Joint Programming is a new collaborative approach in which countries come together to define a common vision, a strategic research agenda and a management structure, in order to address the ‘grand challenges’ facing EU society in the coming years.

These challenges (such as climate change, food and energy security, neurodegenerative dieases) are considered beyond the scope and resources of any one country to tackle and would benefit from a co-ordinated approach to research.

Joint Programming in Research has been proposed in a communication of the European Commission COM(2008) 468 final, Brussels - Working together to tackle common challenges more effectively.

The JPND was established as the pilot for this unprecedented type of approach to research and a coordinating management board between the 25 JPND member countries has been established.  The JUMPAHEAD project has been funded for 3 years to begin to put in place the necessary infrastructures to support this completely new collaborative approach to European health research.

The concept of joint programming has been proven successful through JPND. Funding calls for Centres of Excellence in Neurodegeneration (COEN) and harmonisation of the use of biomarkers were initiated under the umbrella of JPND. Transnational, collaborative projects to address these areas of need have already begun.