Twinning aims to enhance networking activities between the research institutions of the Widening countries acting as co-ordinators and top-class leading counterparts at European Union level by linking it with at least two research institutions from two different Member States or Associated Countries.

Twinning actions intend to help raise the research profile of the institution from the Widening country as well as the research profile of its staff including a special focus on strengthening the research management and administrative skills of the coordination institution from the Widening country.

Twinning proposals should have to clearly outline the scientific strategy for stepping up and stimulating scientific excellence and innovation capacity in a defined area of research and innovation as well as the scientific quality of the partners involved in the twinning exercise.
This scientific strategy should include arrangements for formulating new (or ongoing) joint research / innovation project(s) in the scientific area of choice and describe how Twinning will take this research to a new stage, by enlarging its scope and/or the research / innovation partnerships.

Such a strategy should include a comprehensive set of activities to be supported.
These should include at least a number of the following: short-term staff exchanges; expert visits and short term on-site or virtual training; workshops; conference attendance; organisation of joint summer school type activities; dissemination and outreach activities.

Proposals should also focus on strengthening the research management and administration skills of the coordinating institution from the Widening country.

It will open opportunities for integrating smaller research / innovation activities and by this strengthening the commitment and the engagement of the twinning partners. The research part of the project should be presented through a dedicated work package and plan including the scientific objectives, tasks and roles of the partners.

The Twinning proposals should illustrate quantitatively and qualitatively the expected potential impact of the twinning exercise within the coordinating institution (and possibly at regional/national level) based on indicators such as expected future publications in peer reviewed journals, collaboration agreements with businesses, intellectual property, new innovative products or services, number of international students, number of women scientists and their roles in the research institutions.