Added value of transnational research programming : lessons from longstanding programme collaborations in Europe

This brief explores the wide variety of objectives, activities and outcomes of transnational research programming in Europe. Going beyond the goal of mobilising shared research funds, it examines how collaborative networks can contribute to the achievement of a broad range of objectives related to research and innovation. It centres on the development of an analytical framework, focusing on the key motivations for establishing and participating in collaborative networks and the subsequent outcomes. Case studies are used to explore how collaborative research programming networks can contribute to a broad set of objectives related to research and innovation, ranging from the primary aims that are at the core of the programme collaboration to secondary aims with regard to research and even tertiary network aims going beyond research policies. The results have relevance for the way progress to the ERA is measured, for developing indicators for measuring impact of programme collaboration networks, for reviewing the research and innovation partnering instruments at European level, for seeing research programming networks as catalysts for collaboration in related areas, and for making barriers to programme collaboration more explicit and thus easier to address.