The main purpose of holding the Information Day of the European Union Program "Horizon 2020", which was held on October 31 in the Academic Council Conference Hall of the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, was the informing of scientists about the possibilities and conditions of participation in the international project activities.
The title “Information Day” is somewhat conditional. Honestly speaking, this is a workshop for those who wants to join projects under the EU’s program “Horizon 2020” and want to know more about what it takes. Therefore, there participated scientists from the faculties and institutes of the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, as well as a number of others from Kiev universities and scientific institutions.
Let’s remind: “Horizon 2020” (2014-2020) is the 8th European Union program under the research and innovations framework. Horizon 2020’s overall budget is about €77 billion. For 2018, 2019 and 2020, the Program had provided financing of €30 billion for certain projects.
Science and Innovation Department along with International cooperation Department of the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, National Contact Point (NCP) under the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute on the “Information and communication technologies” and “Climate and resource efficiency, including raw materials”, the National Information Centre on cooperation with the EU in science and technologies became InfoDay organizers.
“Ukrainian Scientists’ participation in EU programs is a very important matter, -- emphasized the rector of the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, academician of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Michael Zgurovsky, while opening the Information Day. - In accordance with the tendency of science funding decrease, which is observed in Ukraine, we understand that there are only two ways that will allow us to maintain our scientific schools, join European projects and guarantee scientific progress. The first one is the cooperation with the high-tech business on an innovative basis, and the second one is our active participation in programs of European Union. That is why, speaking today about the “Horizon 2020” Program, we should analyze our experience at this point, our mistakes and think about how to improve the efficiency of this work.”
Vice-rector for Scientific work of the Igor Sikorsky Polytechnic Institute Vitaliy Pasichnyk and Serhiy Sydorenko the Vice-rector for International Relations, Corresponding member of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine delivered a report with the detailed presentation "On the organization of the management of international scientific and technical activities in the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and tasks for its development” to the participants of the Information Day. After that the Head of the NCP in the “Information and communication technologies” direction, professor Serhiy Shukayev told the audience about the organization of National Contact Point (NCP) activity under the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and current “Horizon 2020” Contests. The head of National Contact Point in “The legal and financial aspects” direction, Olena Koval’, dedicated her speech to economical aspects of the Program. The Last speech was dedicated to current contests, but yet in the “Climate and resource efficiency, including raw materials” direction. Associate Professor Angela Pyatova delivered that speech.
In the view of fact that next year is the final year of the “Horizon 2020” Program, applying for participation is the last ship, which worth jumping into. That should do those who wants to cooperate under the programme with colleagues from European Universities. Such cooperation, by the way, allow to increase financing of the Scientific work in Ukrainian higher educational establishments on account of EU grant programs - in some cases even in several times. However, if someone didn’t manage to be the part of “the Horizon 2020” Project for some reasons, then researchers should not despair.
The European Union has already announced that the new, ninth, Support for Science and Innovation Program named “Horizon Europe” will operate. It will remain main directions of previous programs, but the direction of innovative components will be emphasized. This program is expected to function during 2021-2027, and its overall budget will be even larger than that of «Horizon 2020» - €100 billion. Therefore, you should only strive for success and work hard.
At the end, organizers answered some InfoDay participants’ questions. On a photo is Michael Zgurovsky.