Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NCP4Missions (Network of National Contact Points for the five EU Missions)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-09-01 al 2025-02-28
The five EU Missions are a novelty of the EU’s research and innovation funding programme Horizon Europe (HE). NCP4Missions serves the primary goal to improve and professionalise the skills of National Contact Points (NCPs) working for the five EU Missions. We aim to establish a transnational network of Mission NCPs and closely collaborate with other HE NCPs, who thematically support the five EU Missions. For this purpose, the consortium comprises 19 partners. All are nominated as Mission NCPs and most of them are additionally working as NCPs for thematically related HE parts. NCP4Missions is characterised by a balanced mix of well and less experienced NCPs and an adequate geographical coverage, including widening countries. Our consortium is well posi-tioned to meet the key objectives of the project:
(1) raise the standard of NCP services to applicants and perform targeted outreach activities by improving, professionalising and harmonising the NCP support services for the EU Mission Calls and their topics across Europe.
(2) lower the entry barriers for applicants to participate in the Missions Work Pro-gramme and raise the quality of submitted proposals.
(3) foster synergies and mutual benefits through the cooperation with relevant Mission struc-tures as well as the Clusters and other HE pillars.
While the focus of the project activities is on supporting NCPs in professionalising their support services, several activi-ties like brokerage events and workshops are also dedicated to applicants directly. Whenever possible, information and support material is made available publicly to also support applicants and HE beneficiaries directly.
(1) raise the standard of NCP services to applicants and perform targeted outreach activities by improving, professionalising and harmonising the NCP support services for the EU Mission Calls and their topics across Europe.
(2) lower the entry barriers for applicants to participate in the Missions Work Pro-gramme and raise the quality of submitted proposals.
(3) foster synergies and mutual benefits through the cooperation with relevant Mission struc-tures as well as the Clusters and other HE pillars.
While the focus of the project activities is on supporting NCPs in professionalising their support services, several activi-ties like brokerage events and workshops are also dedicated to applicants directly. Whenever possible, information and support material is made available publicly to also support applicants and HE beneficiaries directly.
During the 1st reporting period, all three specific objectives were targeted via suitable project activities. Regarding activities addressing capacity building of Mission NCPs, four EC Mission Updates and two Mission Deep Dives were organ-ised, gathering more than 114 participants. In addition, seven Meet&Share Sessions - especially dedicated to experi-ence exchange and networking - were organised (about 211 participants in total). Supporting material for NCPs was developed and published on the NCP4Missions Website for download. So far, NCP4Missions service comprises (1) five Factsheets on social engagement in EU Missions, (2) continuously updated FAQs on the Call-Topics, (3) an Experience Analysis and (4) an initial mapping of mission hubs. With special focus on newcomer NCPs, our first E-learning Nugget „Supporting clients as an EU Mission NCP - Basic knowledge“ was developed. All documents are accessible in the reposi-tory of the NCP4Missions website. They are complemented by event presentations and recordings (if available).
Two events were organised to further support potential applicants and lower their entry barriers. The first NCP4Missions Brokerage Event (BE) was organised online on 21-22 May 2024, assisting applicants in networking and building their consortia (more than 665 participants). The BE platform remained open for further 7 months after the event providing the possibility for online meetings and thereby facilitating a longer period for networking and partner-ship building. The first Synergies Workshop took place on 06 December 2024 (227 participants) and focussed on the characteristics of the EU Missions compared to other parts of Horizon Europe.
Collaborations and synergies were well established during the 1st reporting period. Collaborations were built with other NCP networks and mission projects leading to joint activities at webinars, Deep Dives, Meet&Shares and at the first BE. Those activities contributed to trans-cluster and trans-pillar collaboration addressing both NCPs and applicants.
Communication and dissemination activities are significantly complementing all project’s activities and contribute to its impact. C&D activities and tools include the website, promotional material, the periodic mailings (for NCPs) and four social media accounts. The project website is hosted as micro website on the HE NCP Portal. NCP4Missions’s social media presence includes LinkedIn as the primary channel, complemented by Facebook, Twitter/X and, newly estab-lished at the end of the reporting period, BlueSky. All C&D activities are targeting NCPs, applicants and/or other HE Missions stakeholders.
Two events were organised to further support potential applicants and lower their entry barriers. The first NCP4Missions Brokerage Event (BE) was organised online on 21-22 May 2024, assisting applicants in networking and building their consortia (more than 665 participants). The BE platform remained open for further 7 months after the event providing the possibility for online meetings and thereby facilitating a longer period for networking and partner-ship building. The first Synergies Workshop took place on 06 December 2024 (227 participants) and focussed on the characteristics of the EU Missions compared to other parts of Horizon Europe.
Collaborations and synergies were well established during the 1st reporting period. Collaborations were built with other NCP networks and mission projects leading to joint activities at webinars, Deep Dives, Meet&Shares and at the first BE. Those activities contributed to trans-cluster and trans-pillar collaboration addressing both NCPs and applicants.
Communication and dissemination activities are significantly complementing all project’s activities and contribute to its impact. C&D activities and tools include the website, promotional material, the periodic mailings (for NCPs) and four social media accounts. The project website is hosted as micro website on the HE NCP Portal. NCP4Missions’s social media presence includes LinkedIn as the primary channel, complemented by Facebook, Twitter/X and, newly estab-lished at the end of the reporting period, BlueSky. All C&D activities are targeting NCPs, applicants and/or other HE Missions stakeholders.
NCP4Missions’ progress beyond the state of the art is linked to the nature of the five EU Missions as a novel instrument in HE. The Missions are intended to find concrete solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing humanity and put them into practice. The role of R&I has to be rethought in this context and, more important, needs to be combined with new forms of administration and cooperation. This poses new challenges for all relevant stakeholders. The appli-cants need to develop a more systemic view to address the complex challenges, and in turn the NCPs need to build up capacities and adapt their services. In this respect, NCP4Missions plays a pivotal role in implementing the Missions ob-jectives. With a strong synergistic approach, NCP4Missions provides NCPs and stakeholders with extensive information that goes well beyond HE, but also supports the EU-wide outreach activities to raise awareness and engagement in Mission objectives and activities:
- NCP4Missions enhances the expertise and competences of the (newly) established Mission NCPs both through-out Europe and across all Missions, following a whole programme approach and providing all interested NCPs with relevant knowledge on the EU Missions.Through E-learnings, EC Mission Updates, Meet&Share Sessions and Mission „Deep Dives“, they are invited to trainings addressing the specific requirements of the Mission calls.
- NCP4Missions encourages and promotes the involvement of all (new) target groups through tools and events. BEs and workshops for applicants are designed to promote networking of and exchange between applicants who have rarely worked together so far. User-friendly information on Missions is provided to applicants in the form of Factsheets, FAQ documents and qualitative experience analysis to deepen their understanding of the specific nature of the Mission calls.
- NCP4Missions closely collaborates with other projects, networks and structures. Due to the holistic and ‘be-yond R&I’ nature of the EU Missions this is even more important than in other parts of HE. NCP4Missions con-centrates on the cooperation with other HE NCP networks, with a thematic focus on the Clusters 1, 5 and 6, as well as gathering and providing information on relevant EU policies and funding programmes, interactions with Mission Hubs and the engagement with potential stakeholders across all five Missions.
- NCP4Missions’ communication measures assure that the broad target groups are staying informed about the project’s initiatives, tools and results and that the impact of services offered to the community is maximized.
By striving to achieve these results beyond the state of the art, NCP4Missions could significantly improve and profes-sionalise the skills of Mission and related NCPs and contribute to the overall success of the five EU Missions. To ensure uptake and success, ongoing efforts are needed to foster the continued engagement of NCPs in establishing a harmo-nised, improved transnational network of EU Missions’ NCPs and in enhancing the visibility of the NCP services and support structures amongst the Missions‘ community.
- NCP4Missions enhances the expertise and competences of the (newly) established Mission NCPs both through-out Europe and across all Missions, following a whole programme approach and providing all interested NCPs with relevant knowledge on the EU Missions.Through E-learnings, EC Mission Updates, Meet&Share Sessions and Mission „Deep Dives“, they are invited to trainings addressing the specific requirements of the Mission calls.
- NCP4Missions encourages and promotes the involvement of all (new) target groups through tools and events. BEs and workshops for applicants are designed to promote networking of and exchange between applicants who have rarely worked together so far. User-friendly information on Missions is provided to applicants in the form of Factsheets, FAQ documents and qualitative experience analysis to deepen their understanding of the specific nature of the Mission calls.
- NCP4Missions closely collaborates with other projects, networks and structures. Due to the holistic and ‘be-yond R&I’ nature of the EU Missions this is even more important than in other parts of HE. NCP4Missions con-centrates on the cooperation with other HE NCP networks, with a thematic focus on the Clusters 1, 5 and 6, as well as gathering and providing information on relevant EU policies and funding programmes, interactions with Mission Hubs and the engagement with potential stakeholders across all five Missions.
- NCP4Missions’ communication measures assure that the broad target groups are staying informed about the project’s initiatives, tools and results and that the impact of services offered to the community is maximized.
By striving to achieve these results beyond the state of the art, NCP4Missions could significantly improve and profes-sionalise the skills of Mission and related NCPs and contribute to the overall success of the five EU Missions. To ensure uptake and success, ongoing efforts are needed to foster the continued engagement of NCPs in establishing a harmo-nised, improved transnational network of EU Missions’ NCPs and in enhancing the visibility of the NCP services and support structures amongst the Missions‘ community.