The Cultural Heritage (CH) Research and Innovation (R&I) landscape has changed significantly over the past few years. New political, technological and socio-economic parameters put emphasis on improving protection, conservation and restoration efficiency of European CH with green technologies, as well as developing and further exploiting high quality digitisation, open access and curation of digital assets. The need also exists to enhance the innovation potential and competitive edge of the Cultural and Creative Sector (CCS) to drive sustainable growth and job creation against global competition. Responding to these challenges, the project will develop a pan European framework for a holistic approach to CH R&I, by creating the Alliance for Research on Cultural Heritage in Europe (ARCHE), a spearheading coordination network of researchers, innovators, heritage professionals, institutional bodies and citizens. The objective is to engage all CH actors in member States / Associated Countries in the co-design of R&I strategies and roadmaps that lead to R&I initiatives requiring multidisciplinary approaches and skills A detailed assessment of R&I gaps and needs for the next decade will be the basis for designing a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for joint programming aiming to increase awareness of heritage and European sense of belonging. A new purpose-built governance structure will be proposed that will effectively involve existing networks and new partners from relevant scientific disciplines and industries. It will also promote intensive and wide-ranging collaboration between cultural heritage, the arts, and the CCS. The SRIA and governance structure will be tested in a pilot operation in the third and final year. ARCHE will be a strong basis for a European Partnership in CH, by pooling, developing and upscaling transnational collaboration on CH R&I and by involving all stakeholders and funding mechanisms related to CH R&I policy and action.

CapaCITIES will shape a European environment conducive to urban climate neutrality transitions for national, regional and local authorities. The project aims to initiate and strengthen national change processes by establishing national networks and governance structures and by providing dedicated support for public authorities to put enabling conditions and measures for cities in place for achieving the cities mission. To achieve this ambition, the CapaCITIES consortium represents 15 European countries who have committed to initiative and strengthen national change processes by ministerial or other high political level. CapaCITIES thereby build on a well-established network of national authorities (national ministries and agencies responsible for urban transition) with its relevant urban stakeholder organisations beyond the consortium partners and countries. To all project partners CapaCITIES offers dedicated services to in support of national change process. First, a transnational alliance for public authorities to exchange, learn and inspire each other in their transition towards climate neutral cities. Second, support in prototyping innovative multi-level and cross sector governance structures. Third, thematic capacity building for public authorities and support in taking effective local action and fourth, strategic synergies and access to other initiatives that address the climate neutral and smart cities mission.

Excellent EU programs push health R&I but are not sufficient. Synergy with strategic initiatives in MS and a new model for impactful collaborations are needed to address the challenges for health. ERA4Health brings the opportunity to increase EU transnational collaborative research funding by creating a funding body for joint programming in priority areas addressing EU Public Health Needs, with total duration of 7 years. ERA4Health focuses on tackling diseases and reducing disease burden and the following challenges: 1) the increasing demand for a better quality of life and a better care of patients, 2) the need to transform public health care systems in more effective, efficient, equitable, accessible, and resilient ones and 3) the need to strengthen disease prevention and health promotion. In this view, ERA4Health objectives are: .SO1- Support relevant medical research including clinical fields and intervention areas (prevention, diagnosis, treatment) .SO2- Improve the utilisation of existing health technologies in clinical practice .SO3- Build capacity, in particular in conducting Investigator Initiated Clinical Studies at EU scale .SO4- Implement and advance the practice of RRI across the breadth of the programme ERA4Heatlth will be implemented in 2 phases: . Phase 1 (2 years) will implement joint calls focused on nutrition and lifestyle-related diseases, cardiovascular diseases and nanomedicine (4 in two years). In parallel, it will establish a supporting framework to overcome the challenges in launching international IICSs joint calls. . Phase 2, if the EC approves it: additional multinational calls for IICSs and joint calls for other priority areas will be launched in accordance with the decision of the Health Programme Committee taken at the end of previous Phase 34 partners (20 from EU, 3 Third Countries associated to HE and 2 non-associated, non EU), will commit 90,510,000€, during the 3 first years, as financial support to third parties.

QuantERA III is aimed at strengthening Europe’s leadership in Quantum Technologies (QT) through a highly coordinated transnational approach. Building on the success of its predecessors, QuantERA III will subsidise cutting-edge research by launching a Cofunded Call for Proposals in 2025, backed by over €37 M in national contributions, targeting two critical areas: Quantum Phenomena and Resources and Applied Quantum Science. Additional €15 M of the EU contribution shall be allocated to both the Cofunded Call budget and the project tasks. By supporting projects that lay the foundations for future QT advancements and translating quantum science into practical applications, the Programme will catalyse new directions in the field, ensuring the EU’s leading status in this transformative technology sector. QuantERA III’s objectives align seamlessly with the EC’s Work Programme, as it seeks to address fragmentation in QT research across the European Research Area (ERA) and develop synergy in transnational research efforts. QuantERA III is designed to meet the highest standards of excellence, capitalising on the collective expertise and resources of 40 RFOs from 30 countries (incl. 14 Widening countries) – the Programme will achieve its objectives through a well-structured approach that leverages the unique strengths of each Consortium partner. It will explore further funding opportunities, continue mapping QT policies in Europe, address gender imbalance in QT, and – liaising with the Quantum Flagship and other stakeholders – engage with non-European countries to expand its reach and amplify its impact. The Consortium aims to build a sustainable vision for QuantERA beyond Horizon Europe, benefitting the entire ERA by enhancing Europe’s innovation capacity and maintaining its competitive edge on the global stage. Through its comprehensive framework of six Work Packages, the proposal ensures the realisation of its goals, aligning perfectly with the EC’s priorities for R&I.

The DUT Partnership builds upon and steps up the ambition and efforts of the JPI Urban Europe. With its partners from 28 countries it aims at developing and implementing a transformative research and innovation (R&I) programme to strengthen urban transitions towards climate neutral, inclusive and sustainable urban areas. With national and regional R&I programme owners, funders and urban policy related public authorities, DUT is strongly building upon and aligning with national and regional strategies and policies. In order to support cities along their specific strategies, the Partnership focuses on three critical urban sectors, energy, mobility and circular economy, and their interrelationships. Three Transition Pathways – Positive Energy Districts, the 15-Minute City and Circular Urban Regenerative Economies – will be addressed with a long-term perspective. DUT will not only provide funding for transnational R&I projects in and across these areas through implementing joint calls but establish a comprehensive programme management to support capacity building and enhance the (policy) impact of these projects and their results. In this regard, programme activities will address capacity building and empowerment of all urban stakeholder groups to engage in urban research and innovation and codesign solutions. Urban living labs will be fostered as an important concept to support local experimentation and inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration. New approaches towards dissemination and mainstreaming of research results will be developed with the ambition to bring results into our cities. Strategic synthesis as well as recommendations and references for policy making will be provided with particular focus on contributions to the Urban Agenda for the EU, the European mission for climate-neutral and smart cities and the European Green Deal. Efforts will be taken to position the DUT partnership internationally and mobilise international partners to join forces in DUT.