The Europa Media Team wishes you nice and relaxing holidays and a prosperous year to come. We look forward to staying in touch also in 2012!

2011’s last training prepares Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) applicants for the first deadlines of 2012

Two intensive days dedicated to project proposal development under the EU’s Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) has attracted people from all over Europe to come to Budapest and learn about the application process and tips and tricks of putting together competitive project proposals. Indeed, competition in LLP is tough; only the best of the best project concepts are awarded grants.

LLP is the EU’s funding programme in the education and training fields. Through its sectoral sub-programmes (Comenius, Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci, Grundtvig), it addresses different stages of education and training as well as target groups. The submission deadlines also vary according to sub-programme. Calls for proposals under LLP are now open (http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/llp/funding/2012/call_lifelong_learning_2012.php ); so it was just about time to learn how to develop a competitive proposal. And, as always, it was not only about training, but lots of networking and European interaction. At the evening of the first day, the participants enjoyed Budapest’s beautiful Christmas market at the Vörösmarty square, where, with a nice coincidence, a spectacular light show also took place on the famous historical Gerbeaud House.

This was the last training of Europa Media in 2011, but of course we are going to be back next year with many new activities! The courses for the first half of 2012 are already scheduled and published on our homepage (www.eutrainingsite.com) with detailed information about the courses and possibility to register.

 We hope to see you in 2012! :)

Ömer

Simplification but still…

One of the key words for FP7 has from the beginning been simplification.
Indeed, some of the rules have been simplified, but we have also noticed during implementation that there are quite some things left to be simplified when it comes to especially financial rules of FP7. We realize this while implementing our own projects but especially during our courses. The questions are many, the examples and experiences as well.

This week, it was time for the last FP7-Financial and Project Management course for 2011, 24 people from all over Europe came to Budapest to learn and discuss the rules and share best practices. It’s so interesting to hear different experiences of International S&T projects, and I realize once again how lucky I am to meet so many different people.
And of course, it is great to meet returning participants!
Have a good weekend!

Bodil

Busy times or many occasions for celebrations..:)

The past is history, the future is a mystery,
but this moment is a gift, and that is why it is called the present.” – Anonymous

I read this on facebook, and it sounds very wise, but it’s difficult to remember in these busy times with proposal writing and reporting and many other ongoing things. Obviously by nature, the reporting represent the past – remembering all the activities, meetings and results and the proposal writing represent the future planning the work for the next coming years.  I enjoy doing all of this, I just wish I had more time…

This autumn has been even more busy than usual (how is that possible…:)) And now it is already December – many things should be finalized before the end of the year, and everyone being in a hurry to comply with all kind of deadlines, big and small. Or maybe it is always this busy in the autumn, but we (read I) tend to forget this from year to year. If yes, it is probably a survival strategy… :)  At the same time, there is the pleasure of accomplishing, completing the activities, achieving the goals and manage deadlines that seemed, if not impossible, at least very challenging…

Especially in such busy periods, it’s extra important to take the time to celebrate, to thank the colleagues for the good work and to remember to have fun at work. And each achieved goal is of course a good occasion for celebration! At Europa Media we are lucky enough to have several nice bottles that we have received during the year from training participants – just waiting for us to have occasions and time to celebrate :)

At the picture below we celebrate a proposal submission by tasting a gift from Norway –
Thank you!

Bodil

HORIZON 2020

The European Commission has presented a package of measures to boost research, innovation and competitiveness in Europe. Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn has announced Horizon 2020, an EUR 80 billion programme for investment in research and innovation.

The Strategic Innovation Agenda for the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will receive EUR 2.8 billion of funding under Horizon 2020. In parallel, Vice-President Antonio Tajani has announced a complementary new programme to boost competitiveness and innovation in SMEs, with an additional budget of EUR 2.5 billion. The funding programmes run from 2014 to 2020.
Watch the presentation on Horizon 2020.

A time line for Horizon 2020:
From 30/11: Parliament and Council negotiations on the basis of the Commission proposals
Ongoing: Parliament and Council negotiations on EU budget 2014-20 (including overall budget for Horizon 2020)
Mid 2012: Final calls under 7th Framework Programme for Research to bridge gap towards Horizon 2020
By end 2013: Adoption of legislative acts by Parliament and Council on Horizon 2020
1/1/2014: Horizon 2020 starts; launch of first calls.
(more information: website of Horizon2020)

Next event: 5-6 December 2011: Innovation Convention

  

Programme Overview

Exhibition