NTNU Brussels

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of attending the high-level event "The European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation: Increasing participation and broadening horizons," organized by #HU24EU and the Council of the European Union. A special highlight was witnessing our Director, Massimo Busuoli, contribute as a panelist in the discussion on "The role of excellent research support in improving participation in Framework Programmes – the practitioners’ perspective", together with Dirk De Craemer, Katarzyna Walczyk-Matuszyk, and Petra Horvat. The discussions shed light on challenges such as weakened participation in the European R&I Framework Programme, fragmentation within the European Research Area, and insufficient collaboration with talented individuals. Participants underscored the need to enhance #competitiveness through robust national strategies, foster further international and interinstitutional collaboration, and leverage the momentum generated by the #Draghi and #Heitor reports. We are pleased to have contributed to this stimulating dialogue and we would like to thank the organizers, Ágota Dávid and Virág Zsár, for the invitation and setup of such prominent event! _______________________________________ Florence Ranson, László Bódis, Omar Cutajar, Cristina Borrass, Victoria Reichl, Katalin Molnár, Marius Hirte.

📢 Yesterday morning, our Director Massimo Busuoli joined the "Horizon Europe Capacity-Building Workshop", co-organized by UAS4EUROPE and ERRIN! This workshop is an invaluable resource for newcomers from universities of applied sciences, policymakers, and public administrations aiming to succeed in #HorizonEurope. ✍🏻 With an engaging presentation, Massimo shared essential tips and tricks from the evaluator's perspective—offering insights into the Horizon Europe evaluation process and how to craft competitive applications.

One Hour with Europe｜20 November at 10.00 We are delighted to invite you to the next session of our One Hour with Europe webinar series. This month, we are honored to host Professor Manuel Heitor Manuel Heitor, Director of the Technology Policy Lab at the Center for Innovation, Technology, and Policy Research. Professor Heitor will explore the latest insights and strategies for #HorizonEurope, focusing on the Align, Act, Accelerate Report developed by the Expert Group on the Interim Evaluation of Horizon Europe. This report offers essential perspectives on how Europe’s #research and #innovation framework can adapt and thrive in an evolving global landscape. Register by Tuesday, 19th November, at 12:00 CET. A webinar link will be shared after registration: https://lnkd.in/eT3BrJ4m

We are thrilled to announce that Massimo Busuoli has been re-elected as the Chair of UnILiON - Universities Informal Liaison Offices Network ✨ He expressed his deep gratitude, stating he is "honored by this great testimony of appreciation from UniLion members." He also thanks the entire Secretariat for their incredible collaboration throughout 2024. "This re-election is truly the result of a collective effort by the entire team," he remarked. As we look ahead to 2025, Massimo is eager for an engaging year, especially as discussions around FP10 are set to capture the network’s focus and drive meaningful dialogue. UnILiON is an informal network of Brussels-based liaison offices representing leading universities from Europe and Japan. It is a platform for sharing information, fostering collaboration, and connecting its members to key research, higher education, and innovation stakeholders. UnILiON provides a single point of access to a diverse network of universities, facilitating connections with European institutions and external partners. To learn more about UnILiON - Universities Informal Liaison Offices Network, you can visit their website: https://lnkd.in/ec2GwCAZ Aliki Varella Karl STOECKEL Fèlix Ruiz Cabré Orsolya Lugmayer Charlotte Eide Gregg Jones Ignasi Salvado-Estivill Eric Foucher #UniLion #Collaboration #Innovation #Leadership #FP10 #Teamwork #2025

On Tuesday, we hosted the second session of the SisAl Pilot Project consortium, in which Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), in partnership with Science|Business, held a thought-provoking roundtable as part of the this Project’s final meeting! The session brought together leaders from academia, industry, and policy to tackle key questions for Europe’s future on decarbonization, particularly linked to circularity, raw materials, industrial symbiosis and the clean energy revolution. 🔄 How can circular technologies be scaled to support Europe’s net-zero ambitions? 🛠️ What partnerships and investments are needed to boost production and retain innovation in Europe? 🌱 How can Europe secure critical materials while reducing waste and environmental impact? While addressing these questions, participants emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between research and industry and discussed ways to translate these solutions into commercial successes. The insights gathered will shape recommendations aimed at helping policymakers and stakeholders drive Europe's clean energy transition! A big thank you to everyone who joined us at NTNU Brussels for this engaging discussion—we look forward to the next steps as we continue building a more sustainable and competitive Europe!

We are live from the European Commission for the launch event for the report of the expert group on the interim evaluation of #HorizonEurope. The expert group, chaired by Professor Manuel Heitor Manuel Heitor, will share insights and recommendations to help Horizon Europe adapt to emerging challenges, enhance its appeal to researchers and innovators, and maximise the programme’s value throughout the remainder of its implementation. Commissioner Iliana Ivanova said: "I expect the report to inspire fruitful debates in the next period to define key actions for EU competitiveness". At the opening of his speech, Manuel Heitor added: "I hope that the report will help put R&I in the center of our economy". The main 3 messages of this launch initiative are: ✅ We need a strong framework programme to drive EU competitiveness ✅ We need a sensible increase in the budget ✅ We need some radical simplification linked to innovation NTNU Brussels is thrilled to discover the considerations that will influence the shaping of the next framework of reference for the European R&I sector.

Today, NTNU Brussels had the pleasure of welcoming the SisAl Pilot Project consortium for their final project meeting! SisAl is an innovative initiative scaling TRL 6-7 technology to produce silicon and alloys using aluminum scrap and secondary raw materials. This groundbreaking process cuts CO2 emissions, lowers energy consumption, and promotes waste valorization—paving the way toward a circular economy!💡 With five pilot sites across Europe and funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, the project is paving the way for commercialization through business case development and environmental validation, having the potential to contribute to an alternative sustainable way to produce important raw materials without impacting on the environment.🌱 We are looking forward to host the team again tomorrow to explore their promising results and possible way forward in the event “Critical raw materials and circular economy: A new way forward for Europe?”, organised in collaboration with Science|Business.🌍

Are you one of our next new trainees? Are you a student at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)? Are you looking for a #traineeship in Spring 2025? Applications are now open! As a Trainee at the NTNU Brussels office, you would gain experience through working with our director Massimo Busuoli, and other office staff, and assisting them in their work to promote NTNU and strengthen NTNU’s participation in EU-funded research initiatives. Activities that you could expect include:  👉 Work related to future Framework Programme monitoring and other relevant EU initiatives 👉 Participation in relevant meetings with proper reporting 👉 Participation in working groups meetings of relevant networks where the office is part and 👉 Support in the organization of NTNU events in Brussels You're in the right place if you want to gain an amazing experience in a fun atmosphere. Apply now: https://lnkd.in/ewmZcSr9

Our October newsletter is out! NTNU Brussels invites you to read its October newsletter. In this edition, we discuss the latest office news, upcoming events, the #DraghiReport, the composition of Von der Leyen's new college of 25 commissioners, the Political Guidelines for the Next European Commission, #AI in Europe, and more. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eTASRrb6

On the 4th of October, we had the pleasure to host our #OneHourWithEurope webinar with Lucilla Sioli, Director of the EU AI Office at the European Commission. We discussed the #AI role in EU Competitiveness and how universities can contribute to its implementation. "The #AIAct provides legal certainty and is innovation-friendly. But we need a regulatory framework for people to trust AI and increase its use and investment," said Lucilla Sioli. "We also implemented the AI Pact with companies committed to complying with the latest rules." Regarding upcoming plans with the European Commission, Lucilla explained that policy guidelines include a new AI Strategy to integrate AI across all aspects of society. This strategy especially emphasizes boosting collaboration between industries and research centers. However, to address the upcoming challenges in terms of innovation, Europe needs to rely on private initiatives that connect industries with researchers. For instance, she emphasized the importance of start-ups in the ecosystem, highlighting their role in strengthening relationships and fostering synergy within the broader innovation landscape. Thank you to our speaker for her participation in this fruitful discussion.