EU Cohesion policy invests in Poland’s research and innovation network

Today, the European Commission has approved an investment of over €71 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for the establishment of a fibre-optic network and research equipment to improve cooperation among research laboratories in Poland. This project aims to enhance the quality of academic research and to ensure closer cooperation between industry and academia, leading to greater market uptake of research results. Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira commented: “With this investment, cohesion policy will support Poland in becoming more innovative in a competitive global market. As the coronavirus crisis is showing us, cooperation among research centres is crucial to offer innovative solutions in a rapidly changing and challenging world”. The project involves 21 research partners. Their laboratories will be provided with the equipment according to eight fields of specialisation, from data transmission and storage, atomic clocks and smart cities to e-learning and multi-scale simulation. The project is expected to include the filing of 21 patents, the publication of 84 scientific papers, 342 PhD candidates using the facilities, and the creation of five spin-off companies.