A New Chapter in EU-Swiss Research and Education Partnerships

Switzerland’s official entry into several EU funding programmes, long anticipated by the European higher education and research communities headlines this week’s funding developments. Also worth highlighting is Egypt’s Horizon Europe association agreement. With these agreements now formalised, new avenues for international collaboration in research and education are opening up.  

Switzerland is making headlines in the EU’s world of research, education, and innovation. On 21 October 2025, the Council of the European Union approved Switzerland’s participation in key EU programmes, including Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, Digital Europe, EU4Health, Euratom Research and Training, and ITER/Fusion for Energy. This marks a major step in a partnership that has long been valued and now officially becomes more closely intertwined. 

Marie Bjerre, Denmark’s Minister for European Affairs, captured the moment: “Our partnership with Switzerland is longstanding and based on common values. In the current complex and evolving geopolitical context, our relationship needs to be expanded and modernised to be better fit for the future”. It is clear that Switzerland’s presence will be felt across research, innovation, and education programmes; and for arts institutions, it hints at new opportunities to connect, collaborate, and co-create on a European stage. 

This agreement is the first in a broader package of bilateral deals negotiated in 2024, designed to modernise and expand Switzerland’s role in the European landscape. Provisional application started already on 1 January 2025, allowing Swiss institutions to jump straight into projects while the complete package is set to enter fully by 2028. The formal signing took place in Bern on 10 November 2025. According to Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, the signature “opens a new chapter in EU–Swiss relations, deepening our partnership across research, innovation, education and digital transformation”. 

It is worth noting that Switzerland’s new association follows a broader pattern: several non-EU countries already enjoy full access to EU programmes. Under Horizon Europe, countries such as Norway, Canada, Ukraine, Georgia, and the United Kingdom are already associated and can participate almost like EU members. A special mention goes to the new collaboration agreement between Egypt and the EU. On 22 October 2025, Egypt officially joined the Horizon Europe programme as associate country, following the first-ever EU–Egypt Summit. Similarly, Erasmus+ includes countries outside the EU, such as Iceland, Türkiye, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Switzerland’s entry is thus part of an expanding circle of international collaboration, connecting EU-based research, education, and innovation with partners worldwide. 

Together, these developments suggest a more interconnected Europe. While Switzerland’s leap into EU programmes is the headline, the inclusion of partners like Egypt hints at a broader, dynamic network that opens doors for exchange, collaboration, and new connections across borders. For ELIA members, it is a moment to watch and perhaps imagine the collaborations that the coming years may bring.