Why Irish eyes smiling in prospect 2020

One of the surprising stories of success in the program Horizon 2020 the European Union this year was the entry of four Irish universities in the list of 50 best-performing universities. But how do they do it?

As reported in an analysis of University World News last week, NUI Galway is Ireland top the list under number 25, together with University College Cork (30); Dublin University College (31) and Trinity College Dublin (38th).

Together they have been awarded contracts worth 62 million € (US $ 66.6 Mio) of Horizon 2020 or H2020, when funding decisions are taken on June 24 this year. Yet none of the four was listed among the 50 best-performing universities in the Seventh Framework Programmed (2007-13) or FP7.

What lies behind this collective leap forward? Whether this is the result of a national mobilization to H2020? What strategies have been used by universities and how they interact with other actors in the competition for increased participation in scientific research in the European Union? What tools are used?

The answer can be found on several levels when examining the organizations that set the political agenda Irish science. Our focus here is the role of universities in the "application engine for Horizon 2020" - the Irish case may give some clues to transferable university which strategies work better at Horizon 2020, which is not primarily frontier research, but research innovation grand project ?

The key role of universities

Organizations in Ireland involved in 318 contracts H2020, as listed in the database of E-Corday at the end of July 2015 from 318 164 contracts or 52% are Irish universities. The comparable percentage was 26% for Norway, 31% for Finland, 30% in Germany, 49% in Sweden, 55% in Denmark and 40% in the Netherlands.

It is therefore evident that universities can play a major role in securing contracts H2020 in Ireland, Sweden and Denmark compared with Norway, Germany and the Netherlands.

Irish universities chalk up a remarkable success in the European Research Council, or ERC, program in 2014 - part of pillar 'excellent science' which was significantly expanded in H2020 - mostly in the category of initial subsidy. Irish institutions ERC received 18 grants in 2014 totaling more than 30 million €.

Ten of them were starting grants, seven Consolidator subsidies and an advanced grant is awarded to Pool Holm, professor of history of the environment of Trinity College Dublin for a project entitled "Evaluation and synthesis of dynamics and importance of fish revolution of the North Atlantic in 1500 and 1600s, that changed adjustments in economic power, demography and politics. "

In addition, four ERC contracts proof of concept were awarded to Irish researchers who have already been awarded ERC grants that allow them to develop their ideas into commercial directions.

In the category for grants starting in 2014. Ireland is second among the 28 EU countries the most, compared with 20th in FP7.

Irish universities coordinate several major projects H2020 cooperation. University College Cork coordinates "MARIBE - Marine Investment for the Blue Economy: Unlocking the potential of our seas" sub-projects in the marine renewable energy, aquaculture, marine biotechnology and seabed mining is also aimed at facilitating the development of opportunities business.

Cork coordinate a large energy project in H2020: "Energy System Transition through action Stakeholder, education and skills development", which was awarded € 3,460,000 in shaping the energy transition in several European Communities.

Another example of successful university-industry cooperation is the participation of University College Dublin as a leading academic partner Real Value. Led by Irish multinational company Glen Dimple, and a consortium comprising the entire chain of energy supply project for 12 million € (7.2 million € with Irish partners) is aimed at improving efficiency and value within the European energy market through the use of advanced information and communication technologies, or ICT.

Trinity College Dublin coordinate "singles, Quality oriented software and data Engineering", a project of ICT in H2020 won 4,000,000 €, with universities and companies in Leipzig, Oxford, Austria and Poland, and also coordinated the project swimming - Semantic Web for information modeling energy-efficient buildings - a project funded under the energy-efficient buildings called, which includes national collaboration with the National Institute of Tyndall Cork.