The Guild statement proposes four societal moonshots

The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities published a statement on 26 November 2025 on "R&I moonshots for a competitive and resilient society". The Guild proposes four societal moonshots which address interdisciplinary challenges and align technological progress with societal welfare in response to the European Commission’s proposal to launch "moonshot" projects for the next Horizon Europe programme (FP10).

The Guild states that the current Horizon Europe draft "places disproportionate emphasis on technological advancement while overlooking societal progress". The association is convinced that "for Europe to truly achieve global leadership, its R&I agenda must extend beyond technological breakthroughs, embedding innovation within broader socio-cultural contexts".

The Guild therefore proposes four moonshots; each aligned with a policy window proposed for the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) and FP10:

1. Ethical global leadership for climate resilience and competitive economies (aligned with policy window "Clean Transition and Industrial Decarbonisation"),
2. Building equitable healthcare for all (aligned with policy window "Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy",
3. Digital literacy for all (aligned with policy window "Digital Leadership"), and
4. Responsible management of change (aligned with policy window "Resilience and Security, Defence industry and Space").

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The Guild statement: R&I moonshots for a competitive and resilient society