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Contact us:
Mariana Santos, Communications Officer
mariana.f.santos@inesctec.pt

María Cejas Pont, Science Policy and Communications Officer
maria.cejas@inesctec.pt 

In today's Morning Brief:

Dear readers, we´re reaching again to you with more news on the EU research and innovation landscape. This week, momentum is building for the promotion of defence and dual-use technologies in the EU, driven by Von der Leyen’s push for a new military-industrial-academic alliance to address geopolitical tensions. She advocates the appointment of a defence commissioner to support industry if elected again. Meanwhile, there are also calls for the European Investment Bank to provide more support to the defence sector, in line with the EU’s consideration of dual-use research projects.
Finally, the Commission is planning a €500 million public-private partnership to promote advanced materials aims to boost Europe’s competitiveness, with €250 million earmarked to attract private investment and accelerate the take-up of materials between 2025 and 2027.

Keep updated with the Morning Brief!

Highlights

🌐 CoARA, an organisation dedicated to the evaluation of research, has officially recognised the establishment of the new Portuguese National Chapter. The endorsement of this chapter, along with others in Sweden and the United Kingdom, took place during the CoARA Exchange Forum. In Portugal, where there are 18 member organisations, this newly established chapter joins others, bringing the total number of chapters to 15. Know more here.

📊 A report by the European Research Council, led by President Maria Leptin, summarises the key findings of its evaluation of grant evaluation procedures. Leptin explains the changes made to the evaluation procedures and forms for the 2024 calls for research proposals, detailing the rationale and decision-making process behind these changes. The report is available here.

Key Takeaways

– During a speech to MEPs, the Commission President called for a new EU military-industrial-academic complex, emphasising the need for a new European defence approach due to ongoing geopolitical tensions. Von der Leyen backed the creation of a defence commissioner in the next government to boost industry support, indicating that defence will be a key priority if she wins a second term in June’s elections. Know more here.

– There are calls for the European Investment Bank (EIB) to change its rules to provide more substantial support to the defence sector. EIB President Nadia Calviño expressed her willingness to step up cooperation on joint initiatives to strengthen Europe’s defence industry, following discussions at an informal meeting of EU economy and finance ministers in Ghent. This push for regulatory updates is in line with the European Commission’s consideration of allowing dual-use research projects in the upcoming 10th Framework Research Programme. Know more here.

– The European Commission plans to launch a €500 million public-private partnership to promote advanced materials to boost Europe’s competitiveness. The EU will commit €250 million between 2025 and 2027 to attract private investment and accelerate the uptake of these materials. Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice President of the European Commission, underlined the importance of advanced materials for Europe’s green and digital transition. These materials, such as metallic nanoparticles and sodium-ion batteries, are crucial for innovation in clean energy, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. Know more here.

Funding

Funding and tenders open calls

Remember you can check our new tool for all the open calls under the Horizon Europe programme. Meanwhile, these are the main open funding areas and grants right now:

Why stakeholders are sceptical about lump sum funding

The move to lump sum funding in the EU’s Horizon Europe programme is gaining momentum, with the aim of reducing bureaucracy. However, stakeholders, including research organisations, remain reluctant due to legal uncertainties and doubts about its effectiveness, as explained by Science Business in their exclusive article. While the European Commission sees promise in lump sum funding based on past pilots, some argue that there’s insufficient evidence of its superiority to traditional reporting methods. Nevertheless, the Commission plans to award up to half of Horizon Europe grants as lump sums by the end of the programme, expecting a significant reduction in administrative burden and error rates in research spending.
“There are legal uncertainties regarding lump sums, and many beneficiaries are waiting for final results of the pilot evaluation,” says Kamila Kozirog, policy analyst at the European University Association. “Some are quite hesitant to stop using time sheets, because they are proven and safe, and they want to avoid legal risk until the evaluation is completed.” Know more here.

Artificial Intelligence and Data Science

Fewer than 10% of life science researchers understand EU and US AI laws

A recent survey of 125 life sciences professionals conducted by the Pistoia Alliance reveals that only 9% of respondents have a clear understanding of the legal frameworks governing artificial intelligence (AI) in both the EU and the US.
The European Union is on the verge of passing its landmark AI Act, which aims to create the world’s first regulatory framework for the use of AI technology. While member states recently reached unanimous agreement on the content of the law, it still faces several procedural steps before final approval, which is expected later this spring.
In contrast, the United States currently has lax regulations on AI technology and is in the early stages of formulating legislation. The survey also reveals that 35% of life sciences professionals surveyed admit to having “no understanding at all” of AI legislation. In addition, 21% of respondents expressed frustration that existing regulations are hindering their research efforts. Read the full report here.

 

Energy

Next-generation synchrotron to help solving several global challenges

Speakers at the Science|Business Annual Conference highlighted a major upgrade to the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), which has provided scientists with advanced tools to tackle global challenges such as health issues, environmental concerns and energy demands. The upgrade, known as ESRF-EBS (Extremely Brilliant Source), has significantly increased the brilliance and coherence of the X-ray beams by a factor of 100, providing a major breakthrough in environmental and energy sciences, materials research and healthcare.
Michael Krisch, interim director of research for life sciences, chemistry and soft matter science at the ESRF, emphasised that the improved X-ray beams and new beamlines of the fourth-generation synchrotron facilitate new experiments and significantly improve the resolution and speed of existing experiments. Krisch described the upgraded facility as producing “the most brilliant synchrotron X-rays in the world”, enabling users to obtain higher quality and more complex data to support a wide range of applications. This advances benefits for both academia and industry by providing access to previously unattainable data and driving scientific innovation. Know more here.
 

Is Europe on track to meet its wind energy targets?

According to Euronews, European manufacturers are under pressure to rapidly construct enough wind farms to fulfill the EU’s renewable energy objectives by 2030. The European Commission asserts that the EU must significantly expand its wind power capacity by adding 31 GW of wind farms annually to achieve the target of 42.5% renewable energy by 2030.
Meeting this ambitious goal necessitates a substantial surge in wind farm development. Despite a record number of wind farms constructed across Europe in 2022, representing a 47% increase compared to 2021, the EU has cautioned that Europe is still falling short of its yearly targets.
One such leading manufacturer is ZF Wind Power, located in northern Belgium, specializing in gearbox production essential for wind turbine assembly. As turbines grow larger in size, the demand for larger gearboxes and equipment for testing them also increases, reflecting the industry’s ongoing evolution. Know more here.

 

Research and Innovation

European Parliament approves strategic technologies fund in wider budget agreement

This week, the European Parliament finally approved the new Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP), the European Union’s initiative to attract investment in sectors such as digital, deep tech, cleantech and biotechnology. This approval was part of a wider agreement on the mid-term review of the EU’s long-term budget (MFF).
Earlier this month, an agreement was reached between the European Council and the European Parliament on the MFF budget. The STEP initiative, which was originally planned as a €10 billion package, had to be adjusted due to budgetary constraints across the bloc, particularly in light of a €50 billion package to support Ukraine. As a result, the STEP budget has been reduced to just €1.5 billion, all of which will be channelled through the European Defence Fund (EDF). Know more here.
 

Europe must urgently invest in defence technologies, says Ursula von der Leyen

In a speech to MEPs, the Commission President outlined her vision for a new EU military-industrial-academic complex, emphasising the need for a new European defence approach due to ongoing geopolitical tensions, reports Science Business. She pointed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, conflicts such as the war in Gaza and increasing aggressive economic competition as key factors. Von der Leyen backed the creation of a defence commissioner in the next government to boost industry support, indicating that defence will be a key priority if she wins a second term in June’s elections. Know more here.
 

EU unveils plans for €500M partnership on advanced materials

According to Science Business, the European Commission plans to launch a €500 million public-private partnership to promote advanced materials to boost Europe’s competitiveness. The EU will commit €250 million between 2025 and 2027 to attract private investment and accelerate the uptake of these materials. Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice President of the European Commission, underlined the importance of advanced materials for Europe’s green and digital transition. These materials, such as metallic nanoparticles and sodium-ion batteries, are crucial for innovation in clean energy, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. They could also reduce the EU’s dependence on critical raw materials from third countries. The Commission will identify research and innovation needs in this area, with first results expected early next year. Know more here.
 

Calls for European Investment Bank to change rules to support defence industry

According to Science Business, there are calls for the European Investment Bank (EIB) to revise its rules to provide greater support to the defence industry. EIB President Nadia Calviño expressed a willingness to increase cooperation on joint projects aimed at strengthening Europe’s defence sector, following discussions at an informal meeting of EU economic and finance ministers in Ghent. This push for regulatory updates is in line with broader trends, such as the European Commission’s consideration of allowing dual-use research projects in the upcoming 10th Framework Research Programme. These discussions coincide with a growing emphasis on defence investment, as evidenced by initiatives such as the €8 billion European Defence Fund to be launched in 2021 and the operationalisation of NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) programme, which supports dual-use technology start-ups. Know more here.
 

Germany unveils its carbon management strategy to catch-up with Europe

Germany’s economy ministry has revealed a forward-looking strategy for carbon capture, storage, and utilization, paving the way for captured CO2 to be stored underground or utilized in alternative industries. This initiative includes a separate bill aimed at amending the CO2 storage act to facilitate transportation of the captured CO2.
The plan primarily focuses on funding research into technologies for managing emissions that are challenging to capture or unavoidable. Additionally, the draft bill seeks to streamline the approval process for building CO2 pipelines, aiming to reduce bureaucratic hurdles. Furthermore, adjustments will be made to other laws to permit exploration for offshore storage sites, with the exception of marine protected areas. Read the full document here.
 

Patent licensing makes way for partnerships in university tech transfer

As reported in a Science Business ecosystem analysis, patent licensing is evolving to promote university technology transfer partnerships. Leading European universities are increasingly mitigating the risks associated with new technologies by entering into industrial collaborations and creating spin-out companies. While patents remain crucial for universities to capitalise on their research, the commercialisation landscape is changing. Rather than relying solely on direct licensing to large companies, universities are now expected to bring technologies to a higher level of maturity and reduce risk themselves.
This trend has led to a decline in patent licensing to large companies, but not to an overall decline in patent licensing activity. Instead, new players such as venture builders and venture capital firms are emerging to support the university ecosystem, demonstrating a greater appetite for risk compared to established companies. These entities, including smaller companies and specialised vehicles, are more inclined to participate in early-stage development efforts, although they also seek additional value from university collaborations. Know more here.
 

Maria Leptin explains recent changes to ERC’s evaluation system

A recent report released by the European Research Council (ERC), led by President Maria Leptin, outlines the key findings from the organization’s recent evaluation of grant evaluation procedures.
Over the past year, the ERC’s Scientific Council implemented modifications to the evaluation processes and forms for the 2024 research proposal calls. In the dedicated report, Leptin provides insight into the rationale behind these alterations and elucidates the decision-making process that informed them. The report is available here.
 

European Research Council asks its grant holders to call for more money

According to Science Business, Maria Leptin, President of the European Research Council (ERC), is urging ERC grantees to lobby for a doubling of the research budget in the next Framework Programme, FP10. Leptin emphasised the importance of scientists engaging with politicians and the public to communicate the importance of investing in research and innovation, especially in frontier science.
Leptin stressed the need for sustained efforts to ensure Europe’s competitiveness, citing the recent farmer-led protests as an example of effective advocacy. The ERC argues that the budget for FP10 should be double that of the current Horizon Europe programme, which stands at €95.6 billion. This is in line with the positions of some Members of the European Parliament, research and innovation stakeholders and industry associations. Know more here.
 

Nature restoration: Parliament adopts law to restore 20% of EU’s land and sea

Recently adopted legislation sets a target for the European Union to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and marine areas by 2030, with the aim of restoring all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050.
This EU Nature Habitats Directive, adopted in cooperation with Member States, aims to restore degraded ecosystems in all EU Member States. In doing so, it is expected to make a significant contribution to achieving the EU’s climate and biodiversity goals, while strengthening food security. Know more here.
 

Healthcare research: can it go truly global?

Discussions at the S|B conference called for greater collaboration between the European Union (EU) and countries in the global south to address major health challenges through research. Andrew Tuttle of Policy Cures Research highlighted a worrying decline in investment in research into poverty-related and neglected diseases such as TB and malaria, particularly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This worrying trend sets the context for negotiations on the next EU Framework Programme, FP10, which aims to improve global prospects. FP10 is intended to extend the initiatives of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), which focuses primarily on Africa.
While Peter Piot, Von der Leyen´s advisor, praised the recent adoption of the EU Global Health Strategy for its emphasis on cooperation and a multi-sectoral approach, he stressed that the global health agenda should not be dictated by Brussels alone. Instead, he emphasised the importance of global cooperation and advocated a comprehensive approach that identifies both opportunities and neglected areas in health research. Know more here.
 

DIGITALEUROPE calls for ambitious FP10 budget with more incentives for industry

Industry association DIGITALEUROPE has joined calls from Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) for the forthcoming successor to Horizon Europe, known as Framework Programme 10 (FP10), to receive a budget of €200 billion, more than double the current programme’s funding. In a recent report focusing on innovation in the EU, DIGITALEUROPE suggests that FP10 should allocate 25% of its budget to digital objectives and initiatives.
The association emphasises the need for FP10 to encourage greater industry participation, proposing measures such as maintaining a balanced distribution of Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) and offering more favourable legal and contractual conditions. DIGITALEUROPE also recommends harmonising participation rules for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across related programmes such as Digital Europe, while also advocating streamlining administrative procedures to reduce the burden on programme beneficiaries. Read the full report here.
 

Most EU-funded hydrogen R&D happens in north-west Europe

According to a recent monitoring report released by the European Commission, hydrogen projects funded under the EU’s framework programs for research and innovation are primarily concentrated in a select number of countries in north-western Europe.
The report highlights that a significant portion of the EU’s investment in hydrogen technology development is channeled through institutionalized public-private partnerships known as Joint Undertakings, with participants predominantly situated in the north-western region of Europe. Germany, France, and Italy emerge as key contributors to hydrogen research within this context. Additionally, the report notes the emergence of “hydrogen valleys” across Europe, with 17 such initiatives funded by the EU’s research and innovation programs. Read the full report here.
 

Researchers and small businesses join forces to improve cybersecurity

According to Horizon Magazine, collaboration between researchers and small businesses has led to advances in cybersecurity defences for e-commerce, thanks to EU-funded projects. Pharmacies, a multinational bank, or a foundation specialising in the digital economy and a UK university are among the type of organisations involved in developing software tools to combat cyber and physical threats to e-commerce within the European single market, recognised as the most lucrative in the world.
The project, called ENSURESEC, has a particular focus on equipping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the appropriate technological knowledge and defences against hackers and fraudsters. SMEs, which lack the resources to employ large cybersecurity teams, often struggle in this regard. Luis Carrascal, a cybersecurity expert at French software company Inetum, pointed out that many SME employees lack a basic understanding of cybersecurity, which exacerbates their vulnerability.SMEs, which make up the majority of businesses in Europe, are often targets of cyber-attacks due to their limited resources. According to a Eurobarometer survey, almost a third of European SMEs will have experienced at least one cybercrime in 2021. Know more here.
 

Commission presents new initiatives boosting European industrial leadership in advanced materials

The European Commission has unveiled new initiatives to strengthen Europe’s industrial leadership in advanced materials, which are crucial for both the green and digital transitions. The strategy, presented this week, aims to align research and innovation priorities and investments across the EU, laying the foundations for European dominance in this key sector. This comprehensive plan, eagerly awaited by Member States and industry stakeholders, is the first step in establishing a unified European approach to advanced materials and paves the way for further action.
The strategy, outlined in the Communication on Advanced Materials for Industrial Leadership, includes concrete actions under five main pillars. These include strengthening the EU’s research and innovation ecosystem, accelerating the market uptake of innovative materials through the creation of a digital ‘materials commons’ infrastructure, and increasing investment and access to finance. As part of this initiative, the EU will establish a new partnership with industry through Horizon Europe, with the aim of securing €500 million of investment by 2025-2027, of which at least €250 million will come from the private sector. Find out more about these and the other pillars here.

 

INESC News

CoARA makes the new Portuguese National Chapter official

The validation and presentation of National Chapters’ applications in Portugal, Sweden, and the United Kingdom were recently conducted at the CoARA Exchange Forum. With 18 member organizations in Portugal, this and the other chapters contribute to a total of 15 chapters overall.
“The CoARA Steering Board validated the Portuguese National Chapter earlier this week, signaling a significant milestone. In Portugal, research institutions are actively engaged in reshaping the research assessment culture to enhance recognition of researchers’ activities and contributions and establish new evaluation criteria. The newly established CoARA National Chapter in Portugal will play a pivotal role in coordinating efforts, exchanging experiences, and supporting Portuguese CoARA members in their commitment to implementing change within the organization”, said Bruno Béu, from FCT. Know more here.
 

INESC MN integrates European consortium in innovative spintronics-AI project

This week, INESC MN is highlighting its participation in a European consortium for an innovative project that combines spintronics and artificial intelligence. As a partner in the European project “MultiSpin.AI: n-ary spintronics-based edge computing co-processor for artificial intelligence”, INESC MN has secured more than €3 million in funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC) through the Pathfinder Open programme. The project will start in February 2024 and run for three years.
In Lisbon, the team will be led by Prof. Susana Freitas, a researcher at INESC MN and Professor at the Department of Physics of the Instituto Superior Técnico. Prof. Freitas’ expertise in thin films and spintronics will play a crucial role in the design and fabrication of magnetic nanodevices for the project. The project aims to develop an initial prototype and demonstrate proof of concept by integrating magnetic devices into a processing array and constructing artificial intelligence algorithms to validate it. Know more here.
 

How INESC TEC is contributing to the decarbonization of Madeira Island

INESC TEC is contributing to the decarbonisation of Madeira Island by participating in the development of two tools in a pilot project. With the increasing global use of green energy, it is crucial to use new energy storage systems, so INESC TEC is combining pumped hydro storage with batteries. This work is being carried out as part of the European i-STENTORE project.
i-STENTORE (Innovative Energy Storage Technologies Towards Increased Renewables Integration and Efficient Operation) will analyse the integration of different storage solutions and their possible combinations in different contexts (mobility, agriculture, industry, residential, heating, etc.) and at different times. The ultimate goal is that the use of these versatile solutions (autonomous and hybrid) will contribute to a more efficient management and increased reliability of the electrical system. Know more here.
 

INESC TEC and IBERBLUE join forces in advancing offshore wind farms

INESC TEC and IBERBLUE have joined forces to promote floating offshore wind farms in Portugal and Spain. Their collaboration, formalised by a Memorandum of Understanding, aims to explore opportunities in the growing offshore wind industry in the Iberian Peninsula. Through this partnership, they will develop, demonstrate and refine solutions for commercial offshore wind farms, focusing on scientific research, training, innovation and knowledge transfer in the fields of blue economy and energy. Know more here.

Job Opportunities

– INESC TEC has 41 vacancies in different work areas, such as Mobile Robotics, Computer Science, and more. Recently they opened a position for the study and development of a fiber optic sensor for monitoring the curing process of concrete structures, and another in industrial Robotics Research. Find more at INESCTEC website and via LinkedIn
– INESC ID is hiring 3 new Assistant Researcher positions (PhD level) to support the development and management of our cutting-edge Societal and Digital Transformation (SDT), Life and Health Technologies (LHT), Security and Privacy (SP) Thematic Lines. More info
– INOV is hiring a infrastructure manager and a processing engineer. More info
– INESC Coimbra has announced a PhD position Behavioral Operations Research and multi objective optimization in residential energy management systems. More info

 

Events & Training 

MARCH
– Horizon Europe: Collaborative Research in a Nutshell – Weekly Webinar Series. Online webinar organized by KoWi. Impact in Horizon Europe: Thursday, 7 March 2024, 13.30-14.15 CET. Know more here.
– Horizon Europe: Collaborative Research in a Nutshell – Weekly Webinar Series. Online webinar organized by KoWi. Budget planning: Tuesday, 12 March 2024, 13.30-14.15 CET. Know more here.
– International conference CBRNE Research & Innovation, March 19, 2024 – March 21, 2024, Strasbourg. Register here.
R&I Week 2024, the European Commission’s flagship event on research and innovation, will take place from 18 to 21 March 2024 in Tour & Taxis, Brussels. The event marks the 40th anniversary of the Research and Innovation Framework Programmes and will focus on discussions on the future of R&I and its role in EU priorities such as technological sovereignty and competitiveness.
During the event, participants will be able to attend various sessions:
– 18 March: Opening of the R&I Week. Know more here.
– 19 March: The 2024 EIC Summit. Register here.
– 19-20 March: Belgian Presidency Conference on Innovation Procurement. here.
– 20-21 March: The European R&I Days 2024. Register here.

APRIL
– Connecting Europe Days, 2 April, 11:00 – 5 April, 12:30, Brussels. More info here.
– 4th Workshop on Neuroengineering: Brain-on-a-Chip Platforms. 4-5 April 2024. i3S – Institute of Research and Innovation in Health. More information here.
– MSCA Presidency conference: Researcher’s careers – multiple pathways, 18 – 19 April 2024, Mons, Belgium. Register here.

JUNE
– 8th World Conference on Research Integrity, 2-5 June 2024, at Megaron Athens International Conference Centre (MAICC), Athens. Travel Grant applications open on 26 June 2023. More info
– European Sustainable Energy Week 2024, 11 June 2024, 09:00 – Thursday 13 June 2024, 18:00 (CEST), Brussels. More info here.

JULY
– Conference: IAMOT – International Association for Management of Technology 2024, 8-11 July 2024. Porto, Portugal. Organised by INESC TEC and FEUP. More info
-14th International Symposium on Communication Systems, Networks and Digital Signal Processing – CSNDSP 2024, 17-19 July 2024, 9:00 – 17:30, Rome, Italy. Register here.

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