In today’s Morning Brief:

Online Advanced Course on Biomedical Imaging 2022

The UT Austin Portugal Program wants to invite you to register for the Online Advanced Course on Biomedical Imaging 2022, organized by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra in collaboration with the Program.

Specifically designed for postgraduate students, healthcare professionals, biomedical engineers, physical engineers, physicists, researchers, medical residents, medical oncologists, nurses and medical imaging and radiotherapy technologists, this course consists of 11 online sessions, running on Fridays from March 11 to June 3, plus an on-site session on June 17, reserved for attendants who wish to obtain ECTS credits.

The course’s official language is Portuguese but talks with the UT Austin Program’s seal will be in English, thereby catering for non-Portuguese speaking audiences. Please consult the website page to find out more about each session,  invited speakers from Portugal, USA and Germany, and how to register.

German universities told to freeze ties with Russia in retaliation for invasion

According to Science|Business, “The German government has instructed its universities to freeze academic relations with Russia as the EU debates whether to exclude the country from research networks and infrastructures in response to its invasion of Ukraine. The assault on multiple fronts in the early hours of this morning has shaken research policymakers who would normally argue for the value of science diplomacy and of maintaining science links as a bridge in dark times. Peter-Andre Alt, president of the German Rectors’ Conference, said Germany’s Foreign Office has “recommended to freeze academic relations and in particular scientific projects with Russia,” with more detailed discussions scheduled for this afternoon. The Rectors’ Conference has already cancelled a meeting with Russian institutions set for next week to discuss joint master’s degrees.”.

From player’s strategies to natural language interactions: two back-to-back publications in “Videogame Sciences and Arts” by INESC-ID researchers

Samuel Gomes and Gonçalo Baptista — two early stage researchers from the Artificial Intelligence for People and Society (AIPS) Research Area at INESC-ID — have recently published back-to-back research papers in Videogame Sciences and Arts, part of the Springer Communications in Computer and Information Science book series. This issue is comprised of selected papers from the 12th International Conference on Videogame Sciences and Arts (VJ 2020; initially to be held in Mirandela, Portugal, but instead hosted online by the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, EsACT, on 26 to 28 November 2020).

Click here to read more about the individual papers.

‘Nord Stream 2 is dead forever’, EU energy experts say

During an online conference on the Nord Stream 2 gas project organized by EURACTIV Bulgaria on Thursday (24 February), a panel of experts shared their views on the ongoing situation in Ukraine, the need for energy security and the array of sanctions that befits the intensity of the crisis unfolding. Click here to see the highlights of the discussion.

EU Knowledge Valorization Week 2022

The EU Knowledge Valorisation Week will showcase excellent examples of policies and tools that promote the uptake of research results and science-based solutions for the benefit of all. Universities, business associations, research organisations, arts institutions, and other stakeholders have helped shape the programme by sharing their best practices in knowledge valorisation.

The week will bring together stakeholders and policy makers across Europe. It will stimulate exchange of experiences and dialogue on ways to improve investments, capacities and skills for knowledge valorisation in the European Union.

The EU Knowledge Valorisation Week is organised by the European Commission, Directorate-General Research and Innovation, EU Member States and EEA countries.

Click here for information on registration and to download the full programme.

The French National Centre for Scientific Research is celebrating 15 years of the European Research Council

Taking place on 28 February, under the framework of the French Presidency of the Council of the EU, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) is celebrating the 15 years of the European Research Council.

Click here for more information on the programme and to register.

Survey for European Innovation Council Beneficiaries

The European Innovation Council Business Acceleration Services is expanding its current service offer through the development of new partnerships with top European business service providers, accelerators, incubators, investors, among others. This will help the EIC to provide more specialized and sector-specific services that are not included in the current offer.

As a first step to the creation of these strategic partnerships, the EIC kindly requests you to fill out the following survey.

The survey aims to:

• Assess the current offer of business acceleration services provided by the EIC and outside the EIC;
• Assess the current needs of EIC beneficiaries in terms of services and support that can be incorporated in our future offer.

Click here to take part!

Ukrainian universities suspend campus activities in the wake of Russian invasion

“Students and staff at major Ukrainian universities are being advised to stay at home until further notice, after Russia launched a military invasion in the country, bombing cities well outside the separatist areas in Donetsk and Luhansk. As of this morning, the government has introduced martial law for a period of 30 days and asked universities and schools to provide distance learning wherever possible, with students and academics were urged to stay at home. “The educational process at the university continues remotely,” Volodymyr Melnyk, the rector of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv said in a statement today. “Our task is to act in an organized and responsible manner, consolidate efforts and maintain order,” said Melnyk.” Click here for the Science|Business piece.

Commission publishes delegated acts ending the use of mercury in lamps

The European Commission has published twelve delegated acts ending a broad range of existing exemptions for the use of mercury in lamps, as mercury-free alternatives are widely available. The new rules aim to increase the protection of citizens’ and workers’ health and the environment from this hazardous substance, and will boost innovation and promote cleaner products.

In December 2021, the Commission adopted a package of twelve draft delegated directives on the use of mercury in these lamps and adapting these exemptions to scientific and technical progress. The delegated directives were submitted for scrutiny to the European Parliament and the Council. The delegated acts have been published today, as the Commission did not receive any objections or extension requests during the scrutiny period. They will enter into force on the twentieth day following the publication and EU Member States will have six months to transpose the provisions of the delegated acts into their national legislation..

Fit for 55: A stepping stone or a stumbling block?

In this column for EURACTIV, Stefano Mallia, President of the Employer’s Group in the European Economic and Social Committee argues that the path towards the twin transition must be carefully charted and all legislation proposals within the Fit for 55, a package under the European Green Deal, must undergo a thorough competitiveness check to retain public and business support.

How to celebrate extraordinary women: #EUwomen4future campaign seminar

On International Women’s day, 8 March, Commissioner Mariya Gabriel will co-host with President Roberta Metsola a celebratory event, in Strasbourg and online, with four prominent women, featured in the #EUWomen4future social media campaign and a recipient of the EU Prize for Women Innovators. This campaign, which ended in March 2021, put a spotlight women’s professional achievements in culture, education, sport, and science.

The seminar will take the form of a conversation between these 6 women. It will be an opportunity to listen, share and learn about life during the pandemic, professional achievements, the EU’s work on gender equality and the hope of today’s girls and young women.

The event will be live streamed on this page. No registration is necessary.

Could the EU be on the cusp of a Paris Agreement for the Internet?

“It’s a safe bet that you’re thinking about climate change. But I’m referring instead to the problem caused by hate speech, disinformation and harmful content, which, like CO2, are polluting our information ecosystem and choking our online public space. Their impact threatens everything that we hold dear. Whether it’s anti-covid conspiracies and misinformation that continue to spread on social media platforms and undermine faith in science and scientists, or extremist content from groups that want to incite violence against minorities, some of the most fundamental pillars underpinning our societies are at risk – from democracy and human rights, to tolerance and the protection of our children. But it is not just the problems caused by Big Tech that have much in common with environmental collapse. It is how we must go about solving the problem. Because we can solve it, but it will not be achieved by Big Tech and self-regulation – but rather, just like with the climate crisis, it will need a grand Paris-style Agreement to help stop it before it’s too late. And this agreement will require the very highest levels of ambition.” Don’t miss this column for EURACTIV by Luca Nicotra, a Campaign Director at Avaaz.