With 80 billion euro in funding, Horizon 2020 will be the third biggest European program. This will be the main instrument for promoting innovation and development in Member States and raising Europe’s competitiveness on a global scale. It will support three key pillars: excellence in the science base, industrial leadership and a sustainable and inclusive society. The program will be based on the simplification and reduction of bureaucracy and to create new opportunities for businesses and researchers, with particular attention to young people.

In Europe, we have to realize that science and innovation are key to competitiveness in the global market. In other words, excellent science means an excellent economy. When compared to the US and China, Europe is lagging behind in research. To reach a leadership position, the European Union will need one million additional researchers!

Professor Dr. Burton Lee, a lecturer at Stanford University and keynote speaker at the debate in the European Parliament, believes that European universities are too isolated. He presented successful university models and urged all Member States to reform their education systems. He stressed that research should be based on the world market of ideas.

Horizon 2020 will be an opportunity for all of Europe. It will increase research capital to help end the financial and social crisis. To this end, companies will have to connect with each other and with knowledge centres. They need to start preparing their projects today!