The INTER programme aims to promote international research collaboration. International cooperation is crucial to strengthen and consolidate research competitiveness at national, as well as at European level.

Through INTER, the National Research Fund (FNR) strives to facilitate transnational collaboration with the following objectives:

• increase the number of research projects implemented in collaboration with international partners in order to enhance the impact of various national research programmes
• create synergies between research centres both in and outside Luxembourg in order to facilitate access to specialised equipment and infrastructures
• increase competitiveness and exposure of Luxembourg research
• solve transnational issues (such as pollution) which cannot be addressed solely at national level
• share resources and expertise in certain areas in order to create a critical mass and fortify credibility

The themes covered by INTER correspond to the thematic priorities determined by the FNR’s other programmes, notably the CORE programme (although there is a certain flexibility in the topics that can be covered). The programme also supports activities such as research infrastructure development, human resource development, dissemination and exploitation of research results and training.

Activities supported by INTER should originate either from the initiative of an international organisation or from multinational agreements between several funding bodies. The financing should be provided by one (or several) international organisation(s) or national funding structures throughout the project. The activity needs to be of a multi-annual programme nature, which incorporates the encouragement of interaction between research institutes of different countries. Project evaluation and selection is done according to several criteria: scientific quality, socio-economic impact, cost-effectiveness, motivating effect at national and international level, and realistic possibility of achievement in the Luxembourg context.

The programme targets public research organisations. Transnational project partners should be financed by their own structures or funding organisations. The participation of several research organisations, including private sector partners, is encouraged by the programme. However, FNR funding cannot be extended to industrial partners. In order to participate in the programme, interested public research organisations should reply to a call for project proposals according to the determined deadlines and conditions for participation.