Does collaborative research here mean collaboration with an EPO department or could it be any type of collaboration?

Firstly, we encourage applicants to submit proposals involving collaboration between different academic teams and institutions. In addition, we also expect the research proposals to generate useful and relevant results for the EPO. This includes, for instance, the production of datasets and indicators that could be further employed by the EPO for its own analyses and studies, as well as results relevant for the European patent system. Interested EPO departments will therefore help select the projects and supervise their progress, and may provide advice, suggestions and input, where appropriate.