Analysis of National Research Programs to Boost Urban Challenges in Transnational Cooperation

The paper analyzes of National Research and Innovation Programs related to urban topic, still ongoing in 2018; the main aim is in to highlight the possibility to align, around joint urban research priorities, the national programs of 16 European Member States (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Netherland, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). According to the GPC (High Level Group on Joint Programming), “alignment” is the strategic approach taken by Member States to modify their strategies, priorities, or activities as a consequence of the adoption of joint research priorities in the context of joint programming, with a view to implement changes to improve the efficiency of investment in research at the level of Member States and the European Research Area. The analysis is based on data collected with an online survey among funding agencies in the framework of the EXPAND project, the Coordination and Support Action to boost the Joint Programming Initiative Urban Europe. The main goal of the survey is to highlight how the research national programs are close to each other, in order to develop strategies for sustainable and liveable cities. The overall approach analyzes the key elements of each program and compare it with the five thematic priorities of Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda—S.R.I.A. The aim is to cause all the funding agencies involved in JPI Urban Europe to have a common vision of what is “aligned” beyond the different rules and applications at the national level. The information was provided and gathered through the Web tool and collected to identify similarities and differences among national programs relating to their main features: research topics, aims, eligibility, and funding criteria. Finally, the activity identifies suitable tracks and criteria to foster the alignment, thus providing a basis to build on a strategy for the sustainable, resilient, and liveable urban areas. The main outcomes of this analysis were: national program’ aims, objectives, and results; national funders/management; programs name linked with research area or research topic; program relations to SRIA thematic priorities.