Developing international cooperation between research units for better use of investments financed by Regional Operational Programmes and creating innovations in the fields of food, health and bioeconomy – this is the main objective of the ‘CROSSPATHS’ project, implemented under Horizon Europe by institutions from Poland, Portugal and Estonia.

The leader of the consortium is the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn. The other partners are: Catholic University of Portugal and the Estonian University of Life Sciences. They are representatives of the so-called Widening Countries, i.e. countries where the level of scientific excellence is lower than the European Union average.

Each of the units involved in the project has already benefited from ERDF funds, i.e. funds obtained from Regional Operational Programmes for investment in research infrastructure. All also have experience of obtaining grants from the EU’s Horizon Europe programme.

– The ‘CROSSPATHS’ project will bring together the consortium’s resources and create a group with the unique expertise to provide comprehensive solutions for food technology, health and bioeconomy in European systems. This will enable the group to become a large and significant player on the international stage, specialising in providing innovative food solutions with health-promoting effects and limited environmental impact – emphasises Prof. Mariusz Piskuła, director of the Institute and project coordinator. 

The aim of the project’s activities is to develop a joint internationalisation strategy and to launch programmes to build the institutions’ human resources capacities. Staff exchanges, study visits, summer schools, specialised training and courses, and participation in international brokerage meetings are just some of the planned activities. This will strengthen the links of these research units with leading European networks and, consequently, enable them to become desirable partners in Horizon Europe consortia.

The project consortium partners will be supported by a mentoring centre from the Netherlands (Wageningen Research), which will allow them to develop their research management competencies, especially in terms of applying for R&D projects and effectively commercialising the services offered by using EU-funded research investments.

IAR&FR PAS in Olsztyn coordinates the entire project. Within the framework of individual tasks, the Institute is responsible for developing a joint internationalisation strategy, organising international meetings and conferences, and a brokerage meeting in Brussels.

– Involvement in this major international project is an opportunity to showcase the capabilities and potential of our – the country’s leading – research unit outside Poland, and increases the chances of implementing the results of our research in European markets – the coordinator adds.

Funded by the EU funds project will run by the end of April 2026. The total budget is almost €1.2 million.