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Strengthening research infrastructure collaboration to deliver EU priorities

February 17, 2026

The COMPASS Framework supporting Horizon Europe objectives

Research Infrastructures (RIs) are recognised under Horizon Europe as strategic assets for strengthening the European Research Area (ERA), fostering scientific excellence, and accelerating innovation uptake across Member States.

Within this context, COMPASS has actively contributed to initiatives that promote structured collaboration and innovation. Notably, COMPASS participated in the study R&I Collaboration for Circular Solutions, part of the project Circular Value Chains Analysis conducted by Norion, Ricardo, and 3Drivers on behalf of the DG RTD. This engagement highlights COMPASS’s role in advancing not only cross-border research cooperation but also sustainability-driven innovation pathways aligned with the circular economy.

As Europe advances its green and digital transitions, strengthens its industrial resilience, and pursues greater strategic autonomy, the effectiveness of Research Infrastructures increasingly depends on their ability to operate as coordinated, interoperable ecosystems. The COMPASS project contributes to this objective through a structured analytical framework that integrates governance models, knowledge flows, and digital enablement mechanisms, directly supporting Horizon Europe’s objectives of impact, integration, and long-term sustainability

Aligning RI collaboration with Horizon Europe’s systemic approach

Horizon Europe emphasises:

  • Cross-sectoral integration
  • Open science and knowledge circulation
  • Digitalisation as an enabler of sustainability
  • Improved exploitation and uptake of R&I results
  • Stronger European coordination

COMPASS addresses these priorities by analysing how collaboration dynamics between RIs can be structured to reduce fragmentation, enhance interoperability and support scalable innovation pathways.

Rather than treating collaboration as an informal by-product of project participation, COMPASS examines it as a governance and infrastructure challenge that requires dedicated coordination mechanisms and digital foundations.

Governance Models for Systemic Innovation

Delivering on EU priorities requires governance models that move beyond linear project management structures.

Through its framework-based approach, COMPASS analyses:

  • Hybrid governance arrangements combining formal coordination with adaptive collaboration
  • Role distribution across value chain stages
  • Integration of research, technology providers and application partners
  • Co-lead and matrix-based coordination structures

Such governance configurations are particularly relevant for Horizon Europe projects operating at higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), where alignment between research excellence and implementation feasibility is critical.

By identifying enabling governance mechanisms, COMPASS contributes to strengthening the capacity of RIs to support cross-border collaboration and long-term structural integration within the European Research Area.

Knowledge Flows and Open Innovation as Policy Instruments

Horizon Europe promotes open innovation and cross-disciplinary knowledge exchange as drivers of competitiveness and societal impact.

COMPASS examines knowledge dynamics within RI collaboration ecosystems through:

  • Inbound innovation (integration of external expertise)
  • Outbound innovation (dissemination and uptake of results)
  • Coupled innovation (co-development across organisational boundaries)

Particular attention is given to the role of boundary objects — shared tools and artefacts that enable coordination across heterogeneous actors. These include:

  • Standardised assessment methodologies
  • Shared digital monitoring systems
  • Interoperable data platforms
  • Common lifecycle and traceability tools

Such instruments are critical for reducing coordination friction and enabling structured experimentation across distributed infrastructures.

Digitalisation as a Core Enabler of the Twin Transition

The European Commission’s concept of the Twin Transition — leveraging digitalisation to accelerate sustainability — is central to the COMPASS approach.

Digital tools are analysed not merely as technical support instruments, but as foundational infrastructure enabling:

  • Transparent data exchange
  • Monitoring and verification
  • Interoperability across infrastructures
  • Traceability and lifecycle management
  • Cross-border comparability

However, COMPASS also highlights governance challenges linked to digital infrastructures, including:

  • Data ownership and confidentiality
  • Long-term maintenance responsibilities
  • Integration across independently developed platforms

Ensuring that digital tools remain operational beyond project lifetimes is essential to achieving durable policy impact and maximising return on public investment.

From Project Outputs to Long-Term Structural Impact

A key objective of Horizon Europe is ensuring that R&I investments generate sustainable, scalable outcomes beyond the funded period.

COMPASS contributes to this objective by identifying structural barriers that may limit post-project continuity, including:

  • Fragmented regulatory interpretation across Member States
  • Insufficient alignment between research actors and market-oriented stakeholders
  • Lack of ownership models for shared digital platforms
  • Limited mechanisms for follow-up investment

By integrating governance, knowledge flow analysis and digital infrastructure considerations within a unified framework, COMPASS provides evidence-based insights to inform future programme design and support stronger exploitation pathways.

Supporting the European Research Area Through Structured Collaboration

Strengthening collaboration between Research Infrastructures directly supports the European Research Area’s objectives of:

  • Reducing fragmentation
  • Enhancing cross-border cooperation
  • Promoting excellence and inclusiveness
  • Improving coordination of national and EU-level investments

Through its analytical work, COMPASS contributes to building a more resilient, interoperable and policy-aligned RI ecosystem capable of addressing complex societal and industrial challenges.

By reinforcing structured collaboration, digital integration and adaptive governance, COMPASS supports Europe’s ambition to translate research excellence into long-term, system-level impact.