Lower Saxony – Scotland Flagship Initiatives
About
The Lower Saxony – Scotland Flagship Initiatives are long-term, structured collaborations that address complex and strategically important societal issues. They bring together key actors from science, industry, and policy to develop practical, innovative, and scalable solutions. Their international and transdisciplinary character allows them to respond to challenges that cannot be solved by single institutions or disciplines alone.
Synergies Through Coordination and Focus
Rather than isolated research projects, Flagship Initiatives are built on coordinated networks that align research efforts with regional and global priorities. They aim to create synergies – across disciplines, sectors, and countries – and are supported by dedicated formats for networking, collaboration, and project development.
Support and Funding
Due to their complexity and long-term potential, these initiatives rely on targeted support, structured coordination, and access to appropriate funding mechanisms. ECAS plays a key role in initiating and developing these partnerships by connecting relevant actors, supporting academic matchmaking, and facilitating cross-sectoral collaboration. Research groups formed within the framework of a Flagship Initiative have the opportunity to present their ideas during a dedicated workshop at the Lower Saxony – Scotland Joint Forum. This allows them to further develop their concepts and prepare for a potential application under the Lower Saxony – Scotland Research and Innovation Scheme.
From Energy to Emerging Fields
A concrete example is the Strategic Energy Partnership between Lower Saxony and Scotland, with a focus on hydrogen. ECAS supports this initiative through tools such as an Online H2 – Research Market Place, which helps to connect researchers and prepare collaborative project proposals.
Following this model, Flagship Initiatives will be expanded to other areas of strategic importance, including virology and pandemic preparedness, sustainable agriculture, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence. The thematic focus is guided by the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Lower Saxonian State Rectors’ Conference and Universities Scotland. It reflects the shared interests of academic institutions, policy makers, and industry partners.
