Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva and Australian minister Tim Ayres formalised the agreement. The relevant pillar covers fields including health, climate, energy and digital technologies.
Transitional arrangements are intended to allow applications before association is formally completed, expected in mid-2027 after Australian parliamentary scrutiny, according to Reuters. The agreement does not guarantee grants to individual applicants.
The Group of Eight, representing Australian research universities, says it has pledged up to half of Australia’s 2027 association contribution, capped at A$20 million. It says this co-investment provides no preferential access to competitive funding calls.