Introduction

The ERA Communication ^[1] established the need to improve access to excellence as one of the four main strategic goals. Striving towards excellence requires a stronger R&I system where best practice is disseminated faster across the European Union. The strategic plan for Horizon Europe aims to underpin geographical diversity, building the necessary capacity to allow successful participation in the R&I process and to promote networking and access to excellence thus optimising the impact of Pillar 2 and contributing to the objectives of the entire programme.

This destination will address “improving access to excellence” through a portfolio of complementary actions that aim to build up R&I capacities in Widening countries, as well as through national and regional R&I reforms and investments, to enable them to advance to the competitive edge at European and international level. It will contribute to the development of a pan European innovation ecosystem and thus to innovation. This portfolio also constitutes the widening dimension of a broader European Excellence Initiative that reaches out beyond this programme as it is implemented in conjunction with ERASMUS+.

Each of the seven proposed calls addresses a different target group of potential beneficiaries with a customised intervention logic. The use and appropriate design of partnerships with leading institutions abroad will be a key driver for accessing excellence. The intervention logic is designed to work points at a multitude of scales ranging from individual researcher through career development, focused networks, institutional development to a systemic impact on national R&I systems.

Capacity building will go beyond purely scientific scope as it encompasses the development of management and administrative competencies for the benefit of institutions (notably in Twinning and the European Excellence Initiative) eager to take over consortium leadership roles especially under Pillar 2. Teaming actions will create new or modernise existing centres of excellence by means of close and strategic partnerships with leading institutions abroad. The impact will be amplified by the conditionality of securing complementary investment (especially for infrastructure, building, hardware) from the structural funds or other sources. Once established the centres will function as lighthouses with far reaching impact and role models for attracting the best talents. Furthermore, they will demonstrate the success of modern governance and management, and thus stimulate generalised reforms in the national R&I landscape.

Two new actions will complement this portfolio as catalysts for better impact and sustainability of the widening actions. The dissemination and exploitation support facility will help beneficiaries of widening actions to improve the effectiveness of their dissemination and exploitation and unlock new sources of funding. The pathways to excellence scheme will unlock synergies of Horizon projects with funds under the cohesion policy in Widening countries.

In a complementary manner with a focus on the academic and higher education system, the university-related scheme will foster reforms in Widening countries embedded in dynamic university alliances in Europe. Scientific excellence in the more traditional sense is the aim of Twinning where focused networks with excellent partners will develop new promising R&I domains and test novel approaches in smaller joint research projects.

Innovation excellence is the focus of excellence hubs where innovation ecosystems in Widening countries and beyond will team up and strive to create better links between academia, business, government and society that will foster a real placed-based innovation culture in Widening countries based on a strategic agenda in line with regional or national smart specialisation strategies. In this context, synergies will be sought with the programme parts of the European Innovation Ecosystems and the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT).

In addition, particular attention will be paid to cross-cutting objectives set for Horizon Europe, such as gender equality and open science practices, through the different funded actions.

Expected impact

Proposals for topics under this Destination should set out a credible pathway to contribute to the following expected impacts:

• Increased science and innovation capacity for all actors in the R&I system in Widening countries;
• Structural changes leading to modernised and more competitive R&I systems in eligible countries;
• Reformed R&I systems and institutions leading to increased attractiveness and retention of research talents;
• Mobilisation of national and EU resources for strategic investments;
• Higher participation success in Horizon Europe and more consortium leadership roles;
• Stronger links between academia and business and improved career permeability;
• Strengthened role of the Higher Education sector in research and innovation;
• Greater involvement of regional actors in the R&I process;
• Improved outreach to international level for all actors.

[1] (COM(2020) 628 final, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0628&from=EN)

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