Australia is set to join the world’s largest collaborative research fund worth $155 billion (AUD), with the federal government announcing it will begin “treaty negotiations” with Horizon Europe – the European Union’s flagship program.
An association to Horizon Europe allows Australian organisations to access the current round of funding to participate in major international projects across health, critical technologies, advanced computing, climate and clean energy.
This could see Australian researchers collaborating on joint projects with the EU and other associated countries, and leading projects in the Indo-Pacific. There are 20 countries to have joined Horizon Europe outside of the European Union so far, including Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, and the UK.
“Horizon Europe will ensure our researchers have the resources and the partnerships they need to tackle the biggest challenges of our time, from climate change to cutting-edge technology and the next generation of healthcare,” said Minister for Science Tim Ayres as part of the government’s announcement.
Dr Monique Ryan
Independent MP Dr Monique Ryan, a paediatric neurologist and researcher herself, said the announcement was a positive step, but warned against using the association as a replacement for local investment in science and medical research.
She pointed out that Australia’s spending on research and development was below the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) average.
“Participation in Horizon Europe is no substitute for properly funding research at home. It must complement — not replace — a sustained increase in investment in our own research sector, particularly in science, health and medical research.
“This is our moment to be ambitious. Full disbursement of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), proper funding of world-class research through the NHMRC grants process, treatment of science as the nationally significant industry that it is, and deeper engagement with Horizon Europe can enhance Australia’s reputation and create good, secure research jobs.”
Earlier this year, Dr Ryan launched her Medical Research Matters campaign calling on the government to release the full $1 billion annual disbursement from the MRFF, as opposed to the $650 million released each year, which was “leaving lifesaving medical research starved of its true potential”.
In the Sydney Morning Herald, leading cardiologist Professor Andrew Coats, head of Australia’s Heart Research Institute, also warned of a crisis in medical research, with the underspending on research having a devastating impact on the careers of researchers.
“We’re at constant risk of losing researchers who have put 10 years into their careers because they didn’t get a grant in the latest round, which had a success rate of one in 10. It’s hard to emphasise the sense of crisis,” he said in January.
Australia’s access to Horizon Europe will be supported by the Group of Eight universities, a coalition of the country’s leading research-intensive universities, which will contribute towards the association fee required to join the program.
It is expected Australian organisations will be able to apply for Horizon Europe research calls from early 2027.