance to build on that positive momentum, and learn from the experience of those who’ve already been successful in building bids for funding.

In 2025 and beyond, we want more researchers and businesses to seize the benefits of Horizon, to accelerate the discoveries that will boost our economy, and deliver new technologies that will improve all our lives.

UKRI International Champion Professor Christopher Smith said:

Today’s gathering at the Oval is a testament to the extraordinary progress we’ve made since associating to the Horizon Europe programme. The collaboration and innovation fostered through Horizon Europe are driving breakthroughs that will shape our future, from healthcare advancements, to climate monitoring, to AI integration across industries.

As we look ahead, it’s crucial that we continue to leverage these opportunities to work collaboratively with our international partners, advancing research, fostering innovation, and supporting our vibrant research community.

Businesses up and down the country are already carrying out cutting-edge R&D thanks to Horizon backing, as well as building consortia with partners in countries ranging from Canada to South Korea, and beyond.

We know from recent history that the UK can be a leader in this area. We have 4 of the top 10 universities in the world, and the second-highest number of Nobel prize winners globally. A quarter of projects in which the UK participated, funded through Horizon Europe’s predecessor, were UK-led.

Further information, including practical support on how to apply, is available on the Horizon Hub - found on Innovate UK (https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/programme/european/horizon-europe/) and UK Research and Innovation (https://www.ukri.org/apply-for-funding/horizon-europe/) websites. UKRI also host regular events that help guide businesses and researchers through the opportunities on offer and the application process.

Potential applicants can find Horizon Europe calls (funding opportunities) open to UK-based applicants using the European Commission’s funding and tender opportunities portal (https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home). They can apply for Horizon Europe funding through the European Commission’s funding and tenders portal, where the original funding call is found. More information on how to submit applications are available on the European Commission’s website (https://rea.ec.europa.eu/horizon-europe-how-apply_en).

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