The multiplier impact of European Union funding on Higher education and research in the Portuguese regions under HORIZON 2020

Abstract

The objective of the European Higher Education and Research H2020 Program is to increase the number of higher education graduates and to support new PhDs in order to strengthen research, technological development and innovation. The partnership agreement between the European Union and the Member States for the implementation of the European Structural and Investment Funds (FEEI), for the period 2014-2020, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Cohesion Fund (CF), the Fund European Social Fund (ESF), the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), is in its final phase. It is therefore important to understand the impact on public and private investment that the partnership agreement is having in the different regions and consequently in the member countries. Support for regional investment has allowed the construction or modernization of collective infrastructures, such as schools, promotion of cultural and natural heritage, bets on energy efficiency, promotion of information and communication technologies (ICT) in public services, research and development, as well as urban rehabilitation and mobility. In this area, inter-municipal and business investments are also included. The present study analyzes the multiplier impact on regional investment of European funds made available to the Lisbon - Portugal region under the H2020 program until September 2018, in the areas of higher education and the strengthening of research. The aim is to understand whether the objectives proposed by the European Union in relation to the financial support granted by the EU/investment provided in the various regions in 1,28 are being achieved, and on the other hand, respond to the main research question: a) What is the value invested in the regional economy in the areas of higher education and research and development for each euro of support allocated by the European Union through the H2020 program in the different regions of Portugal. The entity responsible for the management of Community support has been requested to provide information on the number of projects approved, amounts invested by type of investment and their support granted by the European Union up to 30/09/2018. From the data received, the analysis was structured in relation to four main intervention areas: 1) Municipal investment; 2) Business investment; 3) Science and technology; 4) territorial approaches. In each of the areas, the data was available in order to obtain the following information: total support granted by the H2020 program, eligible investment, total investment and number of projects supported and so we can respond to the main research question.