Investing in Europe’s future: MCAA to participate in European Research and Innovation Days 2020

MCAA Board
Research and Innovation days

by Aurelia Chaise

 

 

The Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) will join European Union policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs and citizens to debate how research and innovation policy and funding can pave the way to a green, digital and resilient future 

On 22-24 September, the MCAA will participate in the European Research and Innovation Days, the European Commission’s flagship event for discussing the future of research and innovation in Europe and beyond. 

This year, the event will take an online format, with three days of virtual interactive debates, policy co-designing, and matchmaking opportunities. The European Research and Innovation Days 2020 will feature a Policy Conference, dedicated to stakeholders and policy-makers, as well as the online science exhibition Science is Wonderful!, which will be open to researchers, stakeholders, schools and young people. 

MCAA at the Policy Conference 

The fully virtual Policy Conference is at the heart of the European Research and Innovation Days. Wide-reaching plenary sessions will discuss and explore links between pivotal issues on the international stage. The rest of the conference is divided into 10 hubs, each covering a central theme in EU research and innovation policy, from the European Green Deal to digitalisation and smart implementation. 

The MCAA will contribute to two of the conference workshops, both part of the EIT Hub. MCAA Chair Mostafa Moonir Shawrav will speak at the workshop on ‘Career development and entrepreneurship’ on 24 September, 9:30-10:30. And MCAA Vice Chair Fernanda Bajanca will participate in the panel of the workshop on ‘Skills for resilient researchers’, on 22 September, 12:30-13:30.  

The MCAA’s Brian Cahill was involved in the preparation of the pre-recorded video on ‘Researchers at risk’ that will be displayed at the front desk of the Policy Hub during the three conference days. 

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture will also contribute to several sessions:  

  • Plenary session ‘Synergies between ERA and EEA - Towards a knowledge strategy’, 24 September from 14:00 to 15:00 
  • Open session ‘Innovating for the Green Deal’, EIT Hub, 22 September from 11:30 to 12:30 
  • Open session ‘EIT and EIC – Walking the talk’, Smart implementation and synergies Hub, 22 September from 16:00 to 17:00 
  • Open session ‘The future of Universities in Europe – supporting institutional transformations and the European Universities Initiative’, Policy hub, 23 September from 10:30 to 11:30 
  • Open session ‘EIT and AI – Current status and future prospects’, EIT Hub, 23 September from 14:00 to 15:00  
  • Open session ‘EIT Regional innovation scheme post-2020’, EIT Hub, 23 September from 16:00 to 17:00 
  • Open session ‘Strengthening cross-country and cross-sectoral brain circulation (ERA4You)’, Policy Hub, 24 September from 11:00 to 12:00 
  • Open session ‘EIT action to support Higher Education Institutions in Europe’, EIT Hub, 24 September from 12:00 to 13:00 
  • Workshop ‘A European Excellence initiative, support for universities – what’s next?’, Policy Hub, 22 September from 16:00 to 17:00 

Please find the full programme of the Policy conference here. 

Registrations are open!  

You can find more information about how to participate in this year’s virtual conference here. Please note that while participation in the plenary sessions is open for all, there is a limited number of virtual seats at the workshops.  

Science is Wonderful! 

Science is Wonderful! is a virtual science exhibition where schools, young people, citizens, researchers and stakeholders can discover the work that EU-funded projects are doing to slow global warming, improve our cities, prevent hunger and drought, fight cancer and COVID-19, and much more. The event will feature: 

  • 40 stands of EU-funded projects, including 20 MSCA projects, where visitors will interact with researchers through their avatars and discover activities in several languages introducing them to the latest cutting-edge research. Researchers can also meet and discuss with their peers, attend live activities and dedicated sessions for stakeholders; 
  •  4 stands of the Joint Research Centre, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, the Horizon Magazine and the EU’s action on Research and Innovation; 
  • Games and do-it-yourself activities for the younger publics in several languages; 
  • A gallery space featuring several EU-funded researchers; 

The indicative programme of activities, participating projects and all details are available online. Registrations are open and done simultaneously with the registration to the European Research and Innovation Days.

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