31 projects to be funded under Phase 1 of the first Horizon 2020 Teaming call

The first Teaming projects selected for funding will be led by research institutions or agencies as well as national or regional authorities. In phase 1 of this action, the projects will receive up to € 500,000 each (€ 14.5 million in total) to prepare operational plans for new Centres of Excellence or for upgrading existing ones. With funding from Horizon 2020, 31 projects from such countries have now been selected.

Horizon 2020 introduces specific measures for spreading excellence and widening participation. These measures are targeted at low-performing Member States in terms of research and innovation, and they will be implemented by the Member States most in need of the new Cohesion policy for the 2014-2020 programming period.

• The Teaming action (associating advanced research institutions to other institutions, agencies or regions for the creation or upgrade of existing centres of excellence) is a new feature under Horizon 2020. It will provide new opportunities to the parties involved, with real prospects for growth through tapping into new collaboration and development patterns, including the establishment of new scientific networks, links with local clusters and opening up access to new markets. This will offer national and local research new possibilities for exploitation and value creation and boost the innovation potential of the countries involved;
• Twinning will help strengthen a defined field of research in a knowledge institution through linking with at least two internationally-leading counterparts in Europe;

• The ERA Chairs scheme will provide support for universities and other research institutions to attract and maintain high quality human resources and implement the structural changes necessary to achieve excellence on a sustainable basis.