Science|Business

📣 Want to secure EU #research #funding? Our #HorizonEurope guide is your essential tool for navigating one of the world's largest #science and #technology funding programmes. Not convinced yet? 🔓 Have a look at our 3 free excerpts from the 'Horizon Europe: The Essential Guide': 🔶 What is a Horizon Europe partnership? 🔷 Where does the money go?  🔶 Horizon Europe goes global: who’s in, who’s out, and why? 💡 Whether you’re a researcher, start-up founder, or part of a global company, this guide will keep you ahead in the competitive race for Horizon Europe grants.

Today participants in the Skills Development for Smart Specialization conference have engaged in a lively give-and-take of views on ways to close the #skills gaps, address labour shortages, and improve overall growth and competitiveness. The hurdles are high — many countries are facing notable shortages in health care, digital services and engineering — and the EU is falling short of its goals to tackle these challenges. There are “widespread gaps in skills development”, noted Simone Rosini of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. Just 37% of EU adults participate in #training, well short of the 60% set out in the European Pilar of Social Rights action plan. The plan is designed to strengthen #employability, address the digital skills gap, boost #innovation and promote social fairness. The #S3conference2024’s first day ended with participants joining together to recommend solutions. These included expanding the involvement of the private sector in designing #vocational #training; strengthening on-the-job training; encouraging cooperation between universities and businesses to better address labour market needs; facilitating more local input in national higher-education policies; and promoting retraining and the transfer of expertise to new applications. 🔎check out tomorrow's programme: https://lnkd.in/dWkahW5e Sponsored by NRDIO - National Research Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH)

The Skills Development for Smart Specialization conference continues to offer insightful discussions on how S3 strategies can boost the EU’s competitiveness amidst global challenges. Experts have debated how smart specialisation strategies (S3) can help strengthen the EU’s competitiveness in the face of rising global challenges. In Latvia, for example, the S3 has become “our bible of innovation”, according to Angelina Bekasova, a senior expert for #space and #innovation policy at Latvia’s Ministry of Economics. “The S3 has helped create a common language between policy makers, #industry and the public,” she explained, adding, “It is also very helpful in speaking with our international cooperation partners,” including Baltic neighbours Lithuania and Estonia. In Hungary, S3 involves a cross-section of stakeholders to “put all the elements together”, noted Krisztina Sóvágó, who heads the S3 Project Management Office at NRDIO - National Research Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH). The European Commission encouraged member states to draft S3 plans more than a decade ago to promote economic and regional #development. Richard Tuffs, a member of a Brussels-based Friends of Smart Specialisation policy group in Brussels, now believes “it’s time to rethink S3” in the face of “top-down” challenges such as geopolitical complexities and climate change, and “bottom-up” issues, including in some cases strategies that are viewed as “tasks rather than opportunities”. He also pointed out that #skills development “is part of the new thinking of smart specialisation” and one of the foundations of success. 📺 Watch live: https://lnkd.in/dnD-U3t7 🔎more info: https://lnkd.in/dWkahW5e Sponsored by NRDIO - National Research Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH)

Follow live the Skills Development for Smart Specialization in Budapest! The dialogue continues at #S3conference2024 in Budapest with Pirita Vuorinen, a human capital development expert at the European Training Foundation (ETF) stressing the importance of joint action to help ensure that #education and #training keep pace with current and future market needs. Working in EU neighbouring countries, the ETF employs a ‘skills for smart specialisation’ methodological approach to engaging representatives from vocational education and training (#VET) initiatives, higher education, #research, civil society, policymakers, and the private sector in setting smart specialisation priorities. This helps to “anchor the process in a group of stakeholders who have ownership in these issues,” according to Vurinen. Building on the ETF’s approach, Vuorinen emphasised that such multi-stakeholder collaboration can lead to more relevant skills-building programmes, ultimately enhancing #employability and workplace flexibility. She shared how re-training initiatives have proven effective in helping workers transition quickly as market needs and technologies evolve, underscoring the importance of adapting to change. 📺 Watch live https://lnkd.in/dnD-U3t7 🔎more info: https://lnkd.in/dWkahW5e Sponsored by NRDIO - National Research Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH)

🔴Live from the Skills Development for Smart Specialization conference in Budapest! John Edwards, secretary-general of EURASHE, has taken the stage at the #S3conference2024 to stress the vital role of #vocational #training in realising smart specialisation strategies (S3) and fostering sustainable growth in the EU’s less-developed regions. “We are trying to bring higher education closer to the world of work,” he explained, and warned against creating “cathedrals in the desert” — costly #research or #innovation initiatives in areas where there is no accompanying economic demand and infrastructure. To boost skills development, he suggests more degree-level apprenticeships; promoting interdisciplinary training; and supporting the education sector with “innovative models for learning and teaching”. Looking to the future, Edwards noted that older workers will need to be more agile as Europe’s ages and the number of younger workers shrinks. A key issue at the two-day conference is how to meet employer needs for skilled staff in an increasingly complex global marketplace. 📺Watch live: https://lnkd.in/dnD-U3t7 🔎More info: https://lnkd.in/d6sH8sNq Sponsored by NRDIO - National Research Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH)

📢The Skills Development for Smart Specialization conference has kicked off in Budapest, bringing together EU experts to discuss Europe’s evolving #skills and #training needs. Opening the event, Andriana Sukova, Deputy Director-General for Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion at the European Commission, highlighted the importance of identifying long-term skills to strengthen the EU’s competitive edge and drive sustainable growth. This requires collaboration at local, regional, and national levels, ensuring both young people and older employees have opportunities to update their skills in a rapidly changing labour market. Dr. Borbala Schenk, Head of the International Affairs Department at NRDIO - National Research Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH) took the stage to underscore the opportunity to enhance skills and strategic thinking in #research and #innovation, aligned with priorities of Hungary’s EU presidency. Dr. Gábor Kemény, Vice-Rector at the Ludovika University of Public Service,  with a compelling call for stronger action to tackle Europe’s economic #competitiveness stressing the role of #education and training in sustainable growth. Adding to the conversation representatives from Belgium and Spain, past EU presidencies, shared valuable insights on supporting research and innovation through the EU’s smart specialisation strategy (S3). Don’t miss the #S3conference2024, featuring two days of debates on skills development and smart specialisation. Join panel discussions and networking sessions with EU and national policymakers, stakeholders, and experts to explore key strategies for Europe’s future competitiveness. 📺Watch live: https://lnkd.in/dnD-U3t7 🔎More info: https://lnkd.in/d6sH8sNq Sponsored by NRDIO - National Research Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH)

The European Commission has announced the opening of formal negotiations for Japan to join #HorizonEurope, the EU's #research and #innovation programme. The move could allow Japanese researchers to actively participate in collaborative projects under the programme's pillar II, focusing on global challenges such as the green and #digital transitions. 📌 More: https://lnkd.in/eBsNc-Zr

EU research ministers have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the European Research Area, aiming to boost collaboration and remove barriers for researchers and innovation. However, concrete measures are postponed until 2025, raising questions about the pace of progress. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dMKK3JTw

📌Have a look at this week's highlights from our #Horizon Blog: 🔷 EIT expands innovation network to boost regional growth 🔶 Research lobby raise concerns over ERC and EIC funding proposed in ITRE report  🔷 MEPs approve 2025 budget boost for education and research 🔶New alliance calls for EU focus on sustainable research partnerships 🔗Read more: https://lnkd.in/exhPSpZ2

🔎Check this week's highlights in R&I! Stay on top of the latest developments in #research and #innovation with Science|Business! 📩 Subscribe to our newsletters: https://lnkd.in/etreiCSe