Education and Innovation Summit (23/06/2022)

The first ever Education and Innovation Summit will bring together key actors from the world of Education and Innovation to share knowledge and inspiring experiences on innovative education practices and on building bridges between the education and higher education communities, and their surrounding innovation ecosystems. You can watch the event online on 23 June 2022, 10:00-18:00. Register here for online participation.

The European Commission makes €162 million available to strengthen research infrastructures in Europe (19/05/2022)

The funds will be allocated to research projects following the closing of three Horizon Europe calls on the 20th of April. The European Research Executive agency (REA) received 79 proposals for these calls totaling a requested budget of €552 million.

Save the Date 2022 R&I Days (20/05/2022)

European Research and Innovation Days is the European Commission’s annual flagship Research and Innovation event, bringing together policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs and the public to debate and shape the future of research and innovation in Europe and beyond. The event will take place online on 28 and 29 September 2022, allowing everyone to get involved from anywhere. This year’s European Research and Innovation Days gives the opportunity to discuss and shape new solutions to strengthen Europe’s resilience and its strategic autonomy. Read more here.

edito (30/05/2022)

Just in: Call submission figures for Horizon Europe-Reforming the European R&I System (19/05/2022)

Call submission figures for the Horizon Europe’s 2022 call for proposals on “Reforming and Enhancing the European R&I System” are now available! By the call deadline 120 proposals were submitted for a total requested budget of € 240.5 million.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions: new calls for post-doctoral fellowships and doctoral networks (19/05/2022)

The European Commission has launched two calls for proposals. Under the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships, the EU supports researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, while the call for Doctoral Networks addresses highly skilled doctoral candidates who are looking to enhance their skills and innovation capacities.

New five calls for proposals on cancer research under the Health programme (19/05/2022)

The European Commission has published five calls for proposals on cancer research under the Health programme. The topics focus on improving and strengthening cancer research and its infrastructures, optimisation of cancer treatments, creation of a European Cancer Patient Digital Centre, the establishing of national cancer mission hubs and the creation of network to support the EU Cancer Mission.

4 May: five new calls for Youth! (19/05/2022)

On 4 May, a series of calls opened for young people, ranging from funds towards the mobility of young people and young workers, youth participation activities and small-scale partnerships in youth.  The fifth call focused on solidarity projects. All information is available on the dedicated website. 

#BeInclusive EU Sport Awards (20/05/2022)

The Commission announced the winners of its annual #BeInclusive EU Sport Awards on 4 May. Every year, organisations whose work uses the power of sport to improve social inclusion for disadvantaged groups receive recognition from the Commission with the #BeInclusive EU Sport Awards.

Performance of the European Partnerships under Horizon Europe (30/05/2022)

The Commission released its first report on the ‘Performance of the European Partnerships: Biennial Monitoring Report 2022 on Partnerships under Horizon Europe’ (BMR 2022). The report provides an overview of the new Partnership landscape under Horizon Europe and establishes the basis for assessing their progress in future reports. I highlighted that Horizon Europe supports EU Partnerships to deliver on the EU priorities for a resilient green and digital transition.

Support for the implementation of the European Heritage Label (30/05/2022)

Mid-June, a new call will open with the general objective of supporting the development of a European Heritage Label (EHL) umbrella organisation to ensure networking, collaboration, training and opportunities among the EHL Stakeholders. The call will contribute to the implementation of the EHL general objectives of "strengthening European Citizens' sense of belonging to the Union, in particular that of young people, based on shared values and elements of European history and cultural heritage, as well as an appreciation of national and regional diversity; and strengthening intercultural dialogue".

EU-Japan Summit in Tokyo (30/05/2022)

An important milestone for the EU-Japan Partnership was reached at the EU-Japan Summit in Tokyo: leaders on both sides acknowledged the launch of discussions to explore the possibility of Japan joining the Horizon Europe Programme as an associated country. In times of global uncertainty, both sides are committed to ensuring that their scientific communities benefit from a closer relationship in research and innovation, with respect of the shared values and principles and in line with the EU Global Approach strategy on international cooperation on R&I.

Open Call: New EU TalentOn (30/05/2022)

On 18 May, the Commission and Leiden – European City of Science 2022 launched a call for applications for the EU TalentON, a new event that challenges young, academic talent to find solutions contributing to the goals of the five EU Missions from Horizon Europe. The four-day event brings together early career researchers between the ages of 21 and 30 and features an extensive programme, co-created with academia, entrepreneurs and industry. I said “As part of the European Year of Youth, we invite young talented researchers from all over Europe to join us in Leiden - European City of Science 2022 for the very first EU TalentON. Events such as these are essential to promote careers in research and innovation and facilitates cross-border and cross-sectoral collaboration among early-career researchers, entrepreneurs and industry”. 

European Year of Youth: “Voice your Vision” platform (30/05/2022)

May was an important month in our European Year of Youth. On 6 May, the Commission published the Eurobarometer on Youth and Democracy, which proves that the EU’s youth is increasingly getting engaged in the societies and communities they live in (58% now, up by 17% since 2019). The survey also proved that what young people want most, is for their voices to be heard and taken into consideration. The Commission reacted to this request, and launched the “Voice your Vision” platform on the same day. This platform is an innovative online platform, which offers an exciting digital journey through the vision, the hopes and ideas for the EU and our future, of the young generation by voice recordings. 

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2022 call (19/05/2022)

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships support researchers’ careers and foster excellence in research. The action targets researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers. Funded researchers gain experience in other countries, disciplines and non-academic sectors. The current call will award €257 million and close on 14 September 2022.

New European Bauhaus Festival (09/06/2022)

Digital Education Hack (09/06/2022)

The Digital Education Hackathon 2021 took place from 9-10 November 2021, and on 9 June, the award ceremony will take place. The three DigiEduHack 2021 Global Award winning teams will receive their awards and will be invited to pitch their solution to Mariya Gabriel, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.

European Innovation Ecosystems work programme: upcoming calls worth €29.5 million (19/05/2022)

The European Commission has adopted the amended European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE) 2021-2022 Work Programme under Horizon Europe. It provides new funding opportunities for deep-tech start-ups led by women and the EU angel investment industry on top of existing actions that aim to create more connected and efficient innovation ecosystems. 

EU Missions info days (19/05/2022)

On 17 and 18 May, these Info Days presented a wide range of new topics for all five missions, following the amendment to the Missions’ Work Programme 2021- 2022 under Horizon Europe. This additional funding will bring the implementation of EU Missions one step forward, paving the way to delivering their full potential. We had also the opportunity to hear about the call to create a European Social Innovation Catalyst Fund to advance EU Mission objectives across the board. Read more. 

MSCA Cluster event on Mission Oceans and Water (07/06/2022)

On 7 June, an MSCA event will bring together researchers, experts and EU policymakers, to explore how research and innovation can help in achieving the objectives of the EU mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters”. Registration closed on 31 May. 

DiscoverEU results of first call (19/05/2022)

DiscoverEU is, since the beginning of this year, part of the Erasmus+ programme. With this change and through the exceptional funding under the European Year of Youth 2022, 70,000 travel passes will be made available in 2022. And for the first time, young people from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey could apply since those countries take part in the Erasmus+ programme. On 18 May, the Commission announced the results of the first call, in which 35,000 young people of 18-years have been selected to embark on a journey across Europe.

Commission launches MSCA4Ukraine to support displaced scientists from Ukraine (19/05/2022)

With a total budget of €25 million, MSCA4Ukraine will provide fellowships for doctoral candidates and post-doctoral researchers. The scheme was officially launched on 10 May, and will allow scientists to continue their work in academic or non-academic organisations in EU member states and countries associated to Horizon Europe, and re-establish themselves in Ukraine to rebuild the country’s research and innovation capacity when conditions allow.

MSCA Seal of Excellence awarded to outstanding researchers (19/05/2022)

On 6 May, the Commission awarded MSCA Seal of Excellence certificates to 1 956 applicants for MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships in 2021. These applicants presented outstanding proposals but fell short of receiving funding from the scheme. A list of available support for Seal of Excellence awardees is available.

Strong interest for EIC Pathfinder bottom-up science to technology call (19/05/2022)

EIC Pathfinder continues to receive a positive response from the research community with 863 proposals submitted requesting more than €2.6 billion that aim to turn science into breakthrough technologies.

EIC announces first 2022 Transition calls statistics (19/05/2022)

The EIC received 165 proposals and requested total budget of €328.5 million for the first 2022 cut-off of EIC Transition calls which aim to mature the technologies and build a business case for specific applications.

The EIC launches the Scale-Up 100 call (19/05/2022)

The ‘Scale-Up 100’ call aims to identify, promote, and support the growth of 100 promising deep tech companies that show the potential to become unicorns. An Info Day will be held at the 'EIC Sustainability and Technology' event in Paris.

European Innovation Gender and Diversity Index call open for applications (19/05/2022)

This call is part of a series of EIC measures to empower women innovators and aims to increase the participation of tech talents from other underrepresented categories. Recordings from the Info Day are now available as well.

MSCA Doctoral Networks 2022 call (19/05/2022)

MSCA Doctoral Networks provide support partnerships of organisations from different socio-economic sectors across Europe to implement doctoral programmes. The aim is to train highly skilled doctoral candidates, stimulate their creativity, enhance their innovation capacities and boost their employability in the long-term. The current call will award €427 million and close on 15 November 2022. 

EU-China joint steering committee meeting (30/05/2022)

On 17 May 2022, the EU virtually hosted the 15th EU-China joint steering committee meeting on science and technology cooperation. The meeting touched upon the ongoing discussions and next steps with regards to the EU-China joint roadmap for the future of science, technology, and innovation cooperation. The roadmap exercise aims at rebalancing cooperation and at bringing forth the advancement of a fair innovation ecosystem, defined by reciprocity and a level-playing field while respecting fundamental values and high ethical and scientific integrity standards.

Horizon Europe launch event (30/05/2022)

On 16 May, the European Delegation to the State of Israel and the Israel-Europe R&I Directorate (ISRED) organised the Horizon Europe Launch Event that took place in a hybrid format combining both live TV studio and virtual participation. The different sessions tried to address from different angles the key question of how to mobilise European and Israeli Research and Innovation excellence and build on success stories to fully tap into Horizon Europe’s novel opportunities. Moreover, the event contributed to setting common priorities for future cooperation and preparing the ground for stronger synergies between Israeli and European innovation ecosystems.

New call for proposal will accept submissions for projects contributing towards global leadership in renewable energy (19/05/2022)

Starting from 26 May, a new call for proposal will accept submissions for projects contributing towards global leadership in renewable energy. New calls have also opened for the Climate and Oceans Missions, including a specific call aiming to create a transnational network of National Contact Points (NCPs) for EU Missions. Read more here. 

Online conference: "Towards equity and inclusion in higher education in Europe" (02/06/2022)

Where do European countries stand when it comes to equity and inclusion of their higher education systems? Do they have the necessary conditions in place? The topic is at the heart of EU policy development. During this conference on 2 June, the latest Eurydice report "Towards equity and inclusion in higher education in Europe" will be presented. This publication aims to help the competent authorities to improve equity in higher education, by developing a tool for comparative mapping of where countries stand in relation to the Principles and Guidelines in addressing the social dimension. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session and a wider discussion on the topic. Web streaming link: https://webcast.ec.europa.eu/towards-equity-and-inclusion-in-higher-education-in-europe

Euratom conferences (31/05/2022)

The 10th Euratom Conference on Reactor Safety (FISA) & 10th Euratom Conference on Radioactive Waste Management (EURADWASTE) take place from 30 May to 3 June. The FISA 2022 & EURADWASTE ’22 conferences are a great opportunity to present and learn about the key achievements of  Euratom projects. Young professionals have a unique opportunity to meet and network with leading researchers, innovators and industrial managers, from Europe and beyond. During the FISA 2022 & EURADWASTE ’22 conferences we presented for the for the first time our new video with young professionals in the nuclear field and also awarded the winners of the Nuclear Innovation Prize.

EU Soil Mission: €95 million call opens (19/05/2022)

The European Commission is looking, among others, for strategies for land decontamination and reuse, and innovative ideas on how to implement carbon-farming practices. Deadline to apply is 27 September 2022. Read more.

From research results to innovative solutions (31/05/2022)

The report “From research results to innovative solutions: Mapping national and regional programmes and initiatives in R&I valorisation” was published. It presents a collection of national and regional initiatives for knowledge transfer in EU Member States and Horizon 2020 associated countries with a focus on two of the main knowledge valorisation channels: academia–industry collaboration and citizen engagement.

Commissioner's editorial May (19/04/2022)

A message from Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth

2022 first round of DiscoverEU (19/04/2022)

From 7 to 21 April at noon, DiscoverEU, the Commission's action that allows 18-years-olds to explore Europe mostly by train, has opened its first application round of 2022. 35,000 free travel passes were available to 18-years-olds, giving them a chance to travel, discover new places and make life-lasting encounters.

European Heritage Label: 2021 selection (19/04/2022)

On 28 April, the European Commission awarded the European Heritage Label to twelve new sites across Europe, which have played a significant role in the history and culture of Europe. A total of 60 sites now contribute to their visitors’ understanding and appreciation of the EU’s shared and diverse heritage.

EPALE Community Storybook (19/04/2022)

The EPALE adult learning community has contributed to the creation of a storybook of adult learning practices from all over Europe, to inspire through the sharing of practices and personal reflections. The stories covers the EPALE thematic focuses of 2021: life and work skills, digital transition and inclusive social change.

The European Innovation Council welcomes new Programme Managers (12/04/2022)

The European Innovation Council warmly welcomes Franc Mouwen, Samira Nik, Ivan Stefanic and Stela Tkatchova - new Programme Managers covering the fields of space, quantum tech & electronics, construction & artificial intelligence (AI) and food & agri-tech. Through EIC Programme Managers, the EIC is adopting innovative ways to manage funding. They are high-level experts employed by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Agency to develop visions for future technology and innovation breakthroughs and to manage one or more EIC Portfolios to achieve these visions. 

Winning design announced for New European Bauhaus inspired JRC site in Seville (27/04/2022)

On the 7 April, the Commission announced the winner of an international architectural contest for a new building housing 400 researchers at the Commission's Joint Research Centre in Seville, Spain. It is the first competition of its kind explicitly linked to the New European Bauhaus.

Horizon Europe: a new initiative for Young Observers (27/04/2022)

On the 1 April, the Commission launched a new initiative under Horizon Europe, called Young Observers, to allow masters students across Europe to witness as observers the robust, fair and impartial evaluation process at EU level that contributes to Europe’s cutting edge research and competitiveness. We need to encourage young people to access all the opportunities EU research and innovation can offer.

Launch of the “Voice your Vision” voice recording platform (27/04/2022)

On 25 April, Commissioner Gabriel launched the “Voice your Vision” Platform, which is a central component of the European Year of Youth. Through this tool, young Europeans are encouraged to share a message in all official languages of the EU as well as the Erasmus+ programme languages. These messages can be ideas or wishes for the EU, concerns or suggestions. Once added, each voice generates its own, unique 3D waveform interacting with every other recording on the platform – and enables everyone to listen to any voice, in any language, in real time and on any device at any moment.

Info Day: Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area (27/04/2022)

Horizon Europe’s Widening actions support EU countries that lag behind in research and innovation to increase their performance, while ERA actions aim at reforming and enhancing the European research and innovation system overall. The info day focused on two new kinds of new calls: “Hop On Facility” and “ERA Talents”. There was also a short presentation on the policy overview of the new European Research Area.

EUR 142 million for research in support of the European Green Deal and Just Transition (27/04/2022)

The Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2022 and also enters a new phase with increased funding made available for research on low-emission steelmaking and phasing out coal. The deadline for applying to the two “Big ticket” calls for proposals is 3 May.

Commission launches ‘NEB LAB': Call for Friends (13/04/2022)

The New European Bauhaus supports a movement of sustainable communities, inclusive dialogues, purposeful activities. The role of friends is to support these communities and act as sounding boards and key interlocutors for the initiative. More info here. 

MSCA awards €405 million for doctoral programmes (27/04/2022)

The European Commission will support the training and skills’ development of 1500 doctoral candidates through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). The European Research Executive Agency (REA) had received 1076 applications for the 2021 call for doctoral networks, the first under the Horizon Europe programme for research and innovation.

#BeActive Awards: applications still possible (27/04/2022)

You can still apply for the #BeActive Awards up until 19 May. They consist of prizes that support projects and individuals that are dedicated to promoting sport and physical activity across Europe. There are four categories in the field of education, workplace, local hero and across generation. You can learn more at the links below.

• #BeActive Education Award

• #BeActive Workplace Award

• #BeActive Local Hero Award

• #BeActive Across Generation Award 

#BeInclusive EU Sport Awards (19/04/2022)

On 4 May, the #BeInclusive EU Sport Awards will celebrate organisations which show inspiring examples of the power of sport in fostering the inclusion of disadvantaged groups. This year, the three categories are 1. Breaking barriers, 2. Celebrating diversity, and 3. Inspiring change. 87 wonderful projects from all around Europe have been submitted, and 9 finalists have been announced for each category.

Closing soon: Call for projects under the new humanitarian aid strand of the European Solidarity Corps (27/04/2022)

This is your reminder that the call for proposals for projects to be implemented in the framework of the new humanitarian aid strand of the European Solidarity Corps must be submitted by 3 May 2022 at 17.00 (Brussels time). Projects selected under this first Call will offer residents of the EU who are between 18 and 35 years old volunteering opportunities to contribute to the delivery of humanitarian aid in third countries.

4 May: five new calls to open for Youth! (19/04/2022)

On 4 May, a series of calls will open for young people, ranging from funds towards the mobility of young people and young workers, youth participation activities and small-scale partnerships in youth. The fifth call will focus on solidarity projects. All information will be available on the dedicated website.

European Innovation Council Pathfinder projects announced (12/04/2022)

The Commission selected 39 new projects under the 2021 EIC Pathfinder call for cutting edge research projects to achieve breakthroughs in five strategic areas. The successful projects were chosen among 403 submitted eligible proposals and will receive up to €145 million of EU funding. For the first time, EIC Programme Managers were directly involved in setting the challenges, and selecting portfolios of projects from among the best applications, and they will now pro-actively manage these portfolios to increase impact. With its Pathfinder scheme, the EIC supports the exploration of bold ideas for radically new technologies. It welcomes the high-risk/high gain and interdisciplinary cutting-edge science collaborations that underpin technological breakthroughs.  

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions to open 2022 Doctoral Networks call with €427 million (27/04/2022)

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks provide support partnerships of organisations from different socio-economic sectors across Europe and around the world to implement doctoral programmes. The aim is to train highly skilled doctoral candidates, stimulate their creativity, enhance their innovation capacities and boost their employability in the long-term. The next call will open on 12 May 2022.

European Social Innovation Competition 2022 (12/04/2022)

The Commission launched the 9th edition of the European Social Innovation Competition (EUSIC) Impact Prize. The European Social Innovation Impact Prize 2022 aims at recognising the efforts made by the semi-finalists of the European Social innovation competition – the Challenge Prize 2021 edition. The European Innovation Council (EIC) supports the Prize under European innovation ecosystems (Pillar III) of the Horizon Europe Work Programme. The Competition is open for applications until 24 May 2022 (17:00:00 CET). 

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions to open 2022 Postdoctoral Fellowships call with €257 million (27/04/2022)

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships support researchers’ careers and foster excellence in research. The action targets researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers. Funded researchers gain experience in other countries, disciplines and non-academic sectors. The next call will open on 12 May 2022.

European Innovation Council Accelerator (12/04/2022)

Over 1000 start-ups and SMEs submitted a full application for funding for the 23 March cut-off of the EIC Accelerator scheme, the first in 2022. The number of applications shows a continued strong demand for EIC funding with a total request of €6.4 billion, of which €4.1 billion for equity investments. EIC Accelerator offers start-ups and SMEs grants of up to €2.5 million combined with equity investments through the EIC Fund ranging from €500,000 to €15 million. In addition, EIC selected companies receive coaching, mentoring, access to investors and corporates, and many other opportunities as part of the EIC community. The EIC Accelerator calls are continuously open. 

New calls open on climate, energy and mobility (27/04/2022)

Three new calls on climate, energy, and mobility open this month, while two have closed for submission. The new calls will fund projects providing cross-cutting solutions for the climate transition, a more efficient use of energy as regards buildings and industry, and safe, resilient transport and smart mobility services for passengers and goods. The closed calls accepted proposals for sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply, and clean and competitive solutions for all transport modes.

Health-related calls closed - more coming up in May (27/04/2022)

Two sets of Horizon Europe calls on health closed in April, the first one on topics such as tackling diseases, access to innovative and high quality health care and the transformation of health care systems. The second set of calls contributes to the implementation of the EU Cancer Mission, focusing on the development of technologies for cancer screening and detection, the improvement of quality of life of patients and the understanding of risk factors. The evaluations of the received proposals will start in the coming weeks. More news on upcoming calls will come in May. Submissions for the single-stage calls have also closed for the Climate and Oceans EU Missions.

Great interest in the European Universities 2022 Call (19/04/2022)

Higher education institutions have shown great interest in the European Universities Call 2022. The call was closed on 22 March and a total of 52 proposals were submitted with a participation of around 350 higher education institutions. The results of the selection process are expected to be available by the end of July.

Embedding European perspectives in teacher development (31/03/2022)

The Eurydice network presented its report ‘Teachers in Europe’ during the French ministerial conference "Embedding European perspectives in teacher development" on 3 March. During the conference, the essential role of teachers in the successful creation of the European Education Area was discussed. The conference focused specifically on European mobility for teachers and future teachers, and the emergence of a community of European teachers.

Applications for the EU Prize for Women Innovators 2022 are open (17/03/2022)

On International Women Day, the Commission launched the ninth edition of the EU Prize for Women Innovators. The Prize celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind Europe’s game-changing innovations, to inspire more women to follow their footsteps. The EIC will award three prizes of €100,000 each to the most inspiring women innovators across the EU and Associated Countries, including Ukraine. To mark the European Year of Youth, the EIC will be awarding a further three prizes of €50 000 each to promising ‘Rising Innovators’ under the age of 35. Apply by 18 August 2022

Horizon Impact Award (31/03/2022)

The call deadline is fast approaching for the 3rd edition of the Horizon Impact Award – a prize dedicated to EU-funded projects whose results have created societal impact across Europe and beyond. Horizon Impact Award puts the spotlight on projects and the people behind them that have contributed towards transformative impacts on the economy, society and policymaking – leading to advancements across different fields. I look forward to seeing many excellent examples of how EU-funded research contributes to shaping a better world.

EU Chief Scientific Advisors recommendations on cancer (17/03/2022)

On 02 March, in support of the Commission’s work under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan to improve early detection through screening, the European Commission’s Group of Chief Scientific Advisors (GCSA) released a Scientific Opinion on cancer screening in Europe. In the Opinion, the Advisors provide recommendations on how to improve the existing screening programmes on breast, colorectal and cervical cancer and advise to extend them to lung and prostate cancer.

Capacity building Sport and Youth (31/03/2022)

A new call will open on 7 April to support sport activities and policies in promoting common European values and the personal and social development of individuals. Certain thematic areas are in the forefront this time, including the involvement of disadvantaged groups, the integration of migrants and post-conflict reconciliation. Apply here

Commission seeks candidates for the ERC Scientific Council (17/03/2022)

The independent Standing Identification Committee, which was set up by the European Commission in 2020, has begun the search for candidates for membership of the Scientific Council of the European Research Council (ERC). Nominations are accepted until 6 May 2022, 12:00 noon CET.

Creative Europe - European Cooperation Projects (31/03/2022)

This call has been extended until 5 May, and seeks to improve access to European culture and creative works, while promoting innovation and creativity. Applicants should be transnational projects involving cultural and creative organisations from different countries.

4 May: five new calls to open for Youth! (31/03/2022)

On 4 May, a series of calls will open for young people, ranging from funds towards the mobility of young people and young workers, youth participation activities and small-scale partnerships in youth. The fifth call will focus on solidarity projects.

Call of interest for a New pilot action on Partnerships for Regional Innovation (18/03/2022)

The Partnerships for Regional Innovation build on positive experiences with smart specialisation strategies to enhance the coordination and directionality of regional, national and EU R&I policies to implement Europe’s green and digital transitions and to tackle the innovation divide in the EU. The joint Pilot Action will involve up to 24 European participants (Member States, regions or groups of regions). The deadline for applications is 25 April 2022

ERC for Ukraine (24/03/2022)

The grantees of the European Research Council have posted already 380 job offers in response to the ERC’s appeal to provide temporary employment to refugee researchers and support staff, such as technician and lab managers, who flee the war in Ukraine.

Commission appoints top scientists as members of the European Research Council’s governing body (17/03/2022)

The Commission appointed three new members to the governing body of the ERC, the Scientific Council. Warm welcome to Professors Chryssa Kouveliotou, László Lovász and Giovanni Sartor. These scientists are appointed for an initial period of four years, replacing three members whose mandate expired. The new members took office on 2 March 2022.

Gender Equality in Sport (28/03/2022)

On 15 March, Commissioner Gabriel received an action plan with concrete recommendations on how to achieve a more equitable gender balance in sport from the High-Level Group on gender equality in sport. The report is both, precious input into the political debate and a practical tool-kit for sport stakeholders.

Visit to Rome, presentation of activities in Italy related to the EYY (28/03/2022)

Commissioner Gabriel travelled to Rome on 24 March to participate in the official launch event of Italy’s activities under the European Year of Youth 2022. She participated also in an interactive session of exchanges between institutional actors and young citizens. 

#BeActive Awards 2022 (31/03/2022)

Published on 15 March, the #BeActive Awards 2022 aim to reward and give visibility to projects and initiatives that have successfully promoted sport and physical activity across Europe in four categories: the Local Hero award, the Education award, Across generations award, and the Aorkplace award. It contributes to the HealthyLifeStyle4All initiative and to the promotion of substainable and green sport. Depending on the prize, projects can focus on educational establishments and workplaces, as well as individuals in local communities. They can also support and promote ties across generations through the practice of sport and physical activity. Besides rewarding specific organisations, the award of prizes will also give visibility and support the dissemination of innovative ideas, initiatives and best practices throughout Europe.

ERC Consolidator Grants (24/03/2022)

313 winners of the European Research Council’s latest round of Consolidator Grants, backed with some €632 million from Horizon Europe, will tackle major questions across all scientific disciplines. Congratulations!

The European Startup Village Forum: Call for Pledges (18/03/2022)

The Startup Village Forum aims to promote knowledge exchange and cooperation activities and to work as an open space where institutions and stakeholders can meet, discuss and shape action for startup-driven innovation in rural areas. A call for pledges has been launched to gather the commitment of public and private organisations to support the objectives of the Forum through the implementation of activities on the ground. This call is open for pledges that can offer financial but also in-kind support, such as provision of co-working spaces, IT infrastructure or expertise, coaching, mentoring or training, aiming at creating startups and job opportunities in rural areas.

New round DiscoverEU (28/03/2022)

A new application round for DiscoverEU will open on 7 April, and give the selected participants the opportunity to explore Europe´s diversity and learn about its culture and history with a travel pass and the new DiscoverEU discount card for cultural visits, learning activities, sports, local transporation, accommodation, food and more. 

Horizon Europe: calls launched in March 2022 (31/03/2022)

A series of calls have opened in March under Horizon Europe, covering important topics like climate adaptation and resilience, health, sustainable rail system, clean energy technologies and many others. More here

European Capital of Innovation Awards: 2022 edition kicks off (31/03/2022)

The Commission launched the eighth edition of the European Capital of Innovation Awards (iCapital). Supported by the European Innovation Council (EIC) under Horizon Europe, the contest will award six prizes in total for the two categories: the European Capital of Innovation and the Rising Innovative City. The Awards recognise the role cities play in shaping the local innovation ecosytems and promote innovation. Cities can apply by 30 June 2022 (17:00:00 CET).

Clean Hydrogen Partnership: Call for proposals 2022 (31/03/2022)

The Clean Hydrogen Partnership has launched its hydrogen research call for proposals – €300.5 million will be made available for proposed projects in an unprecedented drive to support the creation of cutting-edge hydrogen technologies. First deadline: 31 May 2022

European Capital of Innovation Awards: 2022 edition kicks off (17/03/2022)

The Commission launched the eighth edition of the European Capital of Innovation Awards (iCapital). Supported by the European Innovation Council (EIC) under Horizon Europe, the contest will award six prizes in total for the two categories: the European Capital of Innovation and the Rising Innovative City. The Awards recognise the role cities play in shaping the local innovation ecosytems and promote innovation. Cities can apply by 30 June 2022 (17:00:00 CET).

Call for Teacher Academies opened (28/03/2022)

A new call for proposals for projects under Erasmus+ Teacher Academies opened on 15 March, and will remain open until 7 September 2022. Selected projects will create European partnerships of teacher education and training providers to develop a European and international outlook in teacher education. These Academies will embrace multilingualism, language awareness and cultural diversity, develop teacher education in line with the EU’s priorities in education policy and contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the European Education Area.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme Postdoctoral Fellowships (28/03/2022)

Under the 2021 call for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships, a total fund of €242 million provides experienced researchers holding a PhD the opportunity to work on projects in all research fields, while receiving training and supervision to further enhance their skills. On 23 March, the Commission announced that 1,156 researchers had been selected.

Creative Europe - European literary works (31/03/2022)

A call opened on 1 March, to support projects that will translate, publish, distribute and promote works of fiction. This yearly call wants to strengthen the transnational circulation and diversity of European literary works and reach new audiences. Apply here

Open Research Europe (01/04/2022)

One year ago, we launched Open Research Europe (ORE), the European Commission’s open access publishing platform for all Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe funded researchers across various disciplines. The Commissioner looks forward to working together with the academic community to develop ORE further in the years to come.

Monthly update (01/04/2022)

Good morning

Update from Commissioner Mariya Gabriel (25/02/2022)

Update from Commissioner Mariya Gabriel

Interministerial forum: Innovation, technologies and multilingualism (25/02/2022)

From 7-9 February, the interministerial forum "Innovation, technologies and multilingualism" took place in Lille. The forum brought together 400 French and European players in the fields of translation for all media, language technologies, digital technology and artificial intelligence to promote multilingualism in our societies. It became clear that multilingualism, supported by technological innovation and artificial intelligence, is a challenge for social cohesion and European citizenship.

Roundtable with European university alliances on A European approach to Micro-credentials (25/02/2022)

On 7 February, Commissioner Gabriel met with representatives of European Universities’ alliances to discuss the topic of micro-credentials and present the vision of the Commission for the European approach. The meeting took place in the aftermath of the recent adoption by the Commission of a proposal for a Council recommendation on a European approach to micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability. The European approach to micro-credentials is a key flagship to achieve a European Education Area by 2025, with the European University Alliances acting as frontrunners and testing beds to pave the way and inspire their peers.

Esch-sur-Alzette: European Capital of Culture 2022 (25/02/2022)

On 26 February, Commissioner Gabriel attended the opening ceremony of Esch-sur-Alzette, the European Capital of Culture 2022. After Luxembourg City in 1995 and 2007, Esch-sur-Alzette is the second city in the country to host the event. For Esch – laureate of the Melina Mercouri Prize – holding the title is a unique opportunity to improve its image internally and towards the outside world, to promote quality tourism, and to stimulate its potential for creativity and innovation. The latter notably by strengthening the links between its cultural community and other social and economic sectors, in line with the ambitions of the New European Bauhaus, launched by the Commission in 2020.

New DiscoverEU features announced (25/02/2022)

While in Strasbourg, Commissioner Gabriel announced together with MEP Sabine Verheyen additional features to the DiscoverEU programme. DiscoverEU has, since 2018, distributed more than 130,000 free travel passes to 18 year-olds in Europe. With an ambitious budget of €29 million, the number of tickets distributed will increase to 70 000 in 2022. Six new countries are joining DiscoverEU: Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Serbia, North Macedonia and Turkey. Young people receiving a travel pass will also now get a special card giving them access to discounts on accommodation, food, cultural activities and local transport. Today the Commission is also launching a 'meet-ups' platform to facilitate contacts between participants. Events will be organised for DiscoverEU participants to share activities and experiences.

Conference: Investing in an integrated Early Childhood Education and Care System (25/02/2022)

Commissioner Gabriel participated at a conference on "Investing in an integrated Early Childhood Education and Care System" on 23 February 2022 in Bologna, Italy. This conference gave rise to an institutional debate on the issue of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and scaled up its role with the ambition to combine the right of all children to high quality early education, with a special focus on the inclusion of children who are at risk of marginalisation.

Launch of the first 10 Erasmus+ teacher academies (25/02/2022)

On 21 February, Commissioner Gabriel launched the first Erasmus+ Teacher Academies at a virtual opening event. Eleven projects were selected for funding that address the thematic priorities of the call (such as inclusion, environmental sustainability, digital and gender sensitive learning) and provide teachers at all stages of their careers with learning opportunities including mobility, learning platforms and professional communities. During her opening speech, Commissioner Gabriel highlighted the political objectives of the initiative and announced the first selected Erasmus+ Teacher Academies. Likewise she informed about the second, ongoing call for proposals, with the deadline on 7 September this year.

New publication on Creative Europe Culture cooperation projects available (25/02/2022)

A new publication offers an overview of how Creative Europe Culture cooperation projects selected from 2014 to 2020 have addressed any of the three political priorities of the European Commission.The presented projects demonstrate how the cultural sector is already fully in line with the political priorities of the Commission striving towards gender equality, contribution to the environmental sustainability and digitalisation.

Global Competence Education Forum (25/02/2022)

On 19 February, Commissioner Gabriel took part at the 2022 Qudwa-PISA Global Competence Forum in Dubai, which convened national and international teachers, policy experts, and decision-makers, under the theme: Preparing students to live in an interconnected world. Joining the Ministerial Meeting, the Commissioner highlighted the importance of Global Competence education for young people and stressed the value of participation in forthcoming rounds of PISA.

Ministerial conference: Investing in Education (25/02/2022)

On 15 February, Commissioner Gabriel attended the ministerial conference "Investing in Education" organised by the French Presidency. EU Member States have already underlined the central role they give to education by maintaining a high level of investment in education and devoting on average 12% of the amounts invested in their national recovery and resilience plans. This conference, during which the Learning Lab initiative on investing in education was successfully launched, proofed once again the crucial role of education as an indispensable investment in the future.

Call for EU Mission: Adaptation to Climate Change now open (25/02/2022)

Participate in the implementation of the Horizon Europe Mission Adaptation to Climate Change by submitting your proposals. With its first Horizon Europe Work Programme, the Mission Adaptation to Climate Change will focus on developing a common risk assessment framework, based on which a first set of regions and communities will be supported to better understand their climate risks and to outline an agenda and a roadmap to build their local climate resilience. A few demonstrations of replicable climate resilience solutions will also be funded. Consult our FAQs.
Deadline for submissions: 12 April 2022

Open call: creators and organisations invited to join the Festival of the New European Bauhaus in Brussels (25/02/2022)

The European Commission invites organisations, companies, researchers, innovators, architects, artists, students and all interested people to be part of the first Festival of the New European Bauhaus that will take place in Brussels from 9 to 12 June.

New European Bauhaus Prizes 2022: new deadline for applications (25/02/2022)

The deadline for applications to the New European Bauhaus prizes has been extended. Don't miss the opportunity to win up to €30000 to take your work to the next level.
You can submit your application for the prizes until 7 March at 19:00 CET.
Questions and answers about the prizes.

Open call: Transform places of learning (25/02/2022)

Your future is in your hands! We invite you – experts, thinkers, doers, neighbours, ministers, students, educators or researchers – to join us in making waves for beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive spaces that shape our future ways of learning and thinking.
Want to know more about this call?
Join the dedicated info session on 8 March from 14:00 to 15:00 CET.

Creative Europe calls open for submission (25/02/2022)

Several Creative Europe calls for proposals are currently open for submission. They are published on the European Commission's Funding & Tender Opportunities Portal (F&TP). Check the F&TP regularly for upcoming calls, as well as for details, deadlines and application criteria.

Apply for European Innovation Council Pathfinder, Transition and Accelerator calls (25/02/2022)

2022 EIC calls worth over €1.7 billion are open. Different funding schemes offer grants and equity investments for researchers, start-ups and SMEs. Check what’s in it for you.

Closure of the 2021 Call for Proposals for a new Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) for Europe’s vibrant Culture and Creative Sectors and Industries (CCSI) (25/02/2022)

EIT Culture and Creativity will unite cultural and creative organisations from business, higher education, research and beyond in a pan-European innovation ecosystem. It will train the sector’s future entrepreneurs, power its cutting-edge ventures, and deliver innovative solutions to the challenges facing the sectors. The deadline for submitting applications for the call for proposals is Thursday 24 March 2022 17.00 CET.

European Innovation Council: biggest annual funding opportunities for innovators to scale up and capture global markets (25/02/2022)

The 2022 work programme of the European Innovation Council opens funding opportunities worth over €1.7 billion in 2022 and introduces multiple novelties and simplifications. Among others, it will focus on innovation in quantum computing, new generation batteries and gene therapy. Launched in March 2021 as a major novelty of the Horizon Europe programme, the European Innovation Council has a total budget of over €10 billion between 2021 and 2027.

Registration is now open to the EIT Health Summit 2022 (25/02/2022)

The EIT Health Summit is a vibrant community of world leading healthcare innovators in Europe. The Summit gathers key industry voices in a bold vision towards sustainable healthcare transformation that has an impact and delivers better care for all citizens. The healthcare innovation community will join forces at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm from 24-25 May to envision a long-lasting agenda for healthcare in Europe.

Online Information Session – Erasmus+ Centres of Vocational Excellence 2022 (25/02/2022)

The European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is organising an information session on 7 March about the Erasmus+ call for proposals 'Centres of Vocational Excellence'.
Is your organisation interested in working together with partners at national and international levels to ensure that vocational education and training meets the challenges of rapidly changing skills needs? Find out more about the Centres of Vocational Excellence call in this factsheet.

Forum of Universities for the future of Europe - French Presidency event (28/01/2022)

On 25 January, Commissioner Gabriel attended the opening session of the Forum for Europe's Future Universities (FUF). The FUF is the main "higher education" event of the French Presidency of the European Union and was the first occasion for the Commission to present its Strategy to the higher education community, which has been prepared in consultation with Member States. This new Strategy proposes a vision, objectives, innovative actions and concrete tools for institutions to be actors in the transformation of European society and covers all the missions of higher education institutions: education, research, innovation and services to society.

HEU Missions call: Cancer (28/01/2022)

The EU Cancer Mission aims to improve the understanding of cancer, and optimise the diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life of cancer patients. It also focuses on preventing this life-threatening disease from affecting millions in the EU, health promotion, screening and early detection.

To contribute to its swift implementation we published a second call for proposals (three topics) in December 2021. Deadline for applications is 26 April 2022.

EIC Transition scheme projects (27/01/2022)

The European Commission has selected 42 projects to take breakthrough technologies from the lab into the real world following a first ever European Innovation Council Transition calls for proposals. Successful proposals, selected among 292 submitted, will receive altogether €99 million of EU funding.

Creative Europe calls for proposals (27/01/2022)

The adoption of the 2022 Annual Work Programme on 13 January is followed by the launch of the relevant calls for proposals. The 2022 calls are being published on the Funding and Tenders Portal as of this month. Don’t miss out!

Presentation of UNESCO Science Report 2021 (09/02/2022)

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation together with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO are organising the Presentation of UNESCO Science Report 2021. The virtual event is scheduled on February 9^th from 11am to 12:30pm and will discuss key trends in science and innovation policy around the world, in general, and in the European Union, in particular. Follow the event live: europa.eu/!KxG9tR

The Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ call is now open (28/01/2022)

Participate in the implementation of the Horizon Europe Mission Soil by submitting your proposals. Under the call there are 8 topics that require various areas of expertise, from soil science to SSH, and different actors, such as researchers, farmers or local authorities. Projects financed under these topics will identify research gaps, validate and develop indicators for soil health and functions and understand the link between soil health and nutritional and safe food. Furthermore, some projects will focus on new business models, engagement with regions and municipalities, capacity building for the future establishment of living labs, while others will create a new generation of soil advisors.

Go to the call: Search Funding & Tenders (europa.eu)

Deadline for submissions: 24 March 2022, 17:00 Brussels time

Commissioner's monthly update (01/02/2022)

Commissioner's monthly update

Online Info Day: Erasmus+ Sport (27/01/2022)

On 31 January Commissioner Gabriel participated at the opening session of the Erasmus+ Sport Info Day. Organised by the European Commission and the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), this two-day online event informed potential applicants about the Erasmus+ Sport funding opportunities in 2022. Speakers discussed policy and gave advice and tips on preparing and submitting proposals, as well as on the financial aspects of funding.

Jean Monnet Action “Learning EU initiatives” (31/01/2022)

It is important that our youth is being familiarized from an early age on with our social, economic and political systems – and this of course includes the European Union. Only well-informed citizens can be active and engaged citizens, who contribute to shaping the world we live in. The Commission has launched the new Jean Monnet Action “Learning EU initiatives” to give teachers the support they need to make a difference. In tandem with the “Jean Monnet teacher training action”, funding support is now available for schools and networks of schools, which want to make teaching about the EU more attractive. The deadline for applications is 01 March 2022.

European Capitals of Culture 2022 (27/01/2022)

Since 1 January 2022, three cities in Europe hold the title of European Capital of Culture for one year: Esch-sur-Alzette (Luxembourg), Kaunas (Lithuania), and Novi Sad (Serbia). Holding the title of European Capital of Culture gives cities the chance to boost their image, put themselves on the world map, promote sustainable tourism and rethink their development through culture. After Luxembourg city in 1995 and 2007, this is now the turn of Esch-sur-Alzette, the second largest city in the country, to be crowned European Capital of Culture. Kaunas is the second city in Lithuania to hold the European Capital of Culture title after Vilnius in 2009. Novi Sad is the first European Capital of Culture in Serbia.

Industry 5.0 Award (28/01/2022)

The first Industry 5.0 Award dedicated to EU-funded projects was launched. Its results make European industry more resilient, sustainable, and human-centric. Industry 5.0 envisions an industry that promotes European values, supports the twin green and digital transition and ensures that, the benefits of adopting new technologies are shared by all Europeans. With this award, we want to celebrate the projects, which bring us closer to this goal.

Horizon Impact Award (28/01/2022)

A brand new edition of the Horizon Impact Award was launched– a prize dedicated to EU-funded projects whose results have created societal impact across Europe and beyond. Horizon Impact Award puts the spotlight on projects and the people behind them that have contributed towards transformative impacts on the economy, society and policymaking – leading to advancements across different fields. I look forward to seeing many excellent examples of how EU-funded research contributes to shaping a better world.

DiscoverEU results (27/01/2022)

On 6 January, the Commission announced the results of its latest round of applications for DiscoverEU that was launched in October 2021: 60,950 young people will receive a free travel pass to visit our continent. Successful applicants will travel alone or in a group of up to five people between March 2022 and February 2023 for up to 30 days. In line with the Green Deal, participants will travel mainly by rail, with some exceptions to allow those living on islands to take part. Since June 2018, the programme funded 130,000 travel passes. The next application round will take place in spring 2022.

EU-Catalyst Partnership launch request for proposals (27/01/2022)

On 11 January the Breakthrough Energy Catalyst published a request for proposals for large-scale deep green tech projects based in Europe. With the EU-Catalyst partnership we want to make a daring leap towards achieving our climate goals. We need technological revolution on a global scale, large investments, more financial risk taking and more game-changing innovations, as well as policies that support public-private partnerships across the globe.

European Startup Village Forum (28/01/2022)

We launched the Startup Village Forum to help farmers, communities, startups & local authorities revert the trend of uncertainty for rural areas & boost R&I to meet the needs of startups & entrepreneurs for the EU's rural vision

Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation on mobility of young volunteers and other cross-border youth solidarity activities (27/01/2022)

On 13 January, as one of the first concrete initiatives under the 2022 European Year of Youth, the Commission published its proposal for a Council Recommendation on youth volunteering to facilitate transnational youth volunteering under the European Solidarity Corps or other schemes at national level. Recognising the key contribution of volunteering for the development of young people's skills and competences and its role in positively overcoming societal challenges, the proposed Recommendation aims to boost the inclusiveness, quality, recognition and sustainability dimensions of transnational youth volunteering. Addressing the remaining impairments to volunteering mobility, the proposal tackles lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the implementation of the European Solidarity Corps, which will celebrate its 5^th anniversary in 2022.

Interministerial conference on Mobility "Osons la mobilité" (27/01/2022)

On 19 January, Commissioner Gabriel took part at the interministerial conference "Osons la mobilité" organised by the French government at the beginning of their presidency to support learning mobility and to celebrate the 35^th anniversary of the Erasmus+ programme. Commissioner Gabriel promoted the characteristics of the new generation of the Erasmus+ programme and the European Solidarity Corps and stressed the importance of accompanying measures as well as strategic initiatives to develop learning mobility beyond the sphere of European programmes.

Commission is looking for top experts to advise on EU Missions (27/01/2022)

Apply to the open call for top experts to advise on EU Missions. This call for new Mission Boards members is the opportunity to take on new skills and bring together top experts to support the Missions.

The main tasks of the new Mission Boards will be to promote the EU Missions by raising awareness of the citizens and advice on the actions of the Mission’s implementation plan.

The Mission Boards advise on the full implementation of the five EU Missions working on:

• Adaptation to Climate Change;
• Cancer;
• Restore our Ocean and Waters;
• Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities;
• Soil Deal for Europe.

The five Mission Boards will have up to 15 independent top experts for each Mission.

The EU Missions need your contribution: together we will make our Missions a success!

Application: The call for applications is available online. Interested individuals are invited to submit their application in the online survey-management system (EUSurvey).

Deadline: 02 February 2022, 17h00, CET

Horizon Europe Cluster 5 Infoday (27/01/2022)

The Horizon Europe Info-Day for Cluster 5 (Climate, Energy & Mobility) is coming soon, follow it online on 3 February! For a detailed agenda, participation information and practical details, visit the event website. You can also find there the recordings and documentation from previous info days.

EIT Digital Accelerator’s third edition of the European Female-Led Digital Deep Tech Start-up & Scale-up Landscape (28/01/2022)

EIT Digital has published the third edition of the European Female-Led Deep Tech Start-up & Scale-up Landscape, built in collaboration with Dealroom, which highlights successful deep tech ventures led by female founders. The Landscape aims at promoting the role models of female founders and their companies. It seeks to raise awareness about the importance of gender balance in the digital space and to inspire more women to become entrepreneurs. An interactive version of the Landscape can be viewed here.

Establishment of the ERA Forum and first meeting (28/01/2022)

The ERA Forum - a group bringing together the Commission, Member States, countries associated to Horizon Europe and other stakeholders - is ready to start its work in February. In the first half of this year, the group will focus on the implementation of the first ERA Policy Agenda 2022-24, which includes 20 concrete actions ranging from protecting academic freedom to Hydrogen. Having approved a new governance structure and a Pact for research and innovation last year, I am pleased that we are moving forward to create a European Research Area fit for the future.

Commissioner's editorial January (15/12/2021)

An update from Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.

EU Research and Innovation Days report (15/12/2021)

EU research and innovation are key for obtaining a sustainable future, especially in tackling climate change, fighting cancer and protecting our ocean and waters. This is the main conclusion from the 21,000 participants and 200 high-level speakers who took part in the 2021 European Research and Innovation Days, according to the Commission’s conference report published on 13 December. The report contains summaries and quotes from the event’s 70 online live sessions and workshops, as well as from over 200 consultations between participants and Commission representatives at the virtual Horizon Village.

Erasmus+ annual report (15/12/2021)

On 16 December, the Commission published the 2020 Erasmus+ annual report, which revealed the great uptake of the programme in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, Erasmus+ supported almost 640,000 learning experiences abroad last year and provided funding to 20,400 projects and 126,900 organisations. In 2020, the total budget of Erasmus+ amounted to €3.78 billion - €506 million more than 2019, an increase of 15%. After 33 years of implementation, Erasmus+ remains resilient, even in the challenging context of 2020, supporting a cumulative total of 11.7 million participants since its launch in 1987.

A new tool to monitor childhood cancer in Europe (15/12/2021)

The Knowledge Centre on Cancer launched a new section of the European Cancer Information System (ECIS), with indicators on the extent and types of cancers affecting children in Europe. By supporting the uptake of knowledge about cancer, the Knowledge Centre contributes to the Horizon Europe Mission on Cancer to achieve by 2030, more than 3 million lives saved, living longer and better.

Research, innovation and the EU Green Deal (15/12/2021)

Research & innovation are key drivers in developing solutions & technologies we need for a clean planet. Check out the factsheet on solutions for a healthy planet & learn about EU's climate neutrality & green mobility!

Read the Green Deal factsheets here.

Several EU-funded scientists win Nobel Prizes (04/01/2022)

During the Nobel week 6-10 December, the spotlight was on this year’s laureates, of which several were EU-funded scientists. Two were supported for a decade with substantial individual grants from the European Research Council -  Giorgio Parisi (Physics Prize) and Benjamin List (Chemistry Prize). Klaus Hasselmann (Physics Prize) has participated in EU-funded projects. These Nobel Prizes show that investing in top frontier science helps to keep European research at the forefront. Read more in Commissioner Gabriel's Q&A about this happy news.

Erasmus+ calls for proposals 2022 (16/12/2021)

European Universities, Capacity Building, Jean Monnet, Erasmus Mundus actions – check out all the centralised Erasmus+ calls for proposals! They can be found on the Funding & Tender Opportunities Portal (F&TP). Explore the new 2022 Erasmus+ Programme guide to help you navigate through calls and actions!

Science meets regions: results of the first call for expression of interest (15/12/2021)

14 multiregional, regional and local organisations across Europe have been selected to participate in the science meets regions programme. Events focusing on the twin green and digital transitions and post-COVID recovery are expected to start in spring 2022.

A second call for expression of interest will be launched in shortly.

EIT new call for proposals to boost innovation in higher education (16/12/2021)

After the success of its first call, the EIT HEI Initiative has announced a second call for proposals, inviting higher education institutions to design activities that will improve their entrepreneurial and innovation capacity. The new call for proposals will support up to 40 consortia of higher education institutions (HEIs) and non-academic organisations with a maximum of EUR 1.2 million of funding each. The deadline for submitting proposals under this second call is 28 February 2022.

Announcements of the results of the DiscoverEU applications (15/12/2021)

Stay tuned! On 6 January, 60,000 young people will learn if they won a free rail pass to travel around Europe for up to one month.

Adoption of the 2022 Annual work programme of Creative Europe (15/12/2021)

On 13 January 2022 the Commission will adopt the 2022 Annual work programme of Creative Europe. The Annual work programme outlines the policy framework, the priorities and the actions implementing the Creative Europe Programme. Creative Europe aims to increase the competitiveness of cultural sectors, while supporting their efforts to become greener, more digital and more inclusive. Special attention is given to reinforcing the resilience and recovery of the cultural and creative sectors in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Online Info Session: Erasmus+ Partnerships for Innovation| Forward-Looking Projects 2022 (16/12/2021)

Join this information session on 18 January to discover all you need to know about the action, call for proposal, policy priorities and the application procedure for the 2022 Forward-Looking Projects funding opportunities under Erasmus+ programme.

EU Missions Infoday, 18-19 January 2022 (16/12/2021)

Info-Days for the EU Missions will be held virtually between 18 and 19 January 2022. For a detailed agenda, participation information and practical details, visit the event website.

Ceremony 35th anniversary of Erasmus+, French Presidency, Paris (15/12/2021)

Stay tuned for the ceremony of the 35^th anniversary of Erasmus+ on 20 January! Placed under the high patronage of the French President, the event in Paris will highlight innovative Erasmus+ strategies. It will also provide an opportunity for exchanges between national and European authorities and will promote the programme through testimonies.

Save the date for the Info Day Erasmus+ Sport! (16/12/2021)

The European Commission and the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) will hold an online Erasmus+ Sport Info Day on 31 January 2022 and 1 February 2022 to inform potential applicants about the Erasmus+ Sport funding opportunities in 2022. 

A strategy for universities and building bridges for effective European higher education cooperation (15/12/2021)

In mid-January, the Commission will present a Communication on the European strategy for universities and submit a Proposal for the “Building bridges for effective European higher education cooperation” initiative. These actions are both part of the policy objective Promoting our European Way of Life of the Education Package of the Commission Annual Work Programme 2022.

Council recommendation on education for environmental sustainability (04/01/2022)

As part of the EU biodiversity strategy and the Communication on the European Education Area, in January the Commission will propose a recommendation on education for environmental sustainability for learners of all ages and at all levels of education. This initiative is the first step in helping EU countries cooperate and develop stronger policies on education for environmental sustainability, climate education, biodiversity and related topics.

French EU Presidency: upcoming informal ministerial meetings (04/01/2022)

The French Presidency of the Council of the European Union will hold several informal ministerial meetings this month, including an Informal Meeting of Ministers for Higher Education, Research and Innovation on 24-25 January and an Informal Meeting of Ministers for Education and Youth on 26-27 January.

Commissioner's editorial December (26/11/2021)

Monthly update from Commissioner Gabriel

First Education for Climate day (26/11/2021)

On 25 November, Commissioner Gabriel opened the first Education for Climate Day, which was an occasion for all members of the education community, pupils and teachers alike, to discuss how to best address the climate crisis in classrooms across the EU. Representatives of UNESCO, the OECD and the European Parliament as well as scientists from the intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shared their insights in the matter in a very instructive panel discussion, before participants had the opportunity to connect and inspire others with their ideas and experiences during nine afternoon sessions. The Education for Climate Day was initiated by the Education for Climate Coalition.

Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council (26/11/2021)

On 29 and 30 November, Commissioner Gabriel participated in the Council meeting of education, youth, culture and sport ministers. During the first day, ministers and Commissioner Gabriel discussed an array of education and youth topics. On day two of the meetings, the agenda focused on culture and sport related issues, which also gave Commissioner Gabriel the opportunity to announce the launch of the new CulturEU funding guide.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Conference & Science is Wonderful ! 2021 (26/11/2021)

Commissioner Gabriel attended the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Conference under the Slovenian Presidency on 15 November. This event focused on the importance of balanced brain circulation and its contribution to the realisation of the new European Research Area. It also marked the 25th Anniversary of the MSCA, Since 1996, a total number of about 145,000 individuals and organisations have benefitted from the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. For example, the Science is Wonderful! event, opened by Commissioner Gabriel on 12 November, allows primary and secondary school teachers from all over Europe and their pupils to exchange and connect with hundreds of brilliant scientists funded by the EU’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, watch demonstrations and perform experiments. This annual event is meant to inspire young people to pursue a career in science and show them the impact of research and innovation in a fun, entertaining way.

Start-up Village Forum launched (26/11/2021)

On 16 November, the Commission launched the Start-up Village Forum to gather insights on challenges for and potential of rural start-up companies. As part of the EU's June 2021 long-term vision for rural areas and the Commission Action Plan for Rural areas, the annual Start-up Village Forum contributes to boosting research and innovation in rural communities and help build up a more innovative entrepreneurship that will attract more young and talented people.

#BeActive award ceremony (26/11/2021)

The seventh edition of the #BeActive Awards Final took place on 29 November. A dedicated High Level Jury evaluated no less than 76 projects in order to select the best. At the end, nine finalists competed for the grand prize in each category and the winners were awarded by Commissioner Gabriel. Each of them received a €2,500 prize money, whereas each of the three first-place winners were awarded with €10,000.

European Union Prize for Literature 2021 Award Ceremony (26/11/2021)

Commissioner Gabriel took part at the European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) Award Ceremony on 9 November in the culture house of Flagey in Brussels. The EUPL is awarded annually to new and emerging authors, recognising literary talents from all corners of Europe. Through the Prize and the Creative Europe programme, the European Commission helps authors, publishers, translators and booksellers bring quality and variety to readers in Europe and beyond. In the EUPL 2021 edition, 13 talented writers received their awards including a €5,000 prize money.

Parliamentary report on The European Education Area (26/11/2021)

Commissioner Gabriel attended the parliamentary session in the European Parliament on 10 November when the Culture and Education (CULT) committee adopted its report on “The European Education Area: a shared holistic approach”. With this report the European Parliament has confirmed that it shares the ambitious vision for the future of education and training in the European Union of the EU Member States and the European Commission: that of making high-quality learning truly accessible to all citizens. Commissioner Gabriel thanked the European Parliament for their continual support in completing the 40 actions and concrete initiatives, foreseen to complete the European Education Area by 2025.

Report: children share their experiences of learning during lockdown (26/11/2021)

The JRC released the results of interviews with children aged 6-12 and their parents from 10 EU countries, exploring how they coped with schooling during the spring 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. Many children found remote schooling less engaging than face-to-face instruction and found themselves bored, unable to stay focused and motivated. This highlights the need for a better design of online and remote instruction, ideally in a blended approach.

Digital Education Hackathon 2021 (26/11/2021)

On 9 November, Commissioner Gabriel opened the Digital Education Hackathon 2021 during an event hosted by the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU and the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI). The Digital Education Hackathon brings teams and hosts from Europe and beyond with the aim to solve challenges related to the future of education in the digital age over two days.  This year’s theme was ‘Digital education for a sustainable world’, linking directly the twin goals of the EU, namely the Green Deal and digital Europe.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions: €161.5 million to support research (26/11/2021)

The Commission announced new calls for proposals under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions' (MSCA) Staff Exchanges and Co-funding of regional, national and international programmes (COFUND) strands. The 2021 COFUND call, with a total budget of €89 million, will close on 10 February 2022, whereas the 2021 Staff Exchanges call, with a budget of €72.5 million, will close on 9 March 2022.

Education: new call for proposals to boost innovation in higher education (26/11/2021)

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) launched the second call for proposals of its pilot EIT HEI Initiative. The deadline for submitting proposals under this second call is 28 February 2022. It will support up to 40 consortia of higher education institutions (HEIs) and non-academic organisations (companies, research centres, public authorities and associations) with a maximum of €1.2 million of funding each. Through this call, the EIT Community, Europe's largest innovation ecosystem, invites higher education institutions to design activities that will improve their entrepreneurial and innovation capacity.

Info Day - Capacity building in the field of Vocational Education and Training call (26/11/2021)

An online Info Day to present the new Capacity building in the field of Vocational Education and Training (VET) call will be organised on 8 December 2021. Capacity building projects are international cooperation projects based on multilateral partnerships between organisations active in the field of VET in Programme and third countries not associated to the Programme.

Mission Cities: Launch of call for expression of interest (26/11/2021)

On 25 November the European Commission has launched a call for expression of interest for cities willing to join the European Mission ‘100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030’. The objectives of this mission are to achieve 100 climate-neutral and smart European cities by 2030 and to ensure that these cities act as experimentation and innovation hubs to enable all European cities to follow suit by 2050. In the call launched today, European cities with the ambition to move ahead in their green transition, are invited to submit information about their current circumstances and work, as well as their future plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Cities can register for the call for expression of interest.

Horizon Europe Info Days (26/11/2021)

The Horizon Europe info-days give to prospective applicants and other stakeholders of EU research and innovation the opportunity to get information and ask questions about the main funding instruments, processes of Horizon Europe.

The dates of the upcoming events:

29 November-1 December 2021 | Cluster 4: Digital, Industry & Space

7 December 2021 | Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity & Inclusive Society

Fourth European Education Summit: The Next Decade of European Education (26/11/2021)

The online event of the European Education Summit on 9 December will allow participants to discuss ideas and best practices on shaping the future of education and training in the European Union. Discussing how the well-being of teachers can be improved, how education can be made more inclusive and what can be done to progress the green and digital transformations were among the major topics on the agenda of a successful summit.

EIT Info Day: calls for the new Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) for Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries (26/11/2021)

In November and early December, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) hosts a series of webinars about the recently launched call for proposals for a new Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) for Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries (CCSI). The four webinars were designed to help organisations interested in the call shape their application proposals and covered topics relevant to the EIT Community: from the key activities to the EIT Funding Model.

Commissioner's update November (22/10/2021)

Update from Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth

World Teachers Day: Commission launches tool to support primary and secondary teachers in using digital technologies (22/10/2021)

On 5 October, the World Teachers’ Day, the Commission launched SELFIE for Teachers – a new module of the SELFIE tool that has, since 2018, helped over 1,700,000 users at 13,000 schools in 82 countries reflect on where they stand with learning in the digital age. The SELFIE for Teachers module can help teachers assess their current level of competences and identify where they need further training and support. It is joined by SELFIE for Work-Based Learning, another new module launched in October at the SELFIE Forum 2021.

European Youth Event 2021 (22/10/2021)

From 8 to 9 October, the European Youth Event (EYE) brought thousands of young people together to share their ideas and help shape the future of Europe. The 16 to 30 year olds exchanged views with experts, activists, influencers and decision-makers, at an event held online and at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. EYE2021 is the culmination of the European Parliament’s youth consultation process for the Conference on the Future of Europe.

#ErasmusDays 2021: events in Europe and across the world celebrate the success of Erasmus+ (22/10/2021)

On 14, 15 and 16 October 2021, the 5th edition of #ErasmusDays celebrated the Erasmus+ Programme with 5,669 events – both digital and physical – taking place in more than 65 countries across the world. This year’s edition focused on the objectives of the new Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme: inclusion, environmental protection, digital transformation and participation in democratic life. The #ErasmusDays 2021’s official website includes a map with the full programme.

Commission, Ukraine, Turkey and Republic of Moldova working closer in research, innovation and education (22/10/2021)

On 12 October at the EU-Ukraine Summit, the leaders of the European Union and its Member States, finalised the association of Ukraine to Horizon Europe, the EU research and innovation programme (2021-2027), and the Euratom Research and Training Programme (2021-2025). This was followed by Turkey and the Republic of Moldova agreements on the 27 October. Researchers, innovators students, pupils, trainees, teachers, and young people can now participate under the same conditions as EU Member States. This cooperation in science, research and innovation further strengthens the alliance between the EU and Ukraine, Turkey and the Republic of Moldova to deliver on common priorities, such as the twin green and digital transition.

European innovative teaching award ceremony (22/10/2021)

In the context of the first European innovative teaching award ceremony on 20 October, Commissioner Gabriel highlighted the importance of teachers, innovative education and the value of European cooperation in the field of education. At the end of the ceremony, 104 visionary and innovative projects - from early childhood education, primary education, secondary education, as well as from vocational education and training - have received the European Innovative Teaching Award. A lot of potential remains, as the awarded projects cover horizontal themes such as inclusion, language learning and teachers’ professional development.

Cultural heritage expert group meeting (22/10/2021)

Commissioner Gabriel delivered an opening address at the fifth meeting of the Commission’s expert group on cultural heritage (CHEG). The CHEG is serving as a platform for consultation and exchange of information on cultural heritage policies, provides the Commission with advice and expertise and supports the implementation of the European Framework for Action on Cultural Heritage. Apart from EU member states, representatives of European cultural heritage stakeholders’ organisations and international organisations, like UNESCO and the OECD, took likewise part at the meeting.

European Parliament plenary session: Presentation of 'The situation of artists and the cultural recovery in the EU' (22/10/2021)

On 18 October, the Commissioner attended the European Parliament plenary session for the presentation of a European Parliament study on “The Situation of Artists and Cultural Workers and the post-COVID-19 Cultural Recovery in the European Union”. The Commissioner expressed her agreement with the European Parliament’s call to support artists’ mobility and to promote significantly their integration into the labour market.

Meeting with Eurocities: Political exchange on culture and recovery in European cities (22/10/2021)

Commissioner Gabriel met some of Eurocities members – an alliance of over 200 mayors and deputy mayors in charge of culture. The meeting is organised by Eurocities and gives room to a “political exchange on culture and recovery in European cities”. Initiatives as the New European Bauhaus (NEB) will shape more sustainable, more beautiful, and more inclusive future European cities. The European Commission will furthermore introduce a dedicated urban development financial instrument leveraging EU and private investment to support New European Bauhaus projects in Member States.

Eurydice report on Teachers' and School Heads' Salaries and Allowances in Europe (22/10/2021)

The 2019/20 edition of the Eurydice report on the statutory salaries of teachers and school heads was published on 18 October. The report focuses on pre-primary, primary and general secondary public schools in European education systems. It also examines the main changes in recent years, as well as the average actual salaries of teachers including any allowances or other additional payments.

Report on impact of COVID-19 on early childhood education and care (22/10/2021)

The European Commission published a report looking into “understanding and managing the impact of COVID-19 crisis on the early childhood education and care sector”. This new report identifies the impact of the pandemic on very young children and their families, and on early childhood education and care services and professionals. It brings together information on the challenges met, the solutions found, and offers some recommendations to keep supporting the growth and quality of the early childhood education and care sector, even in difficult times.

Commission launches EU strategy on combating antisemitism (26/10/2021)

On 05 October the Commission launched the EU strategy on combating antisemitism. Antisemitism is incompatible with the values upon which the European Union is founded. R&I, Culture, Education & Youth policies will play a key role in strengthening public resilience in the first ever EU strategy on combating antisemitism.

Join Science is Wonderful! (29/10/2021)

Science is Wonderful! is bringing the world of science to primary and secondary schools. From 10 to 26 November, teachers and their pupils will have the opportunity to get inspired by scientists from all disciplines through online exchanges, experiments, and more. An additional selection of resources will be available through Science is Wonderful! Digital throughout the year. Teachers across Europe are invited to find out more and register now to get involved.

European year of Youth 2022: European Commission launches an open call to gather ideas and expectations from young people (25/10/2021)

The European Commission invites young people to complete this online survey. It will help clarify the themes, types of activities as well as the lasting legacy young people want to see from the European Year of Youth. It will remain open until 12 November 2021.

EIT supports the New European Bauhaus with €5 million (22/10/2021)

On 18 October, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) launched the ‘EIT Community Booster – Scaling New European Bauhaus Ventures' in order to support the New European Bauhaus initiative. This first call will support 20 innovative companies with a budget of up to €50,000 each to accelerate solutions integrating sustainability (from climate goals, to circularity, zero pollution, and biodiversity), aesthetics (quality of experience and style, beyond functionality) and inclusion (including diversity first, securing accessibility and affordability).

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions: Co-funding regional, national and international programmes (COFUND) (22/10/2021)

The MSCA COFUND action opened on 12 October 2021 with a deadline for submission of proposals on 10 February 2022.  Through the MSCA COFUND action, the EU provides organisations established in the EU or Horizon Europe Associated Countries with complementary financial support for new or existing regional, national and international training programmes.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions: Staff Exchanges (22/10/2021)

The 2021 call for the Marie Sklowdowska-Curie Actions Staff Exchange action opened on 7 October 2021 with a deadline for submission of proposals of 9 March 2022. The MSCA Staff Exchange has an overall budget of EUR 72,5 million in 2021. It supports international consortia of universities, research institutions, businesses, SMEs and other non-academic organisations to exchange their staff for up to 12 months.

Publication of EIT Call for Proposals for a new EIT Cultural & Creative Sectors Knowledge and Innovation Community (EIT) (25/10/2021)

On 26 October, the EIT launched a Call for Proposals for a new Knowledge and Innovation Community for Europe’s vibrant Culture and Creative Sectors and Industries (CCSI) – closure of Call for Proposals is set for March 2022. EIT Culture and Creativity will unite cultural and creative organisations from business, higher education, and research in a pan-European innovation ecosystem. It will train the sector’s future entrepreneurs, power its cutting-edge ventures, and deliver innovative solutions to the challenges facing the sectors. Join us and help shape the future of EIT Culture and Creativity!

Horizon Europe ‘Spreading excellence and widening participation’ – Launch of call for proposals on Excellence Hubs (29/10/2021)

Excellence Hubs aim to foster innovation ecosystems, creating better linkages between academia, business and government, in line with regional or national smart specialisation strategies. The call for proposals on Excellence Hubs will be launched in early November 2021. The available budget is EUR 50 million.

Call for Expression of Interest to participate in the Mission Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities (29/10/2021)

The Call for Expression of Interest to participate in the Mission is upcoming. The Call for Expression of Interest will allow cities to state their interest in becoming climate-neutral by 2030 as part of the Mission and to submit information about their current situation, ongoing work and future plans as regards climate neutrality. Cities that are interested to participate can find more information on the EU Cities Mission website.

Upcoming Erasmus+ calls (29/10/2021)

Many Erasmus+ centralised calls will open in November. Keep an eye on this webpage for calls related to Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters, Capacity building in higher education, Jean Monnet and European Universities.

Fourth European Education Summit: The Next Decade of European Education (22/10/2021)

The online event of the European Education Summit on 9 December will allow participants to discuss ideas and best practices on shaping the future of education and training in the European Union. Discussing how the well-being of teachers can be improved, how education can be made more inclusive and what can be done to progress the green and digital transformations were among the major topics on the agenda of a successful summit.

Annual Research Conference: Charting the European economy post Covid-19 (22/10/2021)

Join us on 15 November at the 2021 Annual Research Conference: the forum of excellence where European Institutions exchange knowledge and engage in dialogue with researchers at academic institutions and think tanks, practitioners at civil society organisations and citizens. This year's event will focus on ‘Charting the European economy post Covid-19: unusual times require unconventional policies'. It is co-organised by the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN) and the Joint Research Centre.

European Innovation Council Summit (24/11/2021)

The event will bring European start-ups and innovators - including SMEs, researchers, and corporates – with potential investors and venture capitalists, to connect and network. I will be there to officially launch the EIC Forum and announce the winners of the EIC Women Innovators Prize and the iCapital Award.

Commissioner's editorial October (21/09/2021)

Monthly update from Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth

G20 Research Ministers adopt declaration on research, higher education and digitisation (21/09/2021)

In August, ministers of research and higher education, participating in the first meeting of the G20 devoted to research and education, adopted the "Declaration of the ministers of the G20 on the mobilisation of research, higher education and digitisation for a sustainable, resilient and inclusive recovery" . The declaration aligns with the Commission's work to achieve and strengthen the European Research Area and the European Education Area, to implement the new action plan for digital education as well as to exploit the R&I potential of higher education institutions in Europe.

European Union Contest of Young Scientists 2021 awards announced (27/09/2021)

On 19^th September the European Union’s top prizes for young scientists were announced during the award ceremony in the University of Salamanca in Spain, following a two-day hybrid competition among 158 promising young scientists aged 14 to 20, coming from 34 countries. Projects from Bulgaria, Germany, Spain, Ukraine Ireland and Turkey won this year’s first prizes, receiving €7000 each.
The second and third prizes went to projects from Belarus, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechia, Italy, Ireland, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland and Turkey. A detailed list of all winners is available online. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event brought together contestants from 2020 and 2021.

Commission publishes proposal for Council Recommendation on blended learning (21/09/2021)

On 5 August, our proposal for a Council Recommendation on blended learning for high quality and inclusive primary and secondary education was published. Blended learning happens when a school, educator, or learner takes more than one approach to the learning process. This can include blending different environments, such as the school site, the outdoors, and the home, as well as blending different digital and non-digital tools. The proposed recommendation puts forward short-term solutions to the most pressing problems encountered during the pandemic and outlines a way forward to build more resilient education and training systems.

Eurydice report on adult learning and training published (22/09/2021)

On 8 September we published the latest Eurydice report. If you want to know more about adult learning you can consult the report here https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/node/11855_en

Other recent reports published include:

The Organisation of School Time in Europe. Primary and General Secondary Education – 2021/22

The Organisation of the Academic Year in Europe – 2021/22

Adult education and training in Europe: Building inclusive pathways to skills and qualifications

Targeted consultation with University and Student Networks on a European Strategy for Universities (27/09/2021)

On 3 Sept the Commissioner hosted a public consultation with representatives from universities and student networks. She presented and discussed with them three main initiatives in the field of education: the vision for a European Strategy for Universities, micro-credentials and education for environmental sustainability.

Innovative teaching awards launched (27/09/2021)

The European Innovative Teaching Award aims to support teachers to develop professional networks & achieve learning mobility. 
The Commissioner took part at the launch event of #EITA2021 on 16 September to celebrate game-changing projects and the teachers that make them possible.

Memorandum of Understanding between the European Investment Fund and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (27/09/2021)

The European Investment Fund (EIF) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate more closely and boost European innovation for the green and digital transitions.

Erasmus+ at students’ fingertips – the 2nd release of the Erasmus+ App launched (27/09/2021)

On 21 Sept, we launched the new Erasmus+ application, marking a new milestone in the digitalisation of the Erasmus+ programme. The new application, available in all EU languages will be a one-stop shop for mobile Erasmus+ students. Moreover, the European student card will be available through the app that will provide students with access to the same services and the same recognition of their educational background. This is an important step towards a true European Education Area.

European Researchers' night (27/09/2021)

The Commissioner participated in the Europe-wide public event, which displays the diversity of science and its impact on citizens' daily lives in fun, inspiring ways. 

European Day of Languages 2021 celebrated (27/09/2021)

To celebrate the Europan Day of Languages on 27 September the Commissioner took part in the online conference “Language competences in the European Education Area”.

The Conference discussed the role of language competences in the context of the European Education Area, how to boost foreign language learning and how to incorporate language diversity and support literacy in all languages in schools. 

ERC Public Engagement with Research Award prizes launched (27/09/2021)

After a successful pilot competition in 2020, the ERC will kick off its second Public Engagement with Research Award contest. This time there are three prizes of €10,000 each in the following categories: “Involve” for citizen science, “Inspire” for public outreach, and “Influence” for media and policy. 

#BeInclusive Sport Awards 2021 now open for nominations (27/09/2021)

The 2021 #BeInclusive EU Sport Awards aim to reward the best projects that have successfully supported social inclusion through sport. Projects can include disadvantaged, marginalised or underprivileged groups such as individuals with difficult social, economic or educational backgrounds, people with a disability, health problems, or cultural differences such as migrants, refugees, people belonging to ethnic minorities or suffering geographical barriers, etc.

Sign up for the DigiEduHack (27/09/2021)

Do you have digital skills? Are you willing to contribute to building a more sustainable world? Then join the upcoming DigiEduHack and sign up as a host. 

European Institute of Innovation and Technology Governing Board call (27/09/2021)

EIT is looking for new Governing Board members to support Europe's ability to innovate.

Apply until 29 October. 

Education summit prepared (09/12/2021)

After a challenging year, we are preparing for the 4th Education summit on 9 December 2021. It will focus on the future of green, digital and fair education.

EIT Women and Girls STEM Forum (28/10/2021)

Registrations close soon!

Join us at the SELFIE Forum (07/10/2021)

Calling all school leaders, teachers, students, trainers, national coordinators, policy-makers, researchers, practitioners and future potential users of SELFIE: join us at the SELFIE Forum to explore ideas and inspiration for schools to create their own action plans and build their digital empowerment.

SELFIE is a free tool designed to help schools embed digital technologies into teaching, learning and assessment.

The Forum will also see the launch of a new work-based learning module of SELFIE, and a presentation of ‘SELFIEforTeachers’, a new tool to support the development of the teachers’ digital skills inside and outside of the school.

Competence Centre on Participatory and Deliberative Democracy launched (06/10/2021)

Join us online for the launch of the Competence Centre on Participatory and Deliberative Democracy The centre aims to build capacity on citizen engagement in policy-making by providing services, guidance and tools to support the development of socially robust policy, through participatory and deliberative practices across different levels of governance in the EU.

DiscoverEU launched (12/10/2021)

DiscoverEU calls will be launched with 60 000 tickets

Commission launches EU missions to tackle major challenges (30/09/2021)

On 29 September the Commission launched five new EU missions. A novelty of Horizon Europe and also an original concept in EU policy, bringing together several Commission services under the authority of nine College members, missions will support research to deliver on the Commission's main priorities and find responses to some of the greatest challenges we are facing today: fighting cancer, adapting to climate change, protecting the ocean, seas and waters, living in greener cities and ensuring healthy soil and food.