OIST Advances Global Research Collaborations through Horizon Europe

What does ‘associated country’ status mean for Japan’s research future?

For OIST researchers, the change presents unprecedented access to Horizon Europe, the European Union's flagship research and innovation funding program. Horizon Europe, widely regarded as one of the world's largest and most open research initiatives, contains a budget of €95.5 billion for 2021-2027 and rolls out hundreds of funding calls annually covering the world’s pressing issues.

Negotiations between Japan and the European Union began in December 2024  that culminated in Japan’s association to Horizon Europe in late December 2025. With this agreement, Japan became the 24th Associated Country of Horizon Europe and the second country in Asia to obtain Associated Country status, following South Korea.  Through the agreement finalized in late July in 2026, Japan-based PIs are now eligible to apply for most Pillar II funding calls on equal terms as European member countries. Pillars refer to the three broad categories of research and innovation support, and Pillar II focuses on “Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness.” Grants under Pillar II are designed to bring together institutions and countries through a research consortia model, where members from individual countries are carefully chosen to highlight diversity and international collaboration.

Initiatives by the International Grants Section

The International Grants Section (IGS), established in April 2025, led internal and external efforts to familiarize themselves with the Horizon Europe application process. These included a visit in 2025 to the Tokyo office of the National Contact Point (NCP), a contact point in Japan that supports participation in Horizon Europe, and related organizations in Tokyo and continued participation in Horizon Europe briefing webinars. At OIST, IGS also held individual consultations with interested PIs. Furthermore, IGS also conducted strategic review sessions to identify challenges in the application process and review institutional documents required for applications and upon grant approval. These efforts culminated in the launch of a dedicated Horizon Europe resource webpage, an internal newsletter, and the campus-wide Horizon Europe Information Days held in April.

Event Summary Horizon Europe Information Days (April 8-9, 2026)

The two-day event welcomed representatives from the European Union Delegation to Japan, EURAXESS, a European Commission platform supporting researchers, and Japan's NCP Office as guest speakers. It was the first major on-campus Horizon Europe outreach event following the rollout of Japan's new status.

Over two days, the delegation and IGS supported more than forty researchers across disciplines and experience levels. Day 1 featured in-depth presentations and Q&A sessions covering the new rules for participation as an Associated Country, partner search strategies, and elements of a quality application by the guest speakers from EU. Day 2 offered individual consultation meetings to PIs actively applying for Horizon Europe grants. The visit wrapped up with insightful discussions between the IGS and EU representatives, covering detailed procedure-related questions and future research collaboration partner search events under the new status.

Horizon Europe boosts OIST's global profile and fosters interdisciplinary collaborations worldwide. The International Grants Section’s activities contribute to strengthening the international networks that are expanding through J-PEAKS, creating new opportunities for OIST researchers to engage in international research collaborations.

From global recognition to impactful on campus initiatives, OIST is actively turning Japan’s Associated Country status into a practical opportunity. With the advanced infrastructure, expertise, and global network already in place, OIST is not just ready to participate in Horizon Europe. It is ready to help shape its future.

English Text: Jillian Hana Yanai
English Editing: Khalaf Abdelrahman
Japanese Translation & Overall Editing: Hiromi Yoshida