Cooperation between NCPs for Horizon 2020 Societal Challenge 2 on “Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine, Maritime and Inland Water Research and the Bioeconomy” and the Key Enabling Technology - Biotechnology (BioHorizon)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Iceland,Israel,Germany,Italy,Switzerland,Belgium,Moldova, Republic of,Croatia,Türkiye,Greece,Poland,France,Czechia,Netherlands,Portugal,Portugal
Call: Supporting National Contact Points for Horizon 2020 Societal Challenge 2 on ‘Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture, Marine and Maritime Research and the Bioeconomy’ and the Key Enabling Technology (KET) ‘Biotechnology’ (H2020-ISIB-2014-1, 2014)
Start date: 2015-03-01
End date: 2019-12-31
Duration (months): 58.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2089912.5
EU funding (EUR): 1999631.25
Participants: 19
Project status: CLOSED

The overall idea of the BioHorizon proposal is to establish innovative and mutually learning pan-European platform for transnational activities of NCPs involved in the SC2 and KET-B. The aim is also to create a network of NCPs exploiting the synergies of acquired and distributed knowledge, collective development and trainings, in which all NCPs can learn from each other, thus increasing mutual understanding of different approaches and requirements in the daily work of an NCP. The network will develop novel, high quality services provided to SC2 and KET-B beneficiaries. The excellent assistance provided by BioHorizon will go beyond typical NCP services, since the established network will put an emphasis on complex and multidisciplinary aspects of Horizon 2020, including widening participation of the EU 28. The methodology applied to achieve the objectives includes: trainings, workshops addressed at NCP needs identified during the evaluation of current activities,, networking staff exchange programme, e-mentoring scheme and trans-national brokerage events. Furthermore, based on the results of the previous project, the new BioHorizon will greatly improve and enhance capacity building and networking opportunities by continuing with activities and measures proven to be successful, but also including new elements. BioHorizon will fully cover activities that include innovative and efficient training of NCPs across Europe, thus helping to simplify and increase access to H2020 calls, lowering barriers for newcomers and improving the quality of proposals submitted. Special attention will be given to networking and improved collaboration of the ICPC NCPs, supporting and increasing their integration with the European NCPs. BioHorizon aimes to generate high impact on different levels: improvement and professionalisation of NCP services, higher number and higher quality of proposals submitted through the establishment of an active network of SC2 and KET-B NCPs at European level.

Keywords: national contact points,network,raising awareness of sc2 and ket b,training,capacity building,development,transnational collaboration,quality standards,dissemination,newcomers