Swansea University has been gearing up for the Horizon 2020 EU Research Programme over the last year. Directors of Research from the seven academic Colleges, Pro Vice Chancellors Research and other key staff have been working on an action plan to ensure we are ready to bid for the first calls under Horizon 2020.

The event is co-organised by Swansea University, Enterprise Europe Network Wales (EEN Wales) and supported by WEFO’s Horizon 2020 Unit. The audience will comprise representatives from academia, research, business and Government.

The launch event will aim to raise awareness of the growing importance of EU research and innovation programmes for Welsh organisations, which are well placed to compete successfully for a significant share of the €79bn of available funding. 

Horizon 2020 will aim to foster sustainable growth and jobs, focusing on innovation, with substantial support available for business, including SMEs, and groundbreaking research through the European Research Council as well as tackling societal challenges such as ageing population, energy and food security and climate change.   A key note address will be given by David Hughes, Head of the EU Commission Office in Wales.

Professor Richard B Davies, Swansea University Vice Chancellor said: “Swansea, as an ambitious University, is developing its research strengths and building upon the excellent student experience it provides. 

We are also committed to using our world-class research and growing portfolio of career-enhancing courses to help support the creation of a modern, knowledge economy in the region and across Wales. The new Bay (Science and Innovation) Campus shows the scale of this commitment.

The calls now open under Horizon 2020 are worth more than €15 billion over the first two years 2014-15. We will be bidding for a share of this funding in order to help boost Europe's knowledge-driven economy, and tackle issues that will make a difference in people's lives.”

Enterprise Europe Network Wales exists to support Welsh SMEs to understand and access EU funding for research, international trade and innovation through providing advice, guidance and partner finding services between countries eligible to be involved in projects predominantly under Horizon 2020 but also other EU programmes such as Eurostars, Erasmus, etc. The new H2020 programme makes available significantly more funding directly to SMEs than in previous EU programmes and it is essential that Welsh companies access their share of this funding for Research, Innovation, R&D, Technology projects and IP exploitation and commercialisation.

The Department of Research and Innovation is leading on Swansea University H2020 proposal preparation and  EEN Wales and is supported by the Welsh Higher Education in Brussels Office http://www.wheb.ac.uk and the UK Research Office http://www.ukro.ac.uk

For further information please contact Julie Williams, Senior External Funding Officer,  j.williams@swansea.ac.uk.

More information for SME’s about how Enterprise Europe Network Wales can help can be found by visiting their website http://www.enterpriseeuropewales.org.uk/ or by contacting the team on EEN@swansea.ac.uk or 01792 606705.