| On the 1st of June, the last GA was held in Brussels with the attendance of almost all the Forward partners. The project coordinator, Mr. Antonio Lopez Gulias welcome and thanks the advisory members also those present in Brussels.
An update of all the work packages were made and also of the pending tasks and next deadlines / challenges. Interesting comments were made by the stakeholders regarding the project activities and its continuation. They stressed that after Forward, the work done within the thematic working groups must follow. The OR-izon network, a future place for ORs to strengthen their research and innovation potential must provide a better support on project proposal and management to regional actors mainly researchers. Each OR asset must be identified to join opportunities of big consortia. |
On June 2nd, the third and final conference was held in Brussels, with over 60 participants present physically. All WP leaders gave the final updates and challenges of their work packages.
Mr Antonio Lopez Gulias, Project Coordinator ACIISI put in light this key moment summarizing all progresses and specially the new European Commission communication. Indeed, this official document of may 3rd 2022, proposed the continuation of Forward activities.
We can also highlight the intervention of Mr. Stefan WEIERS from the EU commission, Ms Stephany CROIZET from the CTM/comité de suivi RUP, and regional councilors from Region Guadeloupe and the Territorial Collectivity of French Guiana among others.
To implement the continuation of Forward, a debate will be organized within the consortium on the basis of the main results of each work package to set up the next steps of the future project. Several proposals have already been made ; the sustainability of thematic working groups, maintain ORs solidarity and knowledge of our strengths for a strategic networking approach and opportunities with big consortia.
Upload the official press release and press file for this last Forward conference here :
Official-Press-release-FORWARD-finale-conference-results-BXL-06-13-22.pdf
Press-file-FORWARD-finale-conference-BXL02-06-22KL-25mai22.pdf
The work package leader dissemination and communication elaborated seven infographics. They have been designed in order to summarize all progresses and edited document achieved jointly by nine outermost regions officers.
The infographics present Forward’s actions led during the project life
- 1 – Forward consortium activities
- 2 – OR’s joint strategy
- 3 – Forward actions in the 9 ORs
- 4 – Forward benefits for the 9 Ors
- 5 – Results of the Joint strategy
- 6 – Joint strategy roadmap
- 7 – Six priority actions
It is a pedagogical approach to explain the benefits of Forward for outermost regions, the joint strategy roadmap and the priority actions for the consortium.
Download the infographics here WP8 Infographics
This sixth newsletter closed all work achieved by partners since the beginning of the project in 2019. As a reminder, it is a three years project extended to june 2022 due to the Covid situation. Forward consortium intends to follow this huge work carried out by all nine outermost regions gathered for the first time to reinforce these territories in the European Research Area.
It enabled outermost stakeholders to exchange, draw actions plans and designed future long-lasting collaboration.
Forward consortium gathered around three main events organized at Brussels respectively on june 1st and 2nd ; the Steering Committee, the General Assembly and the finale Forward conference at Royal Library of Belgium. These meetings validated main Forward results. Concrete results have been relayed in the official press release published in this newsletter together with infographics and updated activities within workpackages 4, 5 and 6. All this work achieved is the keys findings of nine regional diagnosis led within Work package 2 which enabled to question research and innovation stakeholders about the law participation of ORs into European framework programs. You can discover a short video explaining the methodology.
Several events have also been organised by partners during this month; presentation of research projects to thematic working group of Marine sciences for sharing and networking led by ULPGC (University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), Horizon Europe trainings in Guadeloupe, capacity building action in Azores “develop research and innovation proposals with impacts”, transversality in Science and Matching Researchers/Companies.
The willingness of all partners is strong regarding Forward new perspectives.
Their aim is to follow up and reinforce outermost regions officers collaboration. Indeed the nine local authorities involved by the signature of nine letters of support to OR-izon network, a strategic approach and opportunities with broader consortia.
CTG held its first training in the scope of WP4 capacity building actions.
This training was preceded by a preparatory meeting on December 3rd, which gathered local actors from the cultural sector.
Source :
https://forward-h2020.eu/upcoming-online-training-on-december-7-th-french-guiana/
CTG’s first training on Cluster 2 Culture creativity and inclusive society
On February 4th, La Collectivité Territoriale de Guyane will be implementing an online training in the scope of the WP4 capacity building actions, in French.
This training will be hosted by the French National Contact Point of Cluster 4 Digital, Industry and Space, and will discuss the calls of interest under this cluster.
Here is the program:
– Horizon Europe Digital NCP (5mn)
– Horizon Europe, general vision (10 mn)
– European Commission’s digital strategy (15 min)
– Cluster 4 Digital, its calls for projects 2022 (50 mn)
– Q&A and Perspectives (30 min)
This is a free training and registration are open until February 3rd : here
In November 2021, two researchers from ARDITI concluded their short mobilities with travel abroad (one in WP4/TWG8, to Canarias and one in WP5/TWG4, to Tallin).
Phd student Cátia Azevedo, from Oceanic Observatory of Madeira, was at Instituto de Oceanografia y Cambio Global (IOCAG), Las Palmas de Gran Canárias University, Gran Canaria, from 21st to 28th of November 2021. The principal aim of the training was to learn the necessary techniques to process the CO2 in-situ data, obtained during oceanographic campaigns. This activity was led by Professor Melchor Gonzalez-Davila, from IOCAG (right photo below).
Doctor Bongkeum Susana Jeong, from ITI (Interactive Technologies Institute – LARSyS), was at School of Digital Technologies, Tallinn University, in Estonia, from 22nd to 27th of November 2021. This STM had multiple goals: A project proposal meeting; participation in Workshop; participation in WUD2021 conference and a live event on the last day. This activity was led by Professor Mati Mõttus, from HCI Group of Tallinn University (left photo below).
From Dec 9th to Jan 13rd, three researchers from the Oceanic Observatory of Madeira are participating on an oceanographic campaign aboard Research Vessel Sonne from renowned organisation GEOMAR/Kiel. Other STMs and Advanced Training activities for ARDITI’s researchers and personnel are planned to the first trimester of 2022.
On September 6th-12th, the Virtual Island Summit 2021 took place. This event aimed to:
- drive sustainable changes across islands and rural areas worldwide.
- create a global support network for all island regions, share ideas, best practices and solutions.
This virtual event allowed us to reach a broader audience, giving the FORWARD project a higher international dimension.
Moreover, the thematic were similar and related to the TWG – WP3 ones, which could encourage partnerships and build future consortia.
870 participants joined live on Zoom, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
These members of the Forward team were the speakers:
-Francisco Javier Roo Filgueira (Coordinator; WP1-WP5 Leader);
-Evelyne Tarnus (WP2 Leader);
-Lucia Dobarro Delgado (WP3 Leader);
As for the speakers from French Guiana, we can list :
-Sara Zermani (Assistant professor in computer sciences, University of French Guiana);
-Marc Sagne (WP8 Leader).
Relive the session here: https://islandinnovation.co/webinar/excellence-and-innovation-capacity-of-the-european-outermost-regions/
The Work Package 4 of FORWARD project is focused on Capacity building and training activities. Forward partners organized events to empower knowledge and improve performance in order for OR’s to successfully engage in challenges and opportunities of the EU financing programs.
IAC-Canary Islands: training on open science and Horizon Europe
On 2nd September 2021, IAC organised an informative session on open access and FAIR management procedures in Horizon Europe projects.
UG: training/webinar
The University of French Guiana held on sept 10th – 14th 2021, online thematic workshops for doctoral students. The aim was to help doctoral students to define their professional career and how to create their professional network.
ARDITI/UMA-Madeira: webinar on Widening
On 18th October 2021, ARDITI and UMA promoted a webinar on Widening calls.
ULL/ULPGC-Canary Islands: training on Twinning call
On 21st October 2021, ULL and ULPGC held a virtual workshop on Widening programme, specifically tackling the upcoming Twinning call.
NEXA-La Reunion: training on Horizon Europe for beginners
On 26th october 2021, NEXA organised a session for researchers and innovators who know little about Horizon Europe.
FRCT-Azores: capacity building on EU Greel Deal and Horizon Europe
On 29th October 2021, FRCT has planned a virtual workshop to discover EU Green Deal’s challenges and opportunities under Horizon Europe.
For more details, read the full article here
UG: training/webinar : https://forward-h2020.eu/thematic-workshops-for-doctoral-students-in-french-guiana/
NEXA-La Reunion : https://forward-h2020.eu/reunions-training-on-horizon-europe-for-beginners/
FRCT-Azores : https://forward-h2020.eu/azores-capacity-building-on-eu-green-deal/