Setting up Armenian Euraxess Service Network

Project Information

Euraxess-AM

Grant agreement ID: 870217

DOI

10.3030/870217

Project closed

EC signature date 29 August 2019

Start date 1 September 2019

End date 31 August 2022

Funded under

• SCIENCE WITH AND FOR SOCIETY

Total cost

€ 201 887,50

EU contribution

€ 200 000,00

Coordinated by

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
Armenia

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Euraxess-AM (Setting up Armenian Euraxess Service Network)

Reporting period: 2021-03-01 to 2022-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The overall objectives of the EURAXESS-AM project were as follows:
• to set-up the Armenian EURAXESS Service Network to join pan-European initiative delivering information and support services to mobile professional researchers;
• better integration of Armenian research community into European Research Area;
• to develop EURAXESS Armenian National web-portal as a source of comprehensive up-to-date information and personalized assistance to incoming and outgoing mobility researchers;
• to provide access to a complete range of information and support services for European and non-European researchers wishing to develop their career, thus, contributing to better integration of Armenian research community into European Research Area.
• to ensure an easier re-integration of returning researchers and access to adequate career development measures and opportunities.
• to set-up a system facilitating researchers’ better career development and mobility through the network of Contact Points;
• to ensure quality assistance in career development and mobility related issues for researchers in dealing with legal and administrative matters like temporary stay, work and residence permits, visa issues, health and social security issues, etc.;
• to support research organizations, universities and companies in recruiting outstanding researchers from abroad.
• to increase awareness and participation of Armenian organizations in Horizon Europe Programme and other European Initiatives.

Generally, irrespective of very unfavorable conditions for international mobility and cooperation during most of the project implementation period due to pandemic restrictions, all the project objectives have been adequately reached, and deliverables achieved.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The work performed to address each specific project objective included:
1. Establishment of EURAXESS Bridgehead Organization (BHO) and Service Centre at the International S&T Programmes Department of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia (ISTPD NAS RA), to assist researchers and their families during their mobility period, providing information and support in all mobility and career development-related matters and daily life, and customized assistance on administrative and procedural formalities.
2. A network of EURAXESS Contact Points was set up in Armenia which included two major universities of Armenia, namely, Yerevan State University and Yerevan State Medical University, as well as International Scientific and Educational Center of the NAS RA.
3. EURAXESS Armenian National web-portal was set up as a source of comprehensive and up-to-date information for mobile researchers.
4. Organization of three trainings for EURAXESS BHO, service centre and contact points network team members (June 2020, February and July 2021) for staff capacity building and ensuring quality service delivery to researchers.
5. Organization of two major events, in particular, EURAXESS Portal and Horizon Europe Inauguration Event (November 2021) and Mobility Day Dissemination event on EU programmes supporting researchers’ mobility and career development (May 2022) attended in total by around 250 participants.
6. Participation in Science Camp within STARMUS International Science and Art festival (September 2022) where hundreds of printed materials about EURAXESS network and Horizon Europe Programme were disseminated.

The events were widely highlighted by major national TV channels and mass media agencies which ensured adequate dissemination and awareness raising about the EURAXESS initiative and the portal, as well as Horizon Europe Programme.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The project contributed to progress beyond the state of the art in various fields that will definitively impact better integration of Armenian research community to European Research Area.
Among these contributions the following should be highlighted:
• Establishment of EURAXESS Armenian network, including BHO, Service Centre and three Contact Points, particularly, two major universities of the country – Yerevan State University and Yerevan State Medical University, as well as International Scientific-Educational Centre of the NAS RA, the leading institution for postgraduate and postdoctoral education, has contributed to integration of Armenia into the European EURAXESS Network.
• Creation of National EURAXESS web-portal as of a common and interactive information platform contributed to better awareness, knowledge and trust of local research community about benefits, opportunities and challenges of career development and mobility, and provided more opportunities for partnership, collaboration and more active participation in EU programmes.
• Establishment of high-level support group and involvement of policy-makers from various ministries and government agencies in the Steering Group contributed to stimulation of public dialogue on needs for improvement of relevant legislation and supported the harmonization process, also in the aspects of gender equality, responsible research and innovation, HRS4R and GDPR.

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