The IPSC earns additional income through work carried out on a competitive basis. This work allows the institute to benchmark itself against other research centres, to acquire new expertise and know-how, and to share its own competences and facilities.

IPSC competitive activities can be divided into three categories:

1. Participation in Framework Programme (FP) Indirect Actions

The so-called "Indirect actions" are mainly collaborative projects for which the IPSC, together with partners from Member States, submits proposals in the context of calls for proposals.

• Browse the full list of FP7 projects where IPSC takes part
• Browse FP7 projects with IPSC participation by specific programme

2. Support to Commission services

At the request of Commission services or other EU institutions, the IPSC may carry out additional work in the fields of its competencies in support to specific initiatives. One example is the work in support to the GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) Bureau of DG Enterprise.

3. Third Party Work

The term "third party work" encompasses research and supply of services under contract to third parties, such as industry, national or regional authorities. This also includes contracts in the context of Member States’ research programmes.

4. Other Competitive Activities

• DamConcrete: High Strain Rate Behavior of Dam Concrete - Experiments and Multiscale Modeling
• GEM: Global Earthquake Model