Abstract

In July 2023, New Zealand became associated with Pillar 2 of Horizon Europe. This means that New Zealand (NZ) contributes to the Horizon Europe budget, and NZ researchers can participate in project consortia under similar conditions as EU Member States.

This association is the first association with a close partner that is not geographically close to Europe, which underlines the recognition of the fresh perspective and expertise that NZ can bring to the global approach in addressing global challenges.

This step has provided a significant opportunity for all NZ research organizations. However, with opportunities come challenges, and institutions and enterprises must take a strategic and long-term approach to succeed in the Horizon Europe Programme.

This presentation aims to demonstrate the challenges that NZ research organizations must address to achieve success, using Auckland University of Technology (AUT) as an example.

Auckland University of Technology | Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau is a university in New Zealand, established in 2000 when a former technical college was granted university status. AUT is New Zealand's third-largest university in terms of total student enrolment, with approximately 29,100 students across three campuses in Auckland.

After the announcement of NZ's upcoming participation in Horizon Europe (Pillar2), AUT’s Research Office created a plan to enhance researcher participation. The goal was to increase knowledge about Horizon Europe, identify relevant applicants, and provide guidance and advice to applicants and project participants.

AUT identified several key areas of focus for research management in this initial period to ensure successful participation. These areas included contractual, financial, and administrative compliance with Horizon Fund requirements such as the Gender Equality Plan, Open Science, ethical requirements, and finance. A gap analysis was conducted to identify areas where AUT could improve and create a supportive environment for researchers to meet project-level mandatory requirements. This process involved collaboration with relevant departments and units, such as the Library and Ethics Office and led to update AUT’s policies e.g. research data governance, open access, research integrity.

Another focus was providing information and training for researchers. The funding mechanism and terminology of Horizon Europe differ from New Zealand funders and the funding environment. Therefore, it was necessary to educate and inform not only researchers but also senior leadership, decision-makers, finance, and other relevant units within AUT. Collaboration among NZ research organizations in this area is crucial to reducing costs and increasing common understanding of Horizon Europe.

Identifying research partners was an additional challenge due to the low number of existing research relationships with the European Union, primarily due to geographical location and NZ having historically stronger connections with Australasia and the US. Overcoming this challenge requires ongoing effort and a range of supports.

This presentation will provide detailed information on what AUT has done in each focus area to meet the opportunity presented by becoming and Associated Country of Horizon Europe. We will also discuss the actual challenges faced by AUT and the solutions we have implemented in these areas.