Heitor and other R&I experts call for stronger alignment between Horizon Europe and cohesion policy

Senior R&I specialists have called for a closer alignment between Horizon Europe and the EU's "cohesion" or regional development policy, particularly for the ‘widening’ component of the programme, which is dedicated to supporting countries that underperform in R&I.

Manuel Heitor, Professor at the University of Lisbon and former chair of the High-Level Group in charge of the mid-term evaluation of Horizon Europe, said: "The widening issue is not a research or a scientific one. It is a structural issue in some European regions, and therefore, the only way to address it is through a strong cohesion policy. That is the reason we need to coordinate research, innovation and education investments much more closely with cohesion policy."

He spoke at the "From Widening to Transformation: Shaping the Future of European Excellence in Brussels" organised by the European university alliance of innovation, technology and engineering, Unite!, on 18/06/2026.

Leszek Kaczmarek, a member of the European Research Council (ERC) Scientific Council, explained that Poland had received only 106 ERC grants…