The Launch Conference of the Horizon Europe Program in the Valencian Community, framed in the 30th anniversary of the UJI, hosted its first session this March 3 focused on the Pillar 1: Excellent Science and Pillar 3: Open Innovation of the new program horizon europe. This conference, promoted through the Vice-Rectorate of Research and Transfer of the UJI, aims to increase the participation of Community agents in this program. The Conference is organized by the Universitat Jaume I and the Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE) together with the Network of Technological Institutes of the Valencian Community (REDIT), the Enterprise Europe Network for companies in the Valencian Community and the Region of Murcia (EEN-SEIMED) and the Universitat Jaume I-Empresa Foundation (FUE-UJI) through the EuroFUE-UJI.
The rector of the UJI, Eva Alcon, and the general director of IVACE, Julia Company, were in charge of opening the meeting organized within the framework of the 30th anniversary of the Universitat Jaume I and in which they participated more than 500 people. For the rector of the UJI, Eva Alcón, “this new R&D&I financing program must provide a definitive boost to a competitive and forward-looking Europe; a Europe in which universities are strategic allies to promote synergies that consolidate the raising of funds and the development of high-impact projects. Furthermore, Alcón has highlighted that the European framework programs are one of the main sources of public financing for R&D&i and are an excellent opportunity to complement the research and innovative activity that is materialized through state and regional plans.
He also participated in the opening of the Conference Julia Company, general director of IVACE, who has highlighted Horizon Europe as the largest R&D&IA program at the European level with which "Europe opens up a path of unprecedented opportunities for us," according to Company.
Horizon Europe 2021-2027 is structured around three fundamental axes: excellent science with the aim of consolidating the EU's leadership in research and innovation; global challenges and European industrial competitiveness, where clusters will have a leading role in their coordination, and open innovation to expand cutting-edge and market-creating innovation. This first session of the Launch Conference of the Horizon Europe Program in the Valencian Community has delved into Pillar 1: Excellent Science. This first part has had the intervention of Cristina Gomez, National Contact Point for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions FECYT, who presented the news regarding the European Research Council (ERC) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. He has accompanied her Esther Rodriguez, National Contact Point for Research Infrastructures of the Carlos III Health Institute, who spoke about the Horizon Europe Scientific Infrastructure Programme.
On the other hand, the different actions within the framework of Pillar 3 of the Program (Open Innovation) have also been presented. In this case they have intervened Luis Guerra, Spanish Delegate of H2020 EIC Accelerator in CDTI and Nicolas Ojeda, National Contact Point and Representative on the FECYT FET/Pathfinder Program Committee. The Conference also featured the presentation of 12 project proposals that are applying for different calls for the Horizon Europe Programme. They have been presented in format pitching for the search for synergies between entities, research groups and companies with a view to participation in the new R&D&I framework program. These presentations will also be made in the March 4 session in order to give greater visibility to the proposals.
Finally, Borja Izquierdo, Director of International Science of the FECYT, was in charge of closing this first session of the Launch Conference of the Horizon Europe Program in the Valencian Community. Izquierdo highlighted the commitment and great participation of the Valencian Community in the previous R&D&i framework program and encouraged attendees to continue working in this line to maintain the position in Europe of research and innovation in the Valencian Community.
