Europe’s Global Approach to Research and Innovation & Launch of Horizon Europe in India

The EU Delegation to India and EURAXESS India are organising ahigh level information session on Europe’s Global Approach to Research and Innovation & the Launch of the Horizon Europe Programme in India.

The EU has adopted an new strategy for international cooperation and will work with international partners to create a common understanding of fundamental principles and values in research and innovation.

In line with the EU-India Strategic Partnership cooperation with India will be stepped up to address together global challenges and sustainable modernisation.

Horizon Europe, the next EU Research and Innovation Framework programme 2021-2027, with a overall budget of €95.5 billion, will be a key instrument for the implementation of the Global strategy. The first calls for proposals for collaborative research action have been launched and are open to researchers and academic and non-academic stakeholders from India.

This session will inform about the following:

- The role of EU-India strategic partnership by H.E. Mr Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the European Union to India

- Presentation onEurope’s Global Approach to Research & Innovation by Ms Maria Cristina Russo, Director, Directorate for Global Approach and International Collaboration in R&I, Directorate-General for Research & Innovation, European Commission, Brussels

- Overview of the new Horizon Europe programme and its International dimension by Ms Nienke Buisman, Head of Unit, Global Approach & International Cooperation in R&I, International Cooperation II: Asia, Africa, Middle East & External Relations, European Commission, Brussels

- Presentation of specific call topics under Horizon Europe on:

a) Access to Research Infrastructureservices by Mr Dominik Sobczak, Deputy Head of Unit, R&I Actors and Research, Directorate-General for Research &   Innovation, European Commission, Brussels

b) Collaboration opportunities on Space Research by Dr Astrid-Christina Koch, Senior Expert, International Relations & Communications, Directorate General for Defence Industry and Space, European Commission, Brussels

Who should participate?

 - Indian scientists, researchers and innovators including universities, research institutes from public and private     sector;  

- SMEs/startups and entrepreneurs;

- Think tanks, NGOs and policy makers.

When will this webinar take place?

This 90min webinar will take place on Wednesday 14 July from 3:30pm-5.00pm IST (12.00-13.30 CET). Please ensure you confirm the timing in the time zone where you are based!

Will participants be able to ask questions?

Webinar participants will be able to submit questions to the speakers during the webinar in writing via the chat function. Open questions will be addressed in a subsequent interactive Q&A session.

Registration is now open. Space is limited, and attendance is on a first come first serve basis. The presentations will all be held in English. This webinar is entirely for free.

About the Speakers

H.E. Mr Ugo ASTUTO Ambassador of the European Union to India

Ugo Astuto entered the Italian Diplomatic Service in 1991. He is the Ambassador of the EU to India since October 2019. From July 2016 to September 2019 he was the Principal Director for Asia in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome. His career in the Italian Foreign Service spans experience in the Embassies in Nairobi and London (including as alternate Director for Italy in the EBRD European Bank for Reconstruction and Development), in the Permanent Representation in Brussels and in the Embassy in Delhi, where he served as Deputy Head of Mission. From February 2013 until July 2016 he was seconded to the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels, first as Director for South and South East Asia and then as Deputy Managing Director/Director for Asia and the Pacific.

Ms Maria Cristina Russo, Director, Directorate for Global Approach and International Collaboration in R&I, Directorate-General for Research & Innovation, European Commission, Brussels

Maria Cristina Russo is Director for Global Approach & International Cooperation in R&I in DG Research and Innovation with responsibility for developing and implementing the EU international strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation and the international dimension of the Horizon programme. She has been working for the European Commission since 1992 where she held several policy and managerial positions related to external relations, the EU decision-making process and various EU policies, in particular research & innovation. She was part of the team dealing with technical assistance to former Soviet Union, then member of the Cabinet of the Commissioner in charge of research policy when the European Research Area was launched.

She was later appointed Head of Unit in the Secretariat-General of the European Commission holding different positions dealing with inter-institutional relations and policy making, and in the department in charge of consumers' policies and financial services, before being appointed to her current position in 2013.

Maria Cristina holds a degree in Political Sciences from the Luiss University of Rome and a Research Master Degree in European Studies from the College of Europe in Bruges. She has three children.

Ms Nienke Buisman, Head of Unit, Global Approach & International Cooperation in R&I, International Cooperation II: Asia, Africa, Middle East & External Relations, European Commission, Brussels

Nienke Buismanis Head of Unit for International Cooperation Policy in the European Commission, Directorate-General Research & Innovation since 2019. She is in charge of developing and implementing the EU’s research and innovation cooperation policy with Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Previous jobs held in DG Research & Innovation: Deputy Head of Unit in charge of establishing public-private partnerships in research and innovation and preparing the delegation of programme implementation to Executive Agencies and other Funding Bodies; Policy Advisor to the Deputy Director-General in charge of financial and human resources management and the energy and climate change research portfolios; Senior policy-officer in the international cooperation department, in charge of the collaboration between the EU and South Africa and the African Union; and leading a team on knowledge management in the Resources Directorate.

Nienke started her career in the European Commission in 2002 in DG Transport and Energy as the assistant to the Resources Director. Before joining the European Commission, Nienke has worked for UNICEF and the Assembly of French Chambers of Commerce in Brussels. Nienke holds a MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She also holds a double French-British MA in European Public Policy.

Mr Dominik Sobczak, Deputy Head of Unit, R&I Actors and Research, Directorate-General for Research & Innovation, European Commission, Brussels

Dominik Sobczak graduated from Warsaw School of Economics in 2003 in Finance and Banking and in European Studies, where he worked for the following two years as a research project manager and a researcher in macroeconomics, financial markets and European integration. After joining the European Commission in May 2005 he worked in the area of socio-economic sciences and humanities in DG Research and Innovation, developing the European research agenda in macroeconomics, finance, demography, corporate social responsibility and youth, among others, in the 7^th Framework Programme and in Horizon 2020. In September 2014 he was assigned to the Research Infrastructures unit as Executive Secretary of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures. He now continues working on the European policy in this field as Deputy Head of Unit for Research and Innovation Actors and Research Careers.

Dr Astrid-Christina Koch, Senior Expert, International Relations & Communications, Directorate General for Defence Industry and Space, European Commission, Brussels

Astrid-Christina Koch works on the international dimension of the EU Space Programme together with European and International partners. She is the point of contact for the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) and the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) in DG DEFIS and is supporting cooperation on Copernicus worldwide. From 2007 – 2012 she served as science diplomat in the EU Delegation to the United States in Washington DC promoting transatlantic science and space cooperation.

Astrid received a Ph.D. in Natural Science from the Christian – Albrechts University in Kiel/Germany. In her free time she enjoys making chocolates. 

Background

Global Approach to Research and Innovation

European Commission adopted a Communication on its Global Approach to Research and Innovation, Europe's strategy for international cooperation in a changing world. With this, the EU aims to take a leading role in supporting international research and innovation partnerships, and to deliver innovative solutions to make our societies green, digital and healthy.

EU will work with international partners to create a common understanding of fundamental principles and values in research and innovation, such as academic freedom, gender equality, research ethics, open science and evidence-based policymaking.

In line with the EU-India Strategic Partnership: A Roadmap to 2025, cooperation with India will be stepped up to address together global challenges and sustainable modernisation. Cooperation on healthcare, including resilience to health crises, actions on a just greening of the economy and striving for a human-centric digitalisation will all be considered as priorities. Cooperation to underpin the EU-India Connectivity Partnership , with a focus on mobility of researchers and innovators, and the Indo-Pacific strategy, by actions on the blue economy such as marine litter, will also be considered.

Horizon Europe, the next EU research and innovation framework programme 2021-2027, will be a key instrument for the implementation of the strategy.

For More Information

Communication on the Global Approach to Research and Innovation

Questions and Answers: Global Approach to Research and Innovation

Factsheet: Global Approach to Research and Innovation

International cooperation in research and innovation

Horizon Europe – the new R&I Programme of the EU

Horizon Europe is the next EU research and innovation framework programme 2021-2027, with a overall budget of €95.5 billion. Over the next 7 years the program will continue its support for excellent research through the European Research Council. It will also attract more young people to a scientific career through the Maria Skłodowska-Curie actions. Through its six clusters, it will stimulate the creation of breakthrough innovations in areas such as healthcare, climate, digital technology, energy and mobility, agriculture, security, industry and more. For the first time, there will be a strong focus on culture and creativity, envisaging the creation of a digital space in the cultural heritage area. Missions will focus on ambitious, term bound goals such as saving 3 million lives from cancer by 2030, achieving 100 climate neutral cities, good condition of oceans, seas and inner waters, of the soils and foods.

They will support European researchers through fellowships, training and exchanges, build more connected and efficient European innovation ecosystems and create world-class research infrastructures. Moreover, they will encourage participation across Europe and from around the world, while at the same time strengthening the European Research Area.

For more information

Factsheet: Horizon Europe Strategic Plan

Horizon Europe Strategic Plan

Horizon Europe

EU Missions

European Partnerships

See calls for proposals and apply for funding