Stockholm Trio provides recommendations for the next European Framework Programme

EU flag — Photo: Christian Lue / Unsplash

Published Mar 15, 2023

At the beginning of 2023, the European Commission held a public consultation on the European Framework Programmes for research and innovation. In collaboration with the University Alliance Stockholm Trio, KTH provided recommendations for the design of the next framework programme.

Over the past months, research stakeholders all over Europe have provided feedback to the European Commission on the performance of Horizon Europe and its successor. Stockholm Trio, an alliance between KTH, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, jointly submitted a position paper with recommendations and priorities for the next framework programme. The aim is for the framework programme to be even more effective in strengthening the research across Europe and contributing to address our global societal challenges.

The recommendations brought to the Commission by Stockholm Trio include strengthening frontier and basic research in order to better capture the creativity and curiosity of the research community, simplify the conditions for participation, and evaluate the effect of the programme’s organisation.

Portrait of Jenny Wanselius — Jenny Wanselius, KTH’s representative in the Stockholm Trio Brussels Office

“It is important that KTH contributes to the future development of Horizon Europe and the design of the next framework programme. We want to ensure that the programme creates possibilities for KTH’s researchers to continue contributing to solutions to current and future challenges through their research”, says Jenny Wanselius, KTH’s representative in the Stockholm Trio Brussels Office and Head of the Research Funding Unit at Research Support Office.

The position paper includes 11 general recommendations:

Make research an EU policy priority in its own right
Substantially increase the budget for the coming framework programme to fully capture available potential in Europe and globally
Evaluate the effectiveness of decentralisation and the Executive Agencies
Strengthen international collaboration and aim for Horizon Global
Increase collaborative and interdisciplinary fundamental science to understand and address complex challenges
Keep the clear structure of Horizon Europe and remove obstacles for researchers to participate in partnerships and Missions
Ensure the continuation of Pathfinder
Widening participation whilst safeguarding excellence
Address the inequality of funding due to the 25 per cent flat rate for indirect costs
Properly evaluate lump sums before full roll-out
Synergies with other research and innovation-related programmes should mean same rules for participation

Download the position paper (pdf 201 kB)

Text: Antonia Hallberg

About the consultation

Over 12 weeks, the European Commission invited stakeholders to take part in a public consultation on the past, current and future of the European research and innovation programmes 2014-2027. At KTH, the response was prepared by the Research Support Office (RSO). The KTH research platforms and heads of schools contributed with views on strategic priorities of thematic areas.

Respondents also had the opportunity to submit a position paper with recommendations for the next framework programme. The position paper was drawn up by the Stockholm Trio Brussels office. KTH has also submitted a position paper in collaboration with the Nordic Five Tech Alliance, and contributed to the response from CESAER.

Stockholm Trio Brussels representation

Together with Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, KTH is part of the University Alliance Stockholm Trio. Since 2020, the alliance is established in Brussels, with the main objective of increasing the visibility of the Stockholm Trio in Europe and promoting the universities' participation in various EU-funded research, innovation and education programmes through proactive work.

Stockholm Trio Brussels Office

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