Hope of a protocol between the UK and the EU to resolve deadlocked trade issues in Northern Ireland has been welcomed by the University of Nottingham as our researchers continue to seek funding and collaboration opportunities with European partners.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said work on associating the UK to the EU’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme will start “immediately” once the Windsor Framework is implemented.

It is hoped this will give UK researchers access to the European Commission’s flagship €95 billion programme for funding research and innovation.

Representatives of the UK, Irish and wider European research, innovation and business communities have signed a joint statement urging rapid progress on UK association to EU programmes, including Horizon Europe, Copernicus and Euratom.

Interim Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange Professor Neil Crout cautiously welcomed the news and added: “The university will carefully monitor the situation and contribute to ongoing lobbying efforts to help get association over the line.

“These have been challenging times and the terms of any outcome are still to be decided. However, our research community’s tenacity and continued efforts to keep working with European partners has borne fruit, such as the Institute of Aerospace Technology receiving a share of £10m from the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, the EU’s leading research and innovation programme to fund research into the future of net zero aviation.

“Access to the considerable pot of Horizon Europe funding is now looking much more likely and I would encourage our researchers to pursue opportunities that are relevant for them.”

The university’s Research and Innovation teams will continue to administer the UKRI Guarantee, which has been used for awarded Horizon Europe projects unable to access funding from Brussels. Whatever the outcome of negotiations between the UK and EU, this ‘safety net’ will remain in effect for the full duration of projects already signed up to receive funding from the guarantee.

Support is also available to academics interested in applying to Horizon Europe, including multi-partner, collaborative efforts under thematically led ‘Clusters’; grants for excellent, ground-breaking research to individuals and their teams from the European Research Council; and the prestigious Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions promoting mobility and ‘training through research’.

Please contact Matt Rackley in R&I’s Research and KE Development team, who is working with school and faculty-based research development professionals to support collaborations with Europe.

The university is determined to ensure that our researchers are able to continue to work with researchers across the world to further raise the international profile of our research excellence and commitment to tackling global challenges.

Our relaunched International Research Collaboration Fund (IRCF) is inviting applications from colleagues seeking to establish or grow links with world-leading research groups and institutions in Europe and beyond. This Academic Year (2022-23), there will be at least £300,000 available to support international research collaboration, including the goal of winning Horizon Europe funding.

The university is also developing, with input from faculties, a new International Research and Knowledge Exchange Strategy which will accommodate the hoped-for association to Horizon Europe as well as the potential elements of the UK’s Government’s ‘Plan B’, which may endure to provide opportunities beyond Europe.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Shearer West, who announced the relaunched ICRF at an event exploring the future of the university’s engagement with Europe, recently signed a strategic partnership agreement  with the University of Tübingen in Germany, which will expand cooperation on cutting-edge research.

To support this growing partnership, a new networking funding call for seed/basic research with the University of Tübingen is offering awards up €50,000, with a total pot of €250,000.

The deadline for applications is 19 March 2023, with awards to be confirmed by the end of March.

Find out more