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In this Morning Brief, we bring you an exciting opportunity with a webinar powered by INESC TEC on the integration of offshore renewable energy technologies, news on a new digital tool by the EU that helps nations monitor their resilience, the EU is going to also increase cooperation on rare diseases under the French Presidency, and more!
Any comments or suggestions, hit me up with an email on teresa.carvalho@inesc.pt.
In today's Morning Brief:
In today’s Morning Brief:
Webinar: Integration of offshore renewable energy technologies
The eleventh “Power and Energy Webinar Series”, powered by INESC TEC, will be organised Thursday December 16, at 11 am (WEST), under the motto “Integration of offshore renewable energy technologies”.
Those interested in participating in the session should register here. After completing the form available on the website (“participate” section) the participants will receive, closer to the session, an email from the organisation with the access credentials.
Call for additional €4B investment in European research infrastructures
Europe needs to build eleven new international research labs at a cost of €4.16 billion, according to the latest roadmap from the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), published today, as the European Commission called for a review of funding sources for the shared facilities.
The 11 research infrastructures listed in the roadmap would cost €380 million on average, a steep increase from previous plans. The average cost of a new lab in the 2018 roadmap was €112 million, while in 2016 it was €148 million.
As the representative of Europe’s large research labs, ESFRI periodically publishes a roadmap setting out what new, shared facilities are required to stay at the leading edge of science. Over the past 20 years, the EU has invested €20 billion in research infrastructures pitched in these roadmaps. If the 11 labs proposed in the latest document were to be built, that will rise to €24 billion.
In addition to cash, most projects on the new roadmap also require increased political commitment. On average, seven governments and institutions from 14 countries are backing each proposed lab.
Read more here.
New digital tool helps EU countries monitor their resilience
The European Commission is launching an interactive website to navigate the resilience dashboards, a set of indicators and information on resilience in Member States and non-EU countries. This will further help EU countries identify their strengths and vulnerabilities when it comes to navigating the green and digital transitions, facing challenges and coping with potential shocks.
With a wide-ranging set of indicators, the dashboards give policymakers the information they need to help build stronger and more resilient economies and societies. The dashboards provide a holistic picture that spans four dimensions: social and economic, green, digital, and geopolitical.
By focusing on multiple dimensions and their interlinkages, the dashboards expand on existing tools that tend to be sectoral or focus on single policy fields.
Find out more here.
EU set to increase cooperation on rare diseases
The EU is to up its ambition in tackling rare diseases, with France – as a long term champion of EU cooperation in this area of unmet medical need – due to put the topic on the agenda of its upcoming presidency of the Council.
With 30 million patients in the bloc and treatments available for only 6% of the diseases, the issue has been on the EU agenda for years. In 2009, the member states adopted policy recommendations initiating new efforts, while the European Commission has invested €1.8 billion in research in the last 14 years. Yet, patients and their families continue to have difficulties getting a diagnosis and accessing appropriate health services.
Experts and the European Parliament say it’s high time for the EU to come up with a new action plan for jointly tackling the burden of rare diseases. “These diseases can only be effectively tackled at the European level. It is therefore necessary to make the European plan for rare diseases a priority to be included in the context of the European Health Union,” said Alessandra Moretti MEP in a recent debate at the European Parliament.
Read more here.
US to push ‘democracy-affirming technology’ with prizes and research projects
The US is set to fund prizes, challenges and research projects to create so-called “democracy affirming technologies” that allow open societies to reap the benefits of innovation without sacrificing privacy or accountability. The initiative will be launched this week at the virtual Summit for Democracy, a meeting of 111 invited countries convened by president Joe Biden in an attempt to “renew” democracy.
Examples of democracy affirming technologies include methods of machine learning that respect the privacy of individuals, or alternatives to what the US sees as the compulsory genomic surveillance of populations.
“We’re really interested in ways we could spur innovation and pioneer a new class of technologies,” Tarun Chhabra, senior director for technology and national security of the US National Security Council told the virtual conference, ‘Technology in and for Society’, hosted by the OECD. These technologies should “advance the values of privacy, transparency, accountability and access to information” he said, setting out the objectives of the programme on Monday, in advance of the Summit on 9 and 10 December. The US wants to set up prizes, challenges and pilot projects “with likeminded countries” in order to “build a future where we can really accelerate the development of technologies,” Chhabra said.
Read more here.
More Articles
01/11/2023 – Lisbon crowned European Capital of Innovation, Canada´s association to Horizon Europe, €75.35B boost to the ERA, new energy projects for the Green Deal & much more
In today’s Morning Brief:
Funding
Calls open for 2023 Innovation Fund proposals with record €4B budget
Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
Utilizing Artificial Intelligence to develop the Smart Specialization Observatory
Fighting extreme weather with extreme computing power
Energy
Commission proposes 166 cross-border energy projects for EU support to help deliver the European Green Deal
Commission sets out actions to accelerate the roll-out of electricity grids
Microelectronics
EU and India sign semiconductor memorandum of understanding
Research & Innovation
Canada to sign Horizon Europe association deal next year
No more New European Bauhaus Mission
Nature-inspired flying robots: advancements in environmental monitoring
Over €75B of the recovery funds will go to European Research Area objectives
Lisbon crowned European capital of innovation for 2023
Maria Leptin’s perspectives on university challenges and innovation
EU’s Industrial R&D Scoreboard updates
INESC News
RTP3 features INOV’s AI-integrated inspection system in RiaStone production
APPRAISE system: INOV contributes to enhancing security in public spaces through innovative technology
INESC TEC collaborates on a European project that promotes the use of algae in sustainable aquaculture
INESC TEC’s podcast among the nominees for a national award
Job Opportunities
Events & Training workshops
24/11/2023 – EU’s decarbonization push, INESC participates in Portugal’s Blockchain initiative, Horizon Europe budget boost for R&I & much more
In today’s Morning Brief:
Funding
EU Commission to spend €186 million promoting agri-food products in and outside EU in 2024
Commission opens search for technology infrastructure expert group
Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
Call for Contributions: EU-U.S. Trade & Technology Council’s first edition of AI terminology and taxonomy
Belgium to focus on a public sector European blockchain during its EU presidency
Europe still working with China on military and surveillance uses of artificial intelligence, report finds
EU launches new competition to give AI companies access to supercomputers
Energy
Plans to boost Europe’s Net-Zero technology production
Microelectronics
As microscopic materials proliferate, ensuring they are safe is a priority
Research & Innovation
European Parliament Approves 2024 EU Budget with Boost for Research and Innovation
Council approves UK’s inclusion in Horizon Europe and Copernicus Programmes
EU lagging behind on antimicrobial resistance research
Opinion article in Science Business: The European Research Area needs a reboot
EIT lauds impact of Regional Innovation Scheme in latest report
INESC News
INESC participates at BLOCKCHAIN.PT initiative
INESC MN partners up in semiconductor consortium
INESC TEC advances autonomous vehicle perception in THEIA project
The HUB hosts EARTO meeting on EU RD&I Programmes
HUB contributes at the INESC TEC Autumn Forum
Job Opportunities
Events & Training workshops
17/11/2023 – Horizon Europe latest calls, the €85M boost next year to reach €12.9B, the approval of the Critical Raw Materials Act & much more
In today’s Morning Brief:
Funding
Horizon: €290M in funding for digital, industry and space
ERC sees rise in Starting Grant applications
Artificial Intelligence
OECD updates definition of Artificial Intelligence ‘to inform EU’s AI Act’
Study highlights AI’s economic potential amid EU regulatory focus
Energy
EU Atlantic strategy: what’s next?
Bioengineering
How can regenerative agriculture help the food system survive?
Regional Innovation Valleys for Bioeconomy and Food Systems” launch event conclusions
Research & Innovation
Horizon Europe: €12.9 Billion Boost in 2024 Budget
Commission welcomes political agreement on the Critical Raw Materials Act
Paper: How regional innovation ecosystems can improve participation in the European Framework Programme for R&I
European Space Agency looks to private sector to stay competitive
Technology readiness levels are getting a reality check to ensure innovations are socially acceptable
Research Management initiative advances strategic capacities in European research organisations
INESC News
Carla Gonçalves of INESC TEC recognized among Portugal’s green visionaries
Bactometer project secures runner-up position in EIT Health
Artificial Intelligence and humans collaborate to enhance critical infrastructure security
Job Opportunities
Events & Training workshops