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EU FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES UNDER HORIZON EUROPE

FOCUS ON WIDENING CALLS

Transnational Seminar

July 3, 2024 | Tunis, Tunisia

Mövenpick Hotel Gammarth

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The Unit for the Management of the European Research and Innovation

Framework programme “Horizon Europe” (UGPO-HE), Tunisian Ministry of Higher

Education and Scientific Research (MHESR), is organising a transnational seminar

“EU funding opportunities under Horizon Europe: Focus on Widening calls”. This

event stands as a pivotal event in the context of the Horizon Europe project

“Transnational Network of National Contact Points (NCPs) for Widening

Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area

(NCP_WIDERA.NET)”.

NCP_WIDERA.NET is dedicated to support international networking and

coordination, and to improve the quality of proposals through better access to

services provided by NCPs during the application process to Horizon Europe calls,

particularly those relating to “Widening Participation and Strengthening the

European Research Area - WIDERA”, alongside Pillar II actions.

Horizon Europe, the 9th EU Framework Programme for R&I, commands a historic

budget of 95.5 billion Euros, spanning the seven-year period 2021-2027. It aspires

to further anchor R&I in a context marked by several global challenges, notably the

twin (green and digital) transition.

The “Widening participation and spreading excellence” component of Horizon

Europe is aiming to tackle the innovation divide and disparities between R&I

leading countries “Non Widening countries” and those less advanced countries

“Widening countries” towards a more integrated and cohesive European R&I

ecosystem. Closer links between R&I and institutional cooperation to produce

high-quality knowledge are key to help bridging these disparities.

By building upon their excellence pockets and connecting them to broader

networks of excellence, Widening countries will be able to upgrade their R&I

systems and, hence, contribute to the global effort in facing the most pressing

challenges.

CONCEPT NOTE

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Tunisia holds the esteemed distinction of being the only African and Arabic

country to benefit of the status of an associated country under the predecessor

programme Horizon 2020, a privilege that has been renewed in the ongoing

programme, Horizon Europe.

This semminar is geared towards offering valuable insights and support to Horizon

Europe applicants with a focus on “Hop-on Facility” and “ERA Talents” funding

mechanisms. This gathering will be an opportunity to:

Enhance the awareness among R&I communities regarding "Widening" calls;

Foster the initiation and/or consolidation of synergy between Horizon EU- WIDERA networks and other prominent European networks;

Provide valuable insights into proposal writing useful for Pillar II applicants.

The primary audience for this event comprises R&I representatives from

Associated countries, North Africa, and Outer Most regions, including

policymakers, researchers, academic entities, businesses, and civil society.

By hosting this transnational event and the NCPs capacity building workshops,

Tunisia further marks its anchoring in the European Research Area (ERA).

Mr. Helmi MARDASSI

Director General, UGPO-HE, MHESR

In conjunction with the transnational event, two parallel sessions will take place:

1- Panel session “Synergy with other EU Networks” (Task 4.4.3) organised jointly

by the UGPO-HE, MHESR, and the Armenian Scientific and Innovation Partnership

Assistance Center (SIPAC).

2- Training “How to join Pillar II calls successfully?” (Task 1.4), organised by the

Italian Agency for the Promotion of European Research (APRE).