European Research and Innovation: Polimi Launches an Office in Brussels

The Politecnico di Milano has officially launched the Brussels Liaison Office, the University's new office dedicated to communication with EU institutions and to providing strategic support for participation in EU research and innovation programmes.

The role and activities of the Liaison Office were presented in Brussels, at the European Parliament, during the event From Knowledge to Impact: Research and Innovation in Partnership with Society and Industry, which brought together representatives from European institutions, researchers, university professors, and other drivers of innovation. The meeting was an opportunity to illustrate the vision with which the Politecnico intends to structure its continuous presence in Brussels, to become more recognisable and more effective.

With the gradual conclusion of the NRRP, the next EU Framework Programme is set to become the main structural lever for research funding and for the international positioning of universities. In this context, the Politecnico di Milano chooses to set up a structured public office in Brussels designed to anticipate and intercept priorities, instruments and strategic trajectories of European research and innovation policy.

This strategy is based on an already established position of the Politecnico di Milano in European research programmes. The University is now Italy's leading university in terms of funding obtained under Horizon Europe, with 389 funded projects having a total value of approximately €185.68 million. Under the 2021-2027 Framework Programme, the Politecnico has also been awarded 44 ERC projects for a total of €44.65 million, thus confirming the University's role in groundbreaking research.

On the innovation front, between 2021 and January 2026, the Politecnico di Milano received funding for 29 proposals under the European Innovation Council (EIC), with a success rate of 10.7%, among the highest at the European level.

"Europe is experiencing a decisive and identifying moment from several points of view, including that of advanced research and competitiveness: two elements that go hand in hand. This is a key moment for the next Framework Programme, FP10, where priorities and measures are defined. The question we asked ourselves in deciding to open an office in Brussels was not, 'What can we get out of this situation?', but rather, 'What can we bring to the decision-makers' table?'. “We are the first university in Italy in terms of the number of research projects funded by the Union, and fifth at the EU level. In a context increasingly dictated by major technological and research challenges, we are here to stay. To strengthen connections with the institutions, and to participate more decisively in defining continental priorities."

Donatella Sciuto, Rector of the Politecnico

The Brussels Liaison Office acts as a strategic hub between the university and the European research and innovation ecosystem. It will maintain continuous dialogue with EU institutions and contribute to the definition of strategic agendas in the fields of research and innovation. Through this office, the Politecnico has strengthened its involvement in the design processes of European research policies. It can also offer researchers more structured support and help during their participation in EU programmes, particularly in consideration of the next planning cycle.

From this perspective, the Liaison Office is also a tool for strengthening the relationship between universities, research teams, and the European industrial system. The office can encourage participation in international partnerships and the development of high-impact research and innovation projects such as the new European Strategic Partnership on Advanced Materials IAM-I.

During the event at the European Parliament, the discussion involved representatives of the European Commission, Members of Parliament and the heads of the main European research and innovation bodies. Each person offered a shared interpretation of the challenges facing the next European planning cycle, and the role that universities, research, and industry are called upon to play.

With the launch of the Brussels Liaison Office, the Politecnico di Milano is consolidating a long-term strategy aimed at strengthening its scientific competitiveness, its dialogue with European institutions, and its contribution to the development of EU policies for research and innovation, at a decisive stage for the future of the Europe of knowledge.