NRF Participates in High-Level Workshop on European Research Areas

The NRF, represented by the Acting DCEO for Research, Innovation and Impact Support and Advancement (RIISA), Dr Gugu Moche, and the Senior Manager for International Grants and Partnerships, Dr Prudence Makhura, participated at the 2024 High-Level Workshop on Strengthening European Cohesion and Competitiveness Through Research and Innovation.

The workshop was held from 19 to 20 November 2024 in Budapest, Hungary on the margins of the World Science Forum.

The workshop, organised by Science Europe, Hungarian Research Network (HUN-REN), and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, facilitated interaction among the different science stakeholders with high-level officials of Science Europe Member Organisations; decision makers from European Union member states; leading representatives of the European Commission; top experts in different fields; and selected funding agencies from outside Europe.

The NRF provided an African perspective into the European Research Areas, which emphasised the importance of focusing the Africa-Europe partnership on a research agenda built around the resolution of global challenges from climate change to health disparities; the advancement of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence; addressing issues of inclusion and equity; and ensuring societal impact of research.

As part of the outcomes of the workshop, a public position paper will be initiated that summarises the key messages of the discussions and outlines possible collaborative actions that may contribute to the strengthening of EU partnerships globally.