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UCL top performing university in Horizon 2020

9 July 2015

UCL is the best performing university in the first year of the EU funding scheme Horizon 2020, securing a total of €73.2 million over 55 projects, according to an analysis by Research Professional.

Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever, with €79 billion of funding available over seven years (2014 to 2020).

UCL's success rates are four times the EU average and the university's position is up five places from the 7th Framework Programme, Horizon 2020's predecessor.

UCL strategically targeted itself to be at the forefront of Horizon 2020 participation and the UCL European Research & Innovation Office (ERIO) facilitated UCL's achievement of this position.

Michael Browne, Head of European Research & Innovation at UCL, said: "Horizon 2020 focuses on innovation and impact - which aligns perfectly with our broader strategic goals as well as our recent results in the Research Excellence Framework (REF). Engagement in EU funded research spans all faculties, demonstrating excellence and breadth across our research base.

"We launched a unique proposal writing service to underpin our strategic aims which has been a key ingredient of success in this scheme. We offered a full set of services covering the development, application and management timeline. This was coupled with a clear understanding of key stakeholders and the ability to convey and provide high-level innovation management services."

Top performers Horizon 2020

Examples of successful project proposals include:

  • Congestion reduction in Europe: advancing transport efficiency (UCL Transport Institute)
  • Researching the environmental impact expected from the exploration and exploitation of shale gas in Europe (UCL Chemical Engineering)
  • Developing a policy toolkit in Open Access that will create an international e-infrastructure to support research data management (UCL Library Services)

Professor David Price, Vice-Provost (Research), said: "This is a resounding success for UCL and testament to the significant amount of work directed at this programme. Congratulations must go to all the academic colleagues involved, but also to Michael Browne and his team in the UCL European Research & Innovation Office and to the OVPR School Research Facilitators."

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Images

  • Horizon 2020 (Credit: European Commission)
  • Table of top performers (Credit: Research Professional)