5th EU-Korea Research & Innovation Day Held Successfully

14.11.2019

5th EU-Korea Research & Innovation Day

5th EU-Korea Research & Innovation Day

5th EU-Korea Research & Innovation Day

 

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On the 30 October, the 5th EU-Korea Research & Innovation Day successfully took place at the Millennium Hilton Seoul Hotel with more than 350 participants. The event with a full day programme was co-organised by the EU Delegation to the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF). Supported by the embassies of the Member States in Korea, the event proved Europe's excellence in science, its capacity and opportunities.

 

In the morning session, Dr. Jung-Hye Roe, President of the NRF opened the event, followed by a welcoming speech by Dr. Michael Reiterer, Ambassador of the European Union to Korea, and congratulatory remarks by Dr. Mi Ock Mun, 1st Vice Minister of Science and ICT. The keynote speaker Ms. Maria Cristina Russo, Director for International Cooperation of DG RTD emphasised the importance of international cooperation in research and innovation by introducing the EU's next framework programme, Horizon Europe, highlighting key novelties such as missions, association and partnership.

 

In the following two morning sessions, Horizon 2020 & Horizon Europe, EUREKA and EUROSTARS2, and relevant funding programmes of Korean funding agencies were introduced. In particular, participants expressed their great satisfaction with the practical session (session2), which provided guidelines on how to participate in the European R&I programmes, access to calls for proposals, and how to find the best European partners.

 

During the morning session and until networking lunch time, 15 EU Member States set up individual country promotion tables outside of the main conference room for bilateral meetings with Korean participants. The Member States shared their up-to-date R&I policies and bilateral and/or multilateral programmes open to Korea.

 

In the afternoon, 8 parallel thematic sessions in ICT, Bio/Health, Nanotechnology, Energy, Transport, Climate/Environment, Researchers' Exchange (mobility), and Industrial cooperation through EUREKA/EUROSTARS2 took place in separate rooms. The parallel sessions were mainly organised by European and Korean National Contact Points (NCPs), programme experts, Korean researchers and funding agencies with experience in Horizon2020 in order to provide more detailed information and close consultation with Korean researchers and innovators. At the same time, individual Q&A and 1:1 consultation between the participants and EU/Member States/Korean funding agencies/EURAXESS continued in a separate room.

 

According to the survey, almost 80% of the participants were satisfied with the EU-Korea Research & Innovation Day, and hoped the event to continue in the future. The main reason to participate in the event was to get information on EU R&I programmes. Participants said that presentations on the Horizon2020 & Horizon Europe policy and practical guidelines for actual participation were the most helpful. Also, around 85% were very satisfied with the thematic parallel sessions moderated by the European NCPs and the Korean researchers who have taken part in the Horizon2020 projects.

 

The EU-Korea Research & Innovation Day 2019 ended successfully attracting great interest from the participants and meeting their expectations. The event is expected to forge more active and diverse cooperation in the research and innovation field.