The Bioeconomy Working Group and the Climate Adaptation Task Force are hosting a project development session on the Mission Soil and Mission Adaptation calls. The session will take place online on Wednesday 29 May from 10:00 to 12:00 CEST.  

Based on the Expression of Interests received on the Project Development Tool, the Working Group and Task Force Leaders have selected the following calls:  

• HORIZON-MISS-2024-SOIL-01-01 Co-creating solutions for soil health in Living Labs 

• HORIZON-MISS-2024-SOIL-01-02 Living Labs in urban areas for healthy soils 

• HORIZON-MISS-2024-CLIMA-01-05 Improve design for transformative approaches and build local capacity for implementation of available solutions focused on climate adaptation 

• HORIZON-MISS-2024-CLIMA-01-06 Demonstration of approaches to improve bankability of solutions by design, addressing the co-benefits (mitigation and adaptation) to improve revenues streams 

• HORIZON-MISS-2024-CLIMA-01-07 Demonstration of solutions specifically suited to rural areas and small/ medium size population local communities 

• HORIZON-MISS-2024-CLIMA-01-08 Demonstration of approaches by regions and local authorities focused on increasing climate resilience of the most vulnerable social groups (just climate resilience) 

• HORIZON-MISS-2024-CLIMA-01-09 Systemic and cross-sectoral solutions for climate resilience, tailored to the local needs of regions and local authorities 

This interactive event will be an excellent opportunity for members to connect and strengthen potential consortia. The meeting will start with an overview of the calls provided by the Working Group leaders, followed by a series of pitch presentations of project ideas, successful examples of past projects, challenges and development areas that each participating organisation wishes to share with the group.  

To register for the event, please fill the registration form below indicating the call(s) you are interested in. ERRIN secretariat will support in adding the Expression of Interests on the Project Development Tool. Please note you must be logged in. An email including the link to join the meeting will be sent to all members and stakeholders who will have expressed interest in the Project Development Tool and filled the form by Friday 24 May. For any questions or support needed, please send an email to gianpiero.petruzziello@errin.eu and gaia.marotta@errin.eu.  

Please also let us know if your organisation wishes to present a project idea, successful example or local challenge during the pitching session. External organisations interested in coordinating a consortium and willing to join the session can send an email to gianpiero.petruzziello@errin.eu and gaia.marotta@errin.eu.  

The interregional Partnership on Virtual and Smart Cultural Tourism is dedicated to exploring and advancing innovations in digital technologies for cultural heritage and cultural tourism, promising numerous benefits for a diverse array of stakeholders. In response to the growing emphasis on digitisation within the EU and its member states, particularly within the realms of cultural heritage and tourism, funding policies have increasingly pivoted towards innovation-driven initiatives, propelling the rise of virtual and smart cultural tourism. Digital tools are now instrumental in destination management and promotion, facilitating immersive travel experiences through virtual worlds, thus revitalising ancient cities and historical eras. This digital transition not only fosters business development and innovation diffusion but also supports sustainable heritage preservation and enhances social well-being.

The partnership is interested in the collaboration with European Regions, and we are particularly keen on engaging with you in this endeavour. We are also eager to learn about projects within your regions. Following the presentation on S3 VSCT, we will dedicate time to showcase a couple of other regional examples. Therefore, we invite you to present your regional projects in a brief pitch presentation (5 minutes, three slides).

Kindly confirm your attendance and whether you would like to present your regional project by the 2nd of June by sending an email to annelie.zapfe@tsk.thueringen.de.

NCP4Missions, an EU project involving the National Contact Points (NCPs) for the five EU Missions, is organising a two-day meeting on 'Widening the reach of EU Missions through EEA and Norway Grants' on 27 and 28 May. 

EEA and Norway Grants, along with The Norwegian Research Council, have prepared a varied programme with informative presentations, inspiring panel debates, discussion tables and presentations of EEA and Norway Grants results.

For more information and to register, visit the website. 

Three thematic online sessions on 29 May will be centred around the TREASoURcE key value chains of Plastics, Batteries and Bio-based side and waste streams. 

You will hear about the results and findings from the first half of the project. We will have keynotes from each of the Key Value chains coupled with presentations based on the state-of-the-art analysis, stakeholder engagement, and replication work carried out in TREASoURcE. The programme will also include ample time for discussion and questions from the audience in order to share experiences and lessons learned and to support the replication of the developed circular economy solutions. 

Additionally, the Replication Handbook will be launched during the event. The Handbook will be an interactive collection of the project findings, tested formats and solutions. The programme is designed so that a full day’s attendance will give you an insightful transdisciplinary overview of the value chains, but each session can also be attended separately. 

Target audience
We welcome all stakeholders interested in the TREASoURcE results, developed CE solutions and their replication, including local and regional actors, businesses, policy and decision-makers, academia, networks, clusters and ecosystems.
 

Participation is free, but registration is mandatory. 

The TREASouRcE project focuses on Territorial and Regional Demonstrations of the Systemic Solutions of Key Value Chains and Their Replication to Deploy a Circular Economy and is one of the CCRI-labeled projects. TREASoURcE is a four-year project (2022-2026) receiving funding from the European Union under the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. TREASoURcE aims to initiate systemic change by developing systemic circular economy solutions in cities and regions for currently underutilised or unused plastic waste, end-of-life electric vehicle batteries and bio-based waste and side streams. Implementing these solutions together with companies, societies (including citizens, consumers, communities and regional actors) and experts in the field is expected to significantly increase product and material circulation in the Nordic and Baltic Sea Regions.

If you have any questions, please contact info@treasource.eu. Read more about the TREASOURcE Key Value Chains here.

As the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative grows, its support to its community is deepening as well. To continue its objective of implementing the circular economy across Europe’s cities and regions, the CCRI is seeking to provide a space for in-depth learning and knowledge sharing.

Therefore, the CCRI is looking for external experts on the circular economy who can provide personalised support and mentorship to regions and cities willing to advance their circular transition. The experts selected will be asked to assist cities and regions through on-demand and tailored advisory and/or a mentoring programme. 

Particularly, the CCRI is looking for a group of professionals and specialists in 5 key areas:

• Stakeholder and citizen engagement
• Innovation and technology
• Business models and financial support
• Public procurement
• Impact evaluation

Applicants must have at least five years of proven experience in at least one of the thematic areas, experience working with local and/or regional governments, and familiarity and knowledge of circular economy in cities/regions. Proficiency in English (at least C1 level in the CEFR) is required to ensure an effective dialogue with diverse practitioners.

Experts will receive a fixed fee between 750-900€ to remunerate their work. To express your interest in being added to the CCRI pool of experts, please submit your CV (maximum four pages, preferably in Europass CV format) and cover letter (maximum two pages) through this EU survey form.

The expression of interest is to be submitted by Friday, 7 June 2024.

More information can be found here. 

The Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) is one of ERRIN's projects and is closely followed by ERRIN's Bioeconomy Working Group. We are delighted to count over 20 ERRIN members among CCRI Pilots and Fellows. 

The CHARTER EU Skills Alliance for Cultural Heritage, one of ERRIN's projects, is currently working on the last project research activities, and is about to consolidate the learnings from the past 3,5 years. 

In its new report Forecast to fill gaps in Heritage Education and Training, the CHARTER Alliance delves into the question of what the gaps and needs of Cultural Heritage professionals in Europe are. This report maps the main challenges for professional development in heritage, encompassing technology, sustainable development, professional collaboration, public administration, diversity, funding, social uses, knowledge transfer, occupation coding, and skills description.
 
With inputs coming from working meetings, partners, among which many regions, documents analysis, interviews with experts, and regional good policy practices, the report emphasizes the competences gaps in establishing and understanding the nature of heritage per se as an ecosystem and how professionals can position it a societal and future-oriented resource.

Among the many suggestions for improvements, the report highlights the importance of recognising non-formal and informal learning methods, recommending three models: communities of practice, virtuous learning circles, and professional learning networks.

You can read the full report here. 

Learn more about CHARTER project findings and policy recommendations?

You can learn more about the project learnings at the next ERRIN's Design and Creativity Working Group meeting taking place on 29 May, which is dedicated to "What is next for CCI after the Year of Skills?". You can register here. 

Get involved in the ERRIN discussion on skills governance, during the next ERRIN's Science and Education for Society Working Group meeting on 14 June, which will zoom into regional skills ecosystems, ways to strengthen skills governance at regional level and synergies and missing links between different EU instruments and policies (Education & Training and Regional development, ...).

CHARTER is one of ERRIN's projects and seeks to create a lasting, comprehensive sectoral skills strategy to guarantee Europe has the necessary cultural heritage skills to support sustainable societies and economies, including transversal competences such as digital/technological and green/blue economy skills. The consortium unites 28 members that represent some of the top education and training, organisations, networks and employers of the European cultural heritage sector.

The CHARTER EU Skills Alliance for Cultural Heritage, one of ERRIN's projects, is organising a webinar on 29 May titled "Cultural Heritage Sector Dynamics Across Europe: Exploring Gaps And Needs In Professional Development." 

The University of Gothenburg (Sweden) will present the work they have led over the last three years concerning cultural heritage sector dynamics, professional development and future scenarios. After an introduction to the CHARTER Alliance and its main goals, participants will get insights into processes of mapping and analysing dynamics of cultural heritage professionals and other stakeholders’ engagement, synergies and skills in terms of needs and shortages in the cultural heritage sector. They will also hear about ways to cross-analyse cultural heritage professional systems in regard to education and training supply to improve gaps and needs in skills and competencies derived from the digital shift to sustainable green and blue growth and social and territorial dynamics.

These observations are only a reflection of a broader landscape when we look at sectoral dynamics. Who is a stakeholder in cultural heritage? Which roles do different stakeholders play, and how do they interact? What are their interests and influence on education and training systems? The University of Gothenburg will present the CHARTER Alliance findings to questions like these derived in the mapping and report: Who is not a stakeholder in cultural heritage? It introduces an understanding of cultural heritage as an economic sector and labour market with interacting stakeholders in anticipated roles whose dynamics, skills and competencies will affect the quality of heritage as a resource and common good.

Before exploring future scenarios and an open discussion, webinar participants will be introduced to the CHARTER Alliance’s forecast of possible gaps and needs in education, training and labour market for heritage professionals. The speakers will shed light on how these gaps and needs might affect the development of professional activities within the field of heritage and propose possible solutions, such as recognising the value of non-formal and informal learning methods. The report Forecast to fill gaps between education and training supply and labour market needs. Preliminary analysis also recommends three models of non-formal learning to combat skills needs: communities of practice, virtuous learning circles and professional learning networks.

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required.

The ERRIN Smart Specialisation Working Group is looking for 2-3 members who would like to showcase the benefits they perceived for their ecosystem from engagement in the Partnerships for Regional Innovation (PRI) initiative so far. The examples will be presented in the upcoming S3 WG meeting on “S3 and PRI - the way ahead”, to be held online on 11 June from 14:00-15:30 CEST, following an update from the JRC on the latest and upcoming developments and opportunities with regard to PRI.

Each presentation should take 5-7 minutes and focus on perceived added value of PRI involvement. This could be e.g. building the ground to apply to calls such as Regional Innovation Valleys, or further developing regional S3 ambitions in the light of current and future challenges.

ERRIN members interested in showcasing their experience and helping explore the potential benefits of involvement for potential future participants, are invited to reach out to ewa.chomicz@errin.eu by 30 May, with a short description of what they would like to present. As the meeting will be held online, foreseen speakers don’t have to be based in Brussels.

You may find more details about the meeting and registration link here.

WATERLINE develops VR solutions to enable cross-university education in the water sector but would like to welcome representatives of any project or organisation that shares similar development goals. For instance, novel education and training tools and platforms, including VR and AR, international study programs, and multidisciplinary engineering, social science and arts R&D covering nexus issues with the water sector.
 

The idea of the event is to meet people with diverse backgrounds representing a variety of projects and organisations. WATERLINE would like to stimulate discussion and exchange to:

1. increase the visibility and outreach of their projects,
2. generate more impact of their projects’ developments,
3. create ideas for potential cooperation among projects and
4. new project initiatives

Based on the discussions and ideas generated during the event, they will map potential funding sources and collect feedback and advice from the Horizon Europe National Contact Point network.

To learn more and to register, click here.