During the Slovak EU Presidency, the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic proposes to organize an international conference on Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) titled "The Social Sciences and Humanities: A New Agenda for Europe's Challenges" that will be held in Bratislava on November 15-16 2016. The conference will follow the Tatra Summit, which will focus on the impact of social sciences and humanities on policies. An international Scientific Board will be established that will include distinguished European scientists from different fields of social sciences and humanities. The Scientific Board will work mainly on the draft programme of the conference and ensure the range and quality of speakers. It will also propose the conference outcomes. The goal of the conference is to illustrate that research in SSH is crucial in addressing societal challenges faced by Europe and it brings a significant contribution to the solution of problems in contemporary democratic societies. SSH are critical in solving acute crises such as migration - with its consequences on national policies; human rights and freedom of circulation; radicalisation and terrorism, which sparks debates on religious diversity and security inside and outside Europe; and unemployment which fuels social exclusion and inequality in some of its Member States. Such challenges cannot be solved by mere technological solutions and such technological solutions are anyway socially grounded. The conference will bring together about 300 scholars from SSH and other disciplines, business companies, industry, policy makers and media. They will discuss not only existing, but also new research ideas for the Work Programme 2018-2020 and contribute to a better visibility, integration and implementation of SSH into science and research policies.

Over 12 million people in Europe suffer from neurodegenerative diseases (ND), yet treatments that prevent or stop the progression of neurodegeneration are still lacking. Tackling this grand challenge requires enhanced coordination of national efforts to accelerate discovery. Such synergies have been created among 28 countries in the pilot EU JPI on Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND). JPND has a long standing experience in collaborative action with €75 million of additional national funds being successfully mobilized between 2011 and 2014 to support transnational research programs. The JPND Research Strategy is now ripe for further enhancement in tight coordination with the EC through an ERA-Net Cofund instrument JPco-fuND with an unprecedented commitment of €30 million of national funds associated to a highly incentivizing EC top-up fund. Among the most burning questions, three priority topics have emerged through a consultative process between researchers and JPND members in order to unlock sever

This proposal is the continuation of the Description of the Action of the Grant Agreement 101055476 signed under the European Innovation Ecosystems Work Programme 2021-2022. The proposal involves 41 National/regional Funding Bodies and/ Agencies under the umbrella of Eureka, and is coordinated by the Eureka Secretariat in Brussels. The partnership will be comprised of two main instruments(Eurostars-3 and Innowwide) as well as accompanying measures to further supports SMEs and to connect existing EU programmes, initiatives and other European partnerships. On this proposal, the consortium describes the additional activities that will take place under the EIE WP 2023-2024. The activities implemented under this Work Programme mirror to a great extent those described in the DoA.

WHO: The proposal involves 40 National Funding Authorities and/or Agencies under the Umbrella of Eureka and is coordinated by the Eureka Secretariat in Brussels. Founded in 1985, Eureka is a global network, with 48 Member States plus the European Commission. It includes nearly all countries of the European continent as well as international members like Israel, Turkey, Korea, Canada, Singapore, South Africa, Argentina and Chile. The Consortium also benefits from the fact that is has successfully run the Eurostars 1 and 2 programs. WHAT: The proposed European Partnership on Innovative SMEs will comprise two main instruments (Eurostars 3 and Innowwide) as well as measures to connect to existing EU programs, initiatives and other European partnerships. EUROSTARS 3 (E*3) is an instrument that supports the international cooperation of SMEs in the field of non-military collaborative innovation projects. An E*3 project consortium must be composed of at least 2 independent entities from at least two participating countries and must be led by an innovative SME. The E*3 instrument benefits from accompanying measures that strengthen SMEs’ ability to access foreign markets like the INNOWWIDE instrument, which has already been piloted with the support of some Eureka network members in recent years. WHY: The biggest challenges for innovative SMEs are the access to international cooperation and to enter international markets as well the ability to receive funding. E*3 through its coordination of national innovation programs will in addition support the further development of a European Research Area. HOW: The Eureka Secretariat will organize two joint transnational calls per year for E*3 and one call per year for Innowwide. National Innovation Agencies actively support the implementation of E*3 via national funding and support measures as well as services to applicants and promotion of the program.