Research and Development Council: research grants must create solutions with real benefits

Research and Development Council: research grants must create solutions with real benefits
Photo: Jürgen Randma

The discussions highlighted that, in research and development grants, applicability must become a more substantive criterion than it has previously been – one that funders of research institutions should clearly evaluate and project implementers should verify upon completion of the project. The discussion reached the conclusion that, in the case of thematic programmes funded by the Ministry of Education and Research, the criteria for receiving support should include the requirement that only projects whose results have a real market need and/or commercial potential are eligible for funding. This avoids a situation where research with little social benefit is supported under the guise of practical application.

The meeting also discussed the success of Estonian research groups in the European Commission’s “Teaming for Excellence” programme, in which seven Estonian projects have reached the second round. As each project requires a state letter of guarantee and co-financing of up to 15 million euros, Estonia will need to choose which projects to support. The rules of the European Union’s structural funds also set limits on co-financing opportunities, allowing support only for areas of smart specialisation, such as digital solutions or health technologies. It was decided that the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications would assess the compliance of applications with the specified areas and submit a proposal for letters of guarantee to the government for suitable applications. If there are more Estonian projects than the government has budgetary resources for, the government will base its funding decisions on the European Commission’s project evaluation ranking.