EU-funded projects at the Great Exhibition Road Festival
Led by Imperial College London, the festival offers hands-on workshops, talks, performances and food from around the world. This year, the festival will also have a zone dedicated to ten Imperial-EU research and innovation collaborations, including seven projects funded by the EU through the Horizon Europe programme. The Eureka zone is located in the main entrance of Imperial College London, on Exhibition road. Imperial College London researchers work with partners all over Europe to develop the latest technologies and make ground-breaking discoveries. Projects cover a variety of topics, whether it’s space exploration you’re curious about, robotic construction or new cancer therapies.
Doors are open all afternoon on Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 6PM.
Background
On 1 January 2024, the UK associated to Horizon Europe – the world’s largest international research and innovation programme. Horizon Europe has more than £82 billion (€95.5 billion) of funding available over seven years (2021 to 2027) from the EU budget, to which all associated countries are adding further contributions. It is open to the world, which means that participants can participate in most calls, regardless of where they are based. Researchers from associated countries have even greater access, they can lead projects and receive direct funding from the programme. The programme supports major research and innovation projects and international partnerships helping to tackle global challenges.
The UK’s association to Horizon Europe has considerably strengthened the EU-UK partnership in the research and innovation sector. The UK participation in the programme is on a good track. The UK has performed particularly well in the highly competitive and prestigious calls of the European Research Council (ERC). It was the top beneficiary of the ERC’s Proof of Concept grants announced in July. It was one of the top beneficiaries of the ERC’s Consolidator grants announced in December and the Starting grants announced in September, with a 56% increase compared to 2023 figures. UK-based researchers participated in twice as many projects receiving ERC Synergy grants, compared to 2023. Looking at performance as a whole in the European Research Council so far since association, the UK comes 3rd after Germany and the Netherlands – almost on a par with the latter. The UK also did exceptionally well in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), ranking 1st and benefitting from EUR 70.2 million or 25.5% of the total since the UK’s association so far.
Questions & Answers on the UK’s association to Horizon Europe can be found here, as well as in this FAQ
UK association to Horizon Europe
UK national contact points for Horizon Europe
Horizon dashboard, including EU-funded projects in the UK
