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In this Morning Brief, we discuss INESC-ID’s Artificial Intelligence researchers ranked as some of the best in Europe, the possibility of a TV channel solely dedicated to science started by CNRS, International Cooperation and EU’s relationship with Africa and Colombia becoming increasingly more important, UT Austin Portugal Program commemorating its 15th anniversary, a stakeholder survey on European chips demand 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:

INESC-ID Artificial Intelligence researchers ranked as some of the best in Europe

AI Rankings, a metric based ranking that provides insights into Artificial Intelligence research worldwide has ranked the University of Lisbon as 22nd in Europe and 125th worldwide. This placement includes six researchers from the Artificial Intelligence for People and Society (AIPS) Research Area at INESC-ID.

AIPS is one of the eleven Research Areas that make up the research tissue of INESC-ID, covering a wide range of topics in computer science and engineering and electrical and computer engineering. You can learn more about the INESC-ID Research Areas here.

 

CNRS: a TV channel dedicated to science, EU grants, more collaboration with partners in Africa

According to Science Business: “as he was re-confirmed on February 9 as head of France’s biggest research organisation, Antoine Petit floated a few attention-getting ideas in parliament – such as the possibility of starting a television channel for science. ‘CNRS-TV’ as he calls it, would profile researchers, show science documentaries and invite European partners to present their own work as well, in a concerted effort to better communicate science to society in France and the world. The specific plans – budget, francophone or bilingual – are still on the drawing board. But the intent, to strengthen and better project French science, is key.”

Read the full article here.

 

International Cooperation: UK goes it alone, EU brings South Korea and New Zealand to the table

According to Science Business: “The UK has launched a research and development competition with South Korea, the latest in a string of recently announced collaborations with countries outside the EU. It comes as Brussels announces that it has entered official Horizon Europe association talks with South Korea and New Zealand. The UK deal with South Korea will see consortia of businesses in the two countries compete for industrial research funding to tackle areas like advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, batteries, and hydrogen. The partnership follows a tie-up with Switzerland last week, and a co-innovation programme with Singapore agreed in December. The collaborations with South Korea and Singapore are the first bilateral R&D competitions to be run by the UK innovation agency, Innovate UK with both countries. The agreements make real the concerns of the recently launched Stick to Science campaign that failing to allow the UK and Switzerland to associate to Horizon Europe risks fragmenting the scientific community in Europe.”.

Read the full article here.

 

UT Austin Portugal Program commemorates its 15th anniversary

This year, the UT Austin Portugal Program – a partnership between the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the University of Texas at Austin, within the scope of the Portuguese Government’s initiative GoPORTUGAL (Global Science and Technology Partnerships for Portugal), celebrates its 15th anniversary. Coordinated by INESC TEC since 2018, the Program aims to promote knowledge in emerging areas of Science and Technology, by supporting research, advanced training, technology transfer and innovation.

Over the last 15 years, this partnership contributed to the creation of a transatlantic innovation ecosystem, bringing together universities, research institutes and companies in Portugal and the University of Texas – namely UT Austin – to promote their collaboration.

The Program is currently in Phase 3, launched in 2018 and ending in 2023, towards promoting advanced training and R&D initiatives focused on four main scientific areas: Space-Earth Interactions, Advanced Computing, Medical Physics, and Nanotechnology – in addition to the cross-cutting field of Technological Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which succeeds the UTEN (University – Technology – Enterprise Network).

 

EU ministers to discuss Commission’s defense R&D roadmap at Paris conference

The plan, to be presented in an informal meeting of defence ministers in Paris, maps out how the EU can boost its research, innovation, development and technology to reduce EU’s dependencies in security and defence.

The roadmap is EU’s bid to get member states to invest in defence technologies developed inside the EU, allowing the bloc to rely less on foreign powers for its defence needs.

But EU member states are still reluctant to work together on joint defence research projects. French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed frustration with this and has vowed to push to get all member states on board with reinforcing the EU defence industry.

 

European Chips Survey: Stakeholder survey on European chips demand

Semiconductors are central to the digital economy. They make digital products work. Yet, the world is short of semiconductors – also known as chips. This shortage of chips has very concrete consequences for the EU economy, jobs and even leisure. Carmakers postpone the production of vehicles. Broadband providers run out of internet routers. Gamers cannot get their hands on next-generation consoles.

To better understand how the shortage of chips is affecting European industry, the European Commission invites stakeholders to contribute to the European Chips Survey. This targeted stakeholder survey on chip demand aims to collect information from actors across industrial ecosystems and from all parts of the semiconductor value chain. Share your contribution through the European Chips Survey, open until 20 March 2022.

Click here for more information and to find out how to contribute.

 

Restore our Oceans and Waters, a Synergy Info Pack by CORDIS

This new Synergy Info Pack presents over 30 research projects and their contribution to the Horizon Europe Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030.

Funded through complementary EU programmes Horizon 2020 (including the SME Instrument), LIFE and EMFF, these projects contribute to reaching the Mission’s three objectives:

  • Protecting and restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity;
  • Preventing and eliminating pollution;
  • Making the blue economy sustainable, circular, climate-neutral and resilient.

Browse the projects here and learn how the ground-breaking work of researchers in different fields is supporting the development of the technical, social and governance innovation and business models needed to secure the restoration of aquatic ecosystems and the development of a sustainable, resilient and climate-neutral blue economy.

 

European Commission joins forces with African partners to promote circular economy

Yesterday, the European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginius Sinkevičius took part in a High Level event on Circular Economy together with High Level African representatives of the African Union and of the African Circular Economy Alliance. This event highlighted the opportunities offered by the Circular Economy transition in the EU and in Africa and the willingness of EU and African green companies and entrepreneurs to increase cooperation.

This High Level event was organised jointly by the European Commission and the African Circular Economy Alliance in the context of the Europe Africa Business Forum taking place in the margin of the European Union – African Union Summit of 17-18 February.

This virtual event gathered representatives of businesses from EU and Africa applying Circular Economy business models related notably to e-waste management and recycling industries. It allowed a frank discussion on the opportunities as well as the challenges in turning EU and African economies more circular.

To read more about this partnership and what key figures stated about this alliance, click here.

 

EU and Colombia step up cooperation for nature, climate and sustainable development

Yesterday, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius signed together with his counterpart Minister for Environment of Colombia Carlos Eduardo Correa, the EU-Colombia Joint Declaration on Environment, Climate Action and Sustainable Development.

This Declaration focuses on key shared priorities such as climate action, biodiversity and ecosystems conservation, disaster risk reduction, the fight against deforestation, circular economy, sustainable blue economy, and plastic pollution.

Make sure to read more about it here.

 

How can the EU help those touched by energy poverty?

In 2020, around 36 million people in Europe were unable to keep their homes adequately warm. However, the number of EU citizens that can be considered “energy poor” is much higher if all the different aspects around energy poverty are taken into account, such as being unable to cover basic housing costs or having inadequate comfort in the housing or work environments. All this can negatively affect people’s health. The recent surge in energy prices and the impact of the COVID-19 crisis are likely to have worsened the already difficult situation of vulnerable households. Click here to read about the EU policies to tackle this issue.

 

Switzerland seeks to join EU’s Copernicus Earth observation programme

The government has told the ministry responsible for communications to start technical talks with the EU on potential cooperation. 

Switzerland is a founding member of the European Space Agency which is responsible for developing satellites for Copernicus, while the EU manages its data and services.

If associated, Switzerland could have a say in shaping the programme, ensure its access to Copernicus data and enable its companies to participate in public procurement.

 

France confirms ‘European climate conference’ in March, with objectives still unclear

According to this EURACTIV article, less than a month before the European Climate Conference in Nantes, the French EU Council presidency has announced a mini COP.

According to the French EU presidency website, “the event will aim to mobilise Europe to meet climate challenges and achieve the European Union’s more ambitious target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (at least 55% by 2030) and becoming climate neutral (by 2050 at the latest)”.

To learn more about this upcoming event make sure to read the article.

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

Read More »

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

Read More »

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

Read More »