I have recently returned from Gambia that I was there last week for training Western African universities on how to exploit successfully the Horizon 2020 programme in the context of WARIMA conference. This is my second visit to Africa, since I visited also South Africa last May for the SARIMA conference where I also trained Southen African universities on how to exploit successfully Horizon 2020. However, Africa has never stopped to amaze me with its unique beauty but also with its unexploited potential in many different areas such as for example in Health, Agriculture, Environment, Energy that are also the four main challenges of Horizon 2020 Societal Challenges (Pillar 3). I know that research activity is not that strong in most of the African countries and it cannot be compared at all with the research activity in Europe but I strongly believe that Horizon 2020 actors and actions initiated in Europe can benefit immensely with the involvement of African universities in their initiatives. More specifically by involving an African University or research center in an Horizon 2020 proposal the following advantages are obvious:
- It shows that is being “Open to the World” and advances international cooperation that is an EU strategic priority
- It allows European Union (EU) to attract talent and investments from outside EU
- It facilitates EU to access knowledge and resources outside Europe/worldwide
- It advances participation in business processes with global perspective
- It provides access to new and emerging markets
- It helps solve global societal challenges more effectively, e.g. in Health, Agriculture, Environment and Energy
- It can give a common voice in global debates
Therefore, in one hand organisations outside EU such as African Universities should highlight the above arguments in their effort to get involved in Horizon 2020 proposals and in the other hand H2020 proposal developers should highlight the above arguments/advantages in their application form in case they involve partners outside EU such as from Africa for getting more credits. In any case, African Universities and research institutes that are fully eligible as European ones to participate in H2020 actions, as long as they position and approach appropriately H2020 initiatives, they have more chances to get involved successfully in H2020 projects.
I have prepared this 9-steps infographic on how beginners in H2020 (such as African Universities but not only) as well as advanced H2020 actors should follow in order to get involved successfully in H2020 initiatives. Please register below to download it immediately and start following it for quick results.
How to add further value on what you have just discovered
Please comment below, on your experiences in approaching and connecting with key actors in Horizon 2020 or in involving actors outside EU in your H2020 proposal.
In case you want to develop further what you have discovered in this article and exploit fully and become a pro in Horizon 2020 or in european funding, you are strongly suggested to join any of my Funding Expert Academy programmes.