The UKRO mission
Our overarching mission is to maximise UK engagement in EU-funded research and innovation activities. We do this by:
1. boosting UK participation in Horizon Europe through the delivery of National Contact Point services on behalf of UK Government; namely European Research Council, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Widening Participation, New European Bauhaus and COST
2. providing our users with news, policy insights and expert advice and delivering a set of unique, specialised and agile services which meet the evolving needs of our service users, enabling them to confidently navigate and make informed decisions about participating in EU programmes and to fully exploit all available opportunities
3. monitoring policy developments in European research and innovation programmes and informing, advising and liaising with the appropriate bodies both in the UK and the EU, to support UK-EU collaboration and to maximise UK engagement in Horizon Europe
How UKRO supports UK participation in European research and innovation
National Contact Point services
We deliver Pillar 1 and some cross-cutting National Contact Point (NCP) services for the UK research community, on behalf of the UK Government.
We keep UKRO users up to date with funding opportunities and provide timely online content to help guide application preparations, and effective implementation.
Provide high quality resources and advice on European research programmes
Through the UKRO online portal and via a central enquiry service, we provide high quality information and advice on EU’s research and innovation policy.
We keep UKRO users up to date with funding opportunities and policy developments to inform their decision-making, reduce barriers to participation in Horizon Europe, enabling effective funding implementation and delivery throughout the whole lifecycle of their funding journey.
European Liaison Officer (ELO) support
We provide specialist support to research managers based in UK higher education institutions (HEIs) and research institutes to enable them to lead research support, development and implementation within their organisations.
We also provide online training, online ELO catch ups and resources in an area of the portal that requires a login – if you or someone at your organisation would like ELO access, please contact ukro@ukro.ac.uk.
Monitor European research and innovation policy and provide policy insights
We keep up to date with relevant EU policies, translating policy changes and priorities into accessible information to support research and innovation (R&I) communities participating in Horizon Europe.
Act as informal interlocutor supporting diverse stakeholder interactions in Brussels and the UK
We participate in events and networking to gather intelligence on EU research and innovation, sharing this information with:
- organisations across the UK HEI and research and innovation sector
- EU institutions
- UKRI Councils and Innovate UK
- other stakeholders (for example, Research England, the Academies, UUKi, Devolved Authority partners)
Other support for Horizon Europe
NCPs for Pillars 2 and 3 are hosted by Innovate UK. All contact details are available via the UK government website on Horizon Europe funding.
Tailored support for businesses is available through NCPs and the Innovate UK hub for Horizon Europe.
Sign up for NCP newsletters to keep abreast of the latest opportunities across the programme.
Last updated: 20 May 2025