Green Deal: Final Call for the Applications Within EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020
On 17 September, the European Commission published a €1 billion call for research and innovation projects relating to the European Green Deal, its new flagship initiative to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The call is funded under the EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020. In line with Horizon 2020 general openness principle, the call is open for participation to non-EU researchers, including from the Russian Federation.
For scientists and researchers of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, participation in the competition within the framework of the Horizon 2020 program will be an opportunity to implement projects with innovative potential, which in the near future will be able to change life on the planet for the better. For many years, Polytech has been an active participant in almost all large-scale international support programs in the field of science and education. These are the EU framework programs, cross-border cooperation programs ENI CBC, Era.Net RUS, and the BRICS network program; INTERREG program, bilateral and multilateral competitions organized by Russian foundations in cooperation with research foundations of other countries, etc. Work of international consortia did not stop even during the pandemic. Researchers and faculty members have been actively working on the implementation of 6 projects under the program of cross-border cooperation, as well as several large international grants with colleagues from Belgium, China, India, Germany. Collaboration under constraints has become possible thanks to the efforts of polytechnics – faculty and researchers; extensive international experience of working with different research teams in frequently changing conditions, whether it is the difference in time zones or communication via various information platforms
The "Green Deal for Europe" competition covers 11 spheres and 20 topics - and in almost every area, SPbPU researchers have something to share with their foreign partners. Among the most up-to-date topics for future projects are the prevention and control of large-scale forest fires, innovative technologies for generating renewable energy on the mainland and in the sea regions, systemic innovations "from farm to table", the creation of climate-neutral and socially innovative cities and much more. Full information on the topics is available here
“The Polytechnic University has rich potential, which can be significantly increased thanks to active and constantly developing communication with foreign partners. Due to the development of international cooperation, our research teams have the opportunity to join the work on world-scale projects, to contribute not only to the history of the Polytechnic University, but also to the history of our country and other states,” according to Dmitry ARSENIEV, SPbPU Vice-Rector for International Affairs.
The deadline for submissions is 26 January 2021, with selected projects expected to start in autumn 2021. At the recent videoconference dedicated to the launch of the project, the participants emphasized the importance of intensifying international cooperation in order to solve a number of the most up-to-date problems associated with climate change. Deputy Director-General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission Patrick CHILD described the call as “the next big opportunity to allow European and Russian scientists, research organisations, universities and companies to work together” to jointly tackle these challenges. Moreover, he once again underlined that “the call will be fully open for the participation of Russian entities, in partnership with their EU counterparts, according to the well-known and tried and tested rules of participation in Horizon 2020”.
The latest information about the competition, including application deadlines and documentation, is available on the European program portal. We also draw your attention to the fact that this portal has a special service for the search for partners. More detailed information on participation in the competition, assistance in forming consortia and establishing contacts with foreign partners you can get by means of contacting SPbPU International Office, the Department of International Academic Cooperation.
Prepared by SPbPU International Office