CSPC2016

Organized by, EURAXESS North America, Viktoria Bodnarova

In this session, we will present the main outcomes and lessons learned from the European Commission funded ERA-Can+ project (October 2013- September 2016) which has aimed to enhance Canada-EU research collaboration in science, technology and innovation (ST&I). Two researchers, one Canadian and one European, will share their experiences accessing and implementing Horizon 2020 grants (the European Union’s largest funding program). Session participants will come away with an understanding of how Canadians can tap into European funding programs and some of the current challenges for EU-Canada collaboration. They will also be asked for their ideas and recommendations on how to further strengthen EU-Canada cooperation in ST&I.  

Canada has long been a key strategic partner for the EU in ST&I and 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of the Canada-EU Science and Technology Agreement. The ERA-Can+ project, and its previous iterations, aimed to i) enrich the EU-Canada policy dialogue, ii) stimulate transatlantic research and innovation cooperation and iii) enhance coordination between program owners. Some excellent results have been achieved. Canadian participation in the European Union’s Framework Programs (FP) increased consistently from 37 projects during FP4 (1994-1998) to 328 projects during FP7 (2007-2013). And within the first two years of Horizon 2020 (2014-2015), Canadians were selected to participate in 90 collaborative projects and 44 received funding for individual fellowships and grants.

The ERA-Can+ project has involved three Canadian partners (Universities Canada, the Public Policy Forum, Global Affairs Canada) and four European partners (CNRS in France, ZSI in Austria, APRE in Italy, DLR in Germany). EURAXESS Links North America – European Commission’s funded project - that provides information on individual fellowships and grants available in Europe, was invited by the project partners to present at numerous information sessions and webinars held as part of ERA-Can+.

The two researchers will share their experiences with Horizon 2020’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) which provide fellowships to researchers seeking international and interdisciplinary mobility experiences. Dr. Catarina C. Ferreira, a Portuguese citizen, is the recipient of a MSCA Global Fellowship for Career Development and is currently carrying out part of her post-doctoral research on the effects of anthropogenic activities on carnivore population ecology at Trent University. Dr. Geiger, an assistant professor at Carleton University, is involved in the DiasporaLink project funded through MSCA RISE (Research & Innovation Staff Exchanges) which aims to create a global, extended university network with the mission of monitoring and assisting with the entrepreneurship of transnational diasporas.