Horizon Europe Missions – Funding opportunities for Maltese entities to tackle Major Challenges in Research and Innovation Projects
The Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) today announced the funding opportunities available under the Missions Programme under Horizon Europe, which are a unique set of actions that entail Research and Innovation projects, policy measures and legislative initiatives, all working together to provide solutions with an impactful societal understanding.
An information session about Horizon Europe Missions was held today at Esplora in Kalkara under the auspices of the Parliamentary Secretariat for Youth, Research and Innovation. Launched in September 2021, Missions are a novelty in the funding landscape, aimed at tackling major societal challenges, such as in the sectors of Health, Climate Change, Smart Cities, Oceans, and Soil, supporting the EU priorities under the Green Deal, Climate Adaptation Strategy, European Bauhaus, Europe fit for the Digital Age, Europe’s Beating.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation, Hon. Keith Azzopardi Tanti said that MCST has expanded its portfolio throughout the years, not only advising the government on science and technology policy and managing research and innovation across Malta, but also managing national and EU funding opportunities in Research and Innovation, such as Horizon Europe. Hon. Azzopardi Tanti added that “We take pride in seeing a steady increase in Malta’s participation in Horizon Europe with Maltese entities managing to tap into more than 20 million Euro in funding since the start of the programme in 2021, with a huge opportunity for local researchers to collaborate with high-profile European and international researchers and entities, improving Malta’s research profile.”
The Chairman of the Malta Council for Science and Technology, Dr Tonio Portughese, also expressed his opinion, saying that “These are challenges and opportunities that generate engagement from a scientific perspective but concurrently demand a sense of urgency for the effective implementation and deployment in Society of ambitious, value-added, strategic and beneficial objectives.”
Mr Julien Guerrier, Director of the Common Policy Centre at the European Commission, also spoke amongst the speakers and stated “With EU Missions we will be able to create tangible impacts at European, national, regional and local level on societal challenges important for our citizens: cancer, green transformation. We will harvest the innovation potential of all actors involved, breaking down silos between research and deployment.” He concluded by inviting Maltese actors to embrace EU Missions and contribute to the Missions on the ground.
For 2023 Mission calls will have a budget of 600 million Euro. They set ambitious goals in finding solutions to some of the greatest challenges we are facing today, within the EU and beyond. Maltese entities may participate in the current and forthcoming open calls and receive funding of up to 100% in order to implement their innovative ideas and contribute to the Missions.
The Framework Programme Unit within the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) is the National Contact Point (NCPs) organisation for Horizon Europe. NCPs can provide you with all the necessary guidance to navigate within the Horizon Europe actions and more specifically the five Missions. For more information, kindly contact horizon.malta@gov.mt or visit https://mcst.gov.mt/horizon-europe/
Missjonijiet Horizon Europe Opportunitajiet ta’ finanzjament għal entitajiet Maltin biex jindirizzaw Sfidi Maġġuri fi Proġetti ta’ Riċerka u Innovazzjoni
Il-Kunsill Malti għax-Xjenza u t-Teknoloġija (l-MCST) illum ħabbar l opportunitajiet ta’ finanzjament disponibbli taħt il-Programm tal-Missjonijiet Horizon Europe li huma azzjonijiet speċifiċi li jinvolvu proġetti ta’ Riċerka u Innovazzjoni, miżuri ta’ politika u inizjattivi leġiżlattivi, li kollha jaħdmu flimkien biex jipprovdu soluzzjonijiet b’impatt soċjali.
Sessjoni ta’ informazzjoni dwar il-Missjonijiet Horizon Europe saret illum ġewwa l-Esplora, il-Kalkara, taħt l-awspiċi tas-Segretarjat Parlamentari għaż-Żgħażagħ, ir-Riċerka u l-Innovazzjoni. Imnedija f’Settembru 2021, il-Missjonijiet huma innovazzjoni fix-xenarju tal-finanzjament, immirati biex jindirizzaw l-isfidi kbar tas-soċjetà, fosthom fis-setturi tas-Saħħa, it-Tibdil tal-Klima, l-iBliet Diġitali, l-Oċeani, u l-Ħamrija, skont il-prijoritajiet imfassla tal-UE taħt il-Green Deal, l-Istrateġija ta’ Adattament għall-Klima, il-Bauhaus tal-Ewropa, Ewropa adattata għall Era Diġitali, Il Pjan Ewropew tal Kanċer u l Viżjonijiet fit Tul tal UE għaż Żoni Rurali.
Is-Segretarju Parlamentari għaż-Żgħażagħ, ir-Riċerka u l-Innovazzjoni, l-Onor. Keith Azzopardi Tanti, qal li l-MCST estenda x-xogħol tiegħu matul iż-żmien, mhux biss bħala konsulent tal-gvern għar-regolarizzazzjoni fil-qasam tax-xjenza u t-teknoloġija u l-immaniġġjar tar-riċerka u l-innovazzjoni madwar Malta, iżda wkoll bħala punt ta’ riferiment għal-skemi finanzjarji kemm lokali kif ukoll maħruġa mill-UE fir-Riċerka u l-Innovazzjoni, fosthom Horizon Europe. L-Onor. Azzopardi Tanti żied jgħid li “Aħna nħossuna kburin biż żieda fil-parteċipazzjoni ta’ Malta f’Horizon Europe b’entitajiet Maltin jiksbu aktar minn 20 miljun ewro f’fondi mit-tnedija ta’ dan il-programm fl-2021, b’opportunita’ unika għar-riċerkaturi lokali sabiex jikkollaboraw ma’ riċerkaturi u entitajiet rinomati Ewropej u internazzjonali. Dan iwassal sabiex Malta tikseb aktar importanza u immaġni pożittiva fi ħdan l Unjoni Ewropeja.”
Iċ-Chairman tal Kunsill Malti għax Xjenza u t Teknoloġija, Dr Tonio Portughese qal li “Dawn huma sfidi u opportunitajiet li jiġġeneraw impenn mill-perspettiva xjentifika iżda fl-istess waqt jitolbu sens ta’ urġenza għall-implimentazzjoni u t-tħaddim effettiv tagħhom fis-soċjetà b’għanijiet ambizzjużi, ta’ valur miżjud, strateġiċi u ta’ benefiċċju.”
Fost il-kelliema tkellem ukoll is-Sur Julien Guerrier, Direttur tal-Common Policy Centre tal-Kummissjoni Ewropeja, fejn stqarr li “Permezz tal Missjonijiet tal-UE ser inkunu qegħdin noħolqu impatt tanġibbli lejn sfidi fuq livell Ewropew, nazzjonali, reġjonali u anki lokali li ċ-ċittadini tagħna jiffaċċjaw ta’ kuljum, fosthom il-kanċer u l-ambjent. Irridu nużaw l-ħiliet fl innovazzjoni tal atturi kollha involuti filwaqt li nnaqqsu d diffikultajiet li jiġu ffaċċjati sabiex ir riċerka tiġi implimentata.” Huwa kkonluda billi stieden lill Maltin li huma interessati jagħtu l-kontribut tagħhom sabiex jinvolvu ruħhom fil-Missjonijiet tal-UE u jkunu fatturi ewlenin sabiex dawn il-Missjonijiet jiġu mwettqa.
Il-proġetti għas-sena 2023 se jkollhom budget ta’ 600 miljun ewro. Dawn se jinkludu missjonijiet ambizzjużi sabiex jinstabu soluzzjonijiet għal-uħud mill-akbar sfidi li qed niffaċċjaw illum. Entitajiet Maltin jistgħu jipparteċipaw fis-sejħiet preżenti u futuri b’finanzjament sa 100% tal proġett sabiex jimplimentaw l-ideat innovattivi tagħhom u jikkontribwixxu għall-Missjonijiet.
Il-Framework Programme Unit fi ħdan il-Kunsill Malti għax-Xjenza u t-Teknoloġija (l-MCST) hija l-entità ta’ riferiment lokali (NCPs) għal-Horizon Europe. L-NCPs qegħdin hemm biex jagħtu l-gwida kollha meħtieġa fl-univers ta’ Horizon Europe u b’mod aktar speċifiku fil-ħames Missjonijiet. Għal aktar informazzjoni wieħed jista’ jibgħat email fuq horizon.malta@gov.mt jew iżur il-website https://mcst.gov.mt/horizon europe/
This article was last updated on: January 13, 2023