At the event “National Informative Day on the European Cooperation Program in Science and Technology ‘COST’ and the Program to Widen Participation and Strengthen the European Research Area (ERA) ‘WIDERA’”, Antonella Autino, Coordinator of the FUTURE4PRIMA project, shared the journey and successes of this new EU project led by PRIMA.

Organized by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU) and the Oficina Europea de FECYT, this event highlighted the achievements of projects funded by the HORIZON-WIDERA and COST calls.

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) started in 1971 and is one of the largest cooperation frameworks in Europe. With increased funding in Horizon Europe, COST supports networks called “COST Actions” that last for four years, helping researchers and innovators across Europe work together.

WIDERA (Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area) helps reduce geographic disparities by building research and innovation capacities. This program encourages collaboration and excellence in research, aiming to improve the impact of European initiatives and foster synergies between different research efforts.hy isTURE4PRIMA important for WIDERA?

FUTURE4PRIMA perfectly aligns with WIDERA’s goals by promoting cooperation and coordination among research funding organizations.

The project focuses on:

• Facilitating collaboration to address global challenges like resource efficiency and climate change.
• Helping adopt better regulatory measures to boost research cooperation and the international reach of the European Research Area (ERA).
• Encouraging the growth of innovation ecosystems in neighboring countries and speeding up the market adoption of new technologies.
• Access to information and tools to measure progress on the achievement of the EU Green Deal and the SDGs

A key to FUTURE4PRIMA’s success is its diverse team, which includes partners from various countries. This diversity ensures a rich exchange of knowledge and skills, crucial for achieving the project’s goals. Antonella Autino emphasized that this collaborative approach has been vital for the project’s success.