The Minister and Commissioner were joined by the EU Ambassador to the UK to see some of the many highlights of European collaboration at Imperial.
UK Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič and EU Ambassador to the UK His Excellency Pedro Serrano were hosted by Imperial's President Professor Hugh Brady and Vice-President for Communications and Strategic Engagement Amanda Wolthuizen. The visit highlighted the strength and impact of ongoing collaboration between Imperial researchers and colleagues across Europe.
President Brady emphasised the importance of international collaborations in scientific research, both through European Framework Programmes like Horizon Europe and in bilateral institutional partnerships, including Imperial's strategic partnerships with the Technical University of Munich and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).
The visit comes as the European Commission has published its proposed work programme for Horizon Europe in 2025, which will see UK-based researchers eligible for greater numbers of funding opportunities in areas of quantum and space research. This positive announcement will support deeper collaborations between UK and EU researchers in critical technology areas.
The Minister, Commissioner and Ambassador heard how the prestige and scale of European Framework Programmes provide unique opportunities to researchers, both to advance their work and collaborate with the world's best researchers across Europe and beyond. Imperial has been continuing to support our academic and research community to engage in Horizon Europe through the Horizon Europe Connect Fund, which awards grants to develop high-quality research proposals and supports Early Career Researchers in building their networks with European counterparts.
Imperial's role in driving global impact alongside European partners in action
During the visit, the delegation saw a range of examples of breakthrough research across Imperial, supported through European partnerships and EU-funded research.
Professor Ferdinando Rodriguez Y Baena, Professor of Medical Robotics and Co-Director of the Hamlyn Centre, discussed his leadership of a Europe-wide Horizon 2020 project on pioneering brain surgery techniques.
The EDEN2020 project developed flexible, computer-guided needles that can safely navigate the brain, enabling targeted drug delivery and brain signal readings without impacting other parts of the brain. The cutting-edge project builds upon years of successful UK-EU collaboration, and continues to build with partners across the UK and Europe.
Through a series of demonstrations in the Imperial Hazelab in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Professor Guillermo Rein, Professor of Fire Science, showcased his cutting-edge research to address the growing threat of European wildfires.
Professor Rein demonstrated how fire spreads in different environments and creates its own weather conditions, improving our understanding of how to mitigate wildfires. As part of the Horizon Europe SEMEDFIRE project, Professor Rein explained how this research is supporting the management and prevention of wildfires in Southern and Eastern Europe.
Professor Leroy Gardner, Professor of Structural Engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, presented examples of 3-D printed steel structures. He spoke about how this research, supported by successive Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe grants, is significantly lowering the environmental impact of steel whilst optimising strength and efficiency. Professor Gardner highlighted how these collaborations, across more than a dozen countries from Europe and beyond, is bringing together unique expertise to create real-world impact.
Shaping the Future of European Research
The visit follows Imperial's ongoing engagement to play a leading role in shaping the future of UK-EU research collaboration. This includes the recently published report, Towards an Ambitious FP10, launched by Imperial, the Wellcome Trust and the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS). The report provides recommendations for the EU's upcoming tenth Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, FP10, which will succeed Horizon Europe from 2028.
Imperial researchers have also recently secured new Horizon Europe grants, making significant contributions to Europe's biggest research projects seeking to address major global challenges. These projects include FULL-MAP, a new European-funded initiative accelerating the development of high-performance sustainable battery technologies, and the work of Dr Rodrigo Ledesma Amaro, Academic Lead for Engineering Biology for Sustainability, focused on making sustainable food and textile colourants and dyes using engineered microorganisms.
