The Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University, in partnership with the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), are pleased to invite you to a policy event and networking breakfast “Mainstreaming P/CVE: Emerging insights and future directions from the Global South” on 16 June from 08:45-11:30.

During the last two decades, programmes to Prevent and Counter Violent Extremism (P/CVE) have become embedded as a key part of international security agendas. In recent years there has been growing interest in integrating P/CVE with other areas of policy, such as community development, education and peacebuilding – often referred to as ‘mainstreaming’ P/CVE. To date, however, we have a relatively limited understanding of the potential effects of mainstreaming P/CVE, particularly in countries in the Global South. This event brings together emerging insights on this topic from research and practice in West Africa, East Africa and South Asia, and examines the implications for the future of P/CVE, both in the Global South and beyond.

Select contributors:

• Prof. Amadou Sall (Coordinator, Regional Cell for the Prevention of Radicalization and Violent Extremism, G5 Sahel),
• Irene Ndungu (Director, Reducing Insecurity and Violent Extremism in Kenya, REINVENT);
• Emily Winterbotham (Director, Terrorism & Conflict Group, Royal United Services);
• Prof. Andrew Glazzard (Professor of National Security, Coventry University);
• Prof. Joel Busher (Professor of Political Sociology, Coventry University).

The event is open to policymakers, programme managers, funders, academics and civil society actors with an interest in P/CVE policy and practice in the Global South and Europe.

 
Please register for the event here or by emailing jessica.mitchell@coventry.ac.uk

The municipality of Velenje has won EU Green Leaf Award 2024, taking part in the EU Mission 100 Climate neutral and smart cities, and faces a transition from a coal mining region to new green perspectives. We invite you to join us at the event where the mayor of the Municipality of Velenje Mr. Peter Dermol will sign the letter of intent for EU Green Leaf 2024 with the representative of the European Commission Mr. Patrick Child, and the main projects will be presented.

The event will take place on 8 June at 10:00 at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Slovenia to the EU in Brussels.

This event is a valuable opportunity to meet one another in person, connect, and share knowledge for our journey to climate neutrality. The formal event will be followed by networking with Slovenian wine tasting.

Please register for the event here.

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the EOSC Association invite you to a joint session on the possible pathways for impact to accelerate the transition to Open Science as the norm for scientific publishing.

Speakers:

• Anna Lundhagen, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Collaboration and Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
• Karel Luyben, EOSC Association President
• Sumithra Velupillai, Senior Research Officer at the Swedish Research Council

Doors open at 17:00, programme starts at 17:30.

The event will take place at Nordic House, Rue du Luxembourg 3, 1000 Brussels

Please register here by 7 June

The European Commission through the S3 Community of Practice (S3 CoP), with ERRIN as part of the Secretariat, has launched two new calls for expressions of interest for regions for the creation of new Thematic Smart Specialisation Partnerships (TSSPs) and for receiving targeted support assignments.

The call for EoI for new TSSPs is open to regions (regional authorities and quadruple helix actors with a mandate from their regional authority) interested in initiating and exploring new value chains in specific priority areas based on a shared interest in their smart specialisation strategies (S3). TSSPs target specific areas with high potential for technological, societal, and ecological return at regional and European level, underpinned by shared S3 priorities across committed regions, cluster organisations, businesses, and innovation actors as well as civil society. The call for EoI is open continuously. Two cut-off dates for applications are proposed each year, with the first expected on 16 June 2023, followed by 30 September 2023.

Find guidance document to support your application, eligibility criteria and evaluation details here. Reply to the call for EoI here. The call is open continuously, with two cut-off dates expected each year, on 16 June and 30 September in 2023.

The call for EoI for targeted support assignments is open to regions (especially less developed ones) who would like to receive tailored assistance with regard to the fulfilment criteria and overcoming any challenges they may face during development or implementation of their S3. Based on the specific S3 needs and priorities expressed by the region, the targeted support assignment will be co-designed to devise targeted solutions in collaboration between DG REGIO, S3 CoP Secretariat, beneficiary region and designated expert selected from the S3 CoP pool of experts. Examples of assistance include support to Entrepreneurial Discovery Process, analysis of the available policy instruments and others.

Find more details here and reply to the call for EoI here. There is currently no deadline for expressions of interest.

At the same time, the call for EoI to join the S3 CoP pool of experts to provide targeted support assignments to regions is continuously open. Find more details here and reply to the call for EoI here.

Coordination and further alignment of different funding streams to support R&I actions is an important objective in the EU research and innovation policy agenda. In particular, synergies between the R&I Framework Programme and Regional Development funds have been a challenge. However, during the last years, the synergies discussion has gained momentum, creating an enabling environment due to coordination of respective regulations and the State Aid framework. In July 2022, the European Commission published a draft notice as guidance on “Synergies between Horizon Europe and ERDF programmes”.

However, synergies still remain difficult to put in practice and this becomes particularly relevant for the newly established co-funded European Partnerships in Horizon Europe, whose success relies on the ability to mobilise national and regional funding to increase R&I investments. The guidance document provides a theoretical framework for synergies, but the barriers are often procedural, practical and linked to lack of knowledge on the different funding programmes.

In this context, the event organised by the Driving Urban Transitions Partnership and ERRIN Policy Working Group on 8 June will be joined by officials from European Commission's DG REGIO and DG RTD who will present the state of play of funding synergies, as well as representatives of two European Partnerships – DUT and CETP – who will offer practical insights. This will lead to an open discussion with the audience on operationalising funding synergies and ways to overcome related challenges.

The objective of the workshop is to create an opportunity for an informal exchange between the relevant European Commission services as well as national and regional funding agencies. The Driving Urban Transition Partnership is being used as an example in this dialogue.

You may find the agenda attached and register here.

Participation is possible online and in person at the ERRIN premises (Rue du Luxembourg 3, 8th floor, 1000 Brussels). You will receive the link to connect online automatically following the registration. At the same time, we encourage attendance in person for additional networking opportunity.

Thank you for attending this DUT & ERRIN Policy WG workshop. You may find the presentations from the session and watch the recording of the event below.

On 5 May 2023, DG GROW launched two competitions, open for applications until 5 July at 17.00 CEST.

Both competitions are open to cities in the EU Member States, and non-EU countries participating in the current Single Market Programme, and its main objective is to foster innovation to strengthen smart and sustainable tourism in the EU, facilitating networking and exchange of best practices.

The European Capital of Smart Tourism competition recognises outstanding achievements by European cities as tourism destinations in four categories: sustainability, accessibility, digitalisation as well as cultural heritage and creativity. This call is open to cities with a population of over 100,000.

The European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism is the successor of the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) initiative and rewards the best achievements in sustainable tourism and green transition practices in smaller destinations. This call is open to cities with a population between 25,000 and 100,000.

To facilitate the application process, DG GROW has put together specific guides for applicants and factsheets available on the official page of the initiatives.

In addition, two webinars will be organised to support prospective applicants. 

European Capital of Smart Tourism: Applicant workshop on 1 June at 14:00 – 15:00 CEST. Please register here.

European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism: Applicant workshop on 5 June at 14:00 – 15:00 CEST. Please register here.

About the University of Angers:

• 3 campus in Angers and 3 campus outside of Angers (Cholet, Saumur and Les sables d’Olonnes)
• 26 research units
• 5 research centers in Health, Materials, Maths-STIC, Humanities and SSH, Plant and Environment
• + than 800 researchers, 500 PhD students, + than 26 000 students including 12% of international students

The University of Angers is looking for candidates for MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship in Health research fields. Thematic areas for the research projects :

• Cancer & Immunology: innovative micro and nano vectorisation-based strategy
• Assessing the impact of current immunosuppressive regimens on the risk of developing specific IFIs (Invasive fungal infections)
• Neuropsychological approach to executive functions in Children
• Identify and characterise mechanosensitive ion channels in vascular cells in physiological and physiopathological conditions

Find more details in the attached document.

Contacts:

Magali Morisset - European project advisor
magali.morisset@univ-angers.fr / cap europe@univ angers.fr

Scotland House Brussels and UK Transport in Europe are delighted to invite you to Scotland House for an in-person event on 6 June 2023. Currently one of the largest global emitters of greenhouse gases, the transport sector’s decarbonisation is absolutely crucial to achieving Net Zero ambitions.

Representatives from Transport Scotland, HVS, and the Civil Aviation Authority will debate the potential future role of hydrogen in decarbonising the transport sector. Responding to and interacting with these stakeholders will be a representative from the European Commission.

Registration will take place from 15:30, with introductions over a networking coffee, and the event beginning at 16:00. The presentation will include a roundtable discussion and time for a Q&A. The discussion will be followed by a networking reception. We would be delighted if you could join us.

If you would like to attend this event, please RSVP to BrusselsEvents@gov.scot by Tuesday 30 May.

The May 31st online event Info session on Technical Assistance has open for registration! This online event is for Charter Signatories to receive further information about the technical assistance services offered by MIP4Adapt.

There will also be a space for participants to ask questions and get deeper understanding on this service. The registration is available here.

Pays de la Loire region invites you to a webinar showcasing results and policy recommendations from the EU-funded project: ICaRE4Farms. This webinar “Solar Thermal Energy in Agriculture – Supporting technology uptake and political incentives” will be held online (in English only) on 13 June 2023 from 10:00 to 11:30 am CEST. 

ICaRE4Farms sets out to boost the use of solar thermal energy (STE) in farming across 4 pilot sites in North-West Europe. The objective was to show how STE can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the sector and increase the share of renewable energies, to help the transition to a low-carbon economy.

This webinar will highlight the advantages of next-generation STE systems for a greener future and encourage support and funding to promote the uptake of these solutions across North-West Europe.

This webinar is open to all and is targeted at policy makers working at EU, national, regional and local levels, as well as farmers, researchers and anyone interested in reducing GHG emissions using renewable energies through sustainable farming.

Find out how STE systems work, when they can be applied in farming, discover research and data from the project, visit virtually the pilot sites, hear from the farmers involved and participate in the discussion about the recommendations for how member states can support the uptake of this technology. 

Interreg North-West Europe programme, which funded this project, will also present the next programming period and how it will contribute to the support of innovation such as renewable energies across sectors. 

Register and find the full programme on the event page here. Once you have registered, the link to the webinar will be sent to you in the days prior to the event.

We look forward to seeing you at this event! If you have any questions, please get in touch.