Earlier this week the European Commission announced that a Policy Support Facility will assist European Union member states in reviewing and reforming their national innovation and research systems (H/T ScienceInsider). The Policy Support Facility is one of several programs intended to boost science and technology capacity in member states, all as part of Horizon 2020. The Facility will have a budget endowment of up to 20 million Euros until 2020.
Bulgaria is the first member state to take advantage of the Policy Support Facility. It will have several senior experts and researchers conduct a “Peer Review of Bulgaria” and provide advice in three areas: public funding of research, science careers, and knowledge transfer from academia to business.
Hungary has expressed interested in using the Policy Support Facility, and the Commission will support a country peer review for it later in the year. Other countries have expressed interest in working with the Facility as well.
Pasco Phronesis 