New analysis commissioned by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has found that UK research projects backed by the Horizon R&D programme are more likely to see their research through and have a bigger impact on their respective fields.
The report found that UK researchers secured £6.8 billion in funding through nearly 11,000 projects via the Horizon 2020 programme (H2020), which ran from 2014-2020.
Analysis showed H2020 had a positive effect on the quality of UK publications as measured by citation impact. There was also evidence that without H2020 funding, projects would have had to be abandoned or changed substantially in terms of scope, timeline and/or location.
Some of the outcomes from the UK’s involvement in H2020 include better management of type 1 diabetes by streamlining clinical trials and identifying age-related biomarkers through the INNODIA project, with contributions from UK universities including Cambridge, King’s London, Oxford, Cardiff and Exeter.
Another is the EBOVAC programme, which offers advanced understanding of the safety and efficacy of a novel Ebola vaccine through phase 1, 2 and 3 trials in the EU and Africa, led by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
“The programme is supporting innovators whose ideas are set to boost economic growth and improve our public services,” says science minister Lord Vallance. “This new evidence shows why it is so crucial that we support our brilliant scientists, researchers and businesses to seize the opportunities Horizon offers. In 2026, we’ll continue doing just that.”
There is also good news coming out of the UK’s current involvement in Horizon Europe. Earlier this month, the European Research Council (ERC) announced which mid-career researchers would be receiving its Consolidator Grants, with the UK taking the biggest share. Of the 349 grants totalling £635m, 65 will go towards UK-led projects.
To capitalise on the benefits of involvement in Horizon, the UK will be launching an international campaign in Spain and Germany in 2026. It will highlight the value a UK partner can bring to a Horizon Europe application, amplifying the strengths of Spanish and German participants to achieve shared goals.
Horizon Europe is the the world’s largest programme of research collaboration and has a worth of £80 billion.
