ROYAL MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY*RMIT UNIVERSITY

Their core work

RMIT University is a major Australian research university that brings Asia-Pacific research capacity into European consortia, primarily through staff exchange and mobility programmes. Their contributions span an unusually broad range — from bimetallic catalysts for energy applications and nanomaterial-based drug delivery to creative arts for social transformation and nature-based mental health interventions. They typically serve as an international third-party partner, providing complementary expertise and access to Australian research infrastructure, industry networks, and testing environments that European consortia otherwise lack.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

RMIT's early H2020 involvement (2016–2019) centred on technology-oriented themes: international ICT cooperation across the Asia-Pacific, bimetallic catalysts for energy, and open innovation bridging industry sectors like cleantech and fintech. From 2020 onward, their focus shifted markedly toward socially engaged research — creative practices for sustainability, stem cell therapies for preterm infants, nature-based mental health interventions, and advanced bio-nanomaterials. The trajectory shows a university moving from primarily technology-transfer and mobility roles toward deeper engagement in health, social impact, and sustainable materials research.

RMIT is increasingly positioned at the intersection of health sciences and social sustainability, making them a strong future partner for projects combining biomedical research with community-level health interventions.

How they like to work

RMIT never coordinates H2020 projects — they join as a third-party or participant, which is typical for non-EU international partners. With 103 unique partners across 25 countries from just 9 projects, they operate in large, diverse consortia rather than small focused teams. This broad network and non-leading role means they are easy to integrate into new consortia as a complementary international partner without competing for coordination.

Despite only 9 projects, RMIT has built a remarkably wide network of 103 partners across 25 countries, reflecting their participation in large MSCA-RISE and RIA consortia that span both European and Asia-Pacific institutions.

What sets them apart

As one of Australia's leading universities for applied research, RMIT provides European consortia with something few partners can: direct access to Asia-Pacific research ecosystems, testing environments, and industry connections. Their unusual breadth — from catalysis and nanomaterials to creative arts and urban health — means they can contribute to multidisciplinary projects that need a credible international dimension. For consortium builders needing a strong non-EU partner to satisfy international cooperation requirements (especially for MSCA programmes), RMIT is a proven, experienced choice.

Highlights from their portfolio

• OpenInnoTrain
  A five-year MSCA-RISE project (2019–2024) bridging university-industry knowledge exchange across cleantech, fintech, and food tech — their longest and most cross-sectoral engagement.
• PREMSTEM
  A major five-year research training network on stem cell regeneration for preterm brain injury, demonstrating RMIT's capacity in serious biomedical research.
• CreaTures
  An unusual project combining socially engaged arts, critical design, and media art with sustainability transformation — shows RMIT's strength in transdisciplinary research that few technical universities attempt.