1 | en.kpk.gov.pl

Bulletin

BULLETIN No. 2| Introductory Remark: Zygmunt Krasiński, PhD

I. IntRoDuctoRy RemaRK

en.kpk.gov.pl

No. 2 July, 2017

Director of the Polish National Contact Point for Research Programmes of the EU

Zygmunt

Krasiński, PhDWelcome to the second edition of our Bulletin! Our mission is to keep you informed on news and important events as well as about Polish programmes for foreign researchers and Polish potential in research and innovation, including a sample of Polish successes in Horizon 2020.

Europe is not on holiday. In these days there is an ongoing discussion on evaluation of H2020 and the future of research and innovation in Europe. The High Level Group on maximising the impact of EU Research and Innovation Programmes, chaired by former WTO chief Pascal Lamy, sets out a wide range of recommendations to reform EU research and innovation programmes, starting a year-long campaign to secure the future research budget. The HLG released a report LAB – FAB – APP: Investing in the European future we want at the conference Research & Innovation – Shaping our Future, hosted by Commissioner Carlos Moedas, on 3 July. Under their vision, the EU’s next big Framework Programme would become simpler, more flexible, better coordinated with Member States and broader EU policies, and more focused on results and goals rather than process and administration. In particular, I recommend reading an interview with prof. Lucyna A. Woźniak, Vice-Rector for Science and International Relations of Medical University of Lodz, a member of the HLG on maximising the impact of EU Research and Innovation Programmes. Polish community was also actively involved in Horizon 2020 mid-term review, by providing 120 opinions during public consultations. We are very pleased to present the summary of Polish Position Paper on the 9. Framework Programme. The document was presented by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Science and Higher Education Jarosław Gowin on 25 April in Brussels. The position paper has been prepared by a group of stakeholders and presents strategic approach underlying a role of New Member States, in particular Poland, in creating a genuine single EU market for knowledge, research and innovation and building Europe’s global competitiveness, but also key governance and horizontal issues as well as widening instruments which should be introduced into the next Framework Programme.The number of Polish companies funded within Horizon 2020 is increasing. We show Top 10 Polish SMEs and Top 10 large companies, followed by interviews with experts. Innovative enterprises which invest in R&D play a key role in Polish economy. During the conference in Warsaw, we were looking for the best solutions how to effectively create R&D strategies in the industry. Moreover, Poland is becoming more and more attractive for international researchers. Meet researchers from Japan, India and the Netherlands who tell us why they have chosen Polish entities to carry out their research. Learn about programmes for foreign researchers provided by the Foundation for Polish Science. International collaboration is a base of success stories in Horizon 2020. Polish cities such as Poznań, Wrocław and Łódź are the good examples which we describe in Bulletin. The cities are involved in nature-based solutions projects which are supposed to solve the problems identified under Societal challenges: Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials.We kindly invite you to contact us and to read our Bulletin.

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table of contents

BULLETIN No. 2| table of contents

i. IntRoDuctoRy RemaRKii. In the sPotlIght

Polish Position Paper on future framework Programme

Interview with Prof. lucyna a. Woźniak, Vice-Rector for science and International Relations, medical university of lodz, a member of the high level group on maximising the impact of eu Research and Innovation Programmes

toP 10 Polish smes and large companies successfully funded in horizon 2020

Interview with michele andolfo, scientist, selena labs

Interview with tomasz Kośmider, PhD, President, technology Partners

Interview with tomasz mazuryk, Partner, co-founder fundingbox accelerator sp. z o.o.

iii. come to PolanDmore than 600 foreign scientists came to Poland in the last decade

msca - Individual fellowships

Join the marie curie alumni association

Visit euRaXess Poland portal

meet international researchers

▶ Junya, Japan

▶ narasimha Rao, India

▶ Jan, the netherlands

Polish Programmes

iV. success stoRIes In hoRIZon 2020nature-based solutions in Polish cities

V. eVentshow to effectively create R&D strategies in the industry

V. leaRn moRe at...

3 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| Polish Position Paper on future framework Programme

Main points for the Polish Position Paper on Future Framework Programme - EU support for scientific, technological and social development: • Strategic approach. securing europe’s

global competitiveness is possible only when using excellence and full intellectual capital of all european countries, in collaboration with non-european partners as well. moreover, more attention to market up-take of innovations across all european regions should be one of the priorities of the future framework Programme.

GOVERNANCE AND HORIZONTAL ISSUES• Management. the strategic fP management

should be provided by the european commission in close and direct collaboration with the member states.

• Programming. the consultation process with the member states in the programming phase should be strengthened.

• Budget. the future fP should follow the pattern of the previous framework Programmes and its budget should be increased as more ambitious challenges are being addressed by the eu research agenda.

• Remuneration rules. changes in the remuneration rules that have been introduced recently need to be carefully evaluated in terms of its simplicity and audit resilience.

• evaluation. an efficient evaluation system is the focal point of the program’s governance.

• Coordination of support rules and procedures. a new, effective synergy approach should be presented.

• Budgetary balance between low and high tRls. Increased focus on higher technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) and activities closer to market should be thoroughly analyzed in order to avoid financing what the industry would do anyway.

• More bottom-up approach • Responsible Research and Innovation• Openness and Transparency• International CooperationINSTRUMENTS• Widening instruments. current efforts

to support wider participation need to be significantly strengthened in the future fP. the new instrument, based on experiences of fP7 RegPot scheme should be introduced.

• Mobility schemes. In order to improve brain circulation, targeted mobility schemes should be introduced for regions which are experiencing ‘brain drain’. the current msca actions devoted to this area should be strengthened and become an integral part of the future mobility pillar.

• exploitation of research results – the european innovation Council concept. the main actions in the portfolio of the eIc should be concentrated on the issue of exploitation of fP projects results.

• Use of financial instruments. the use of financial instruments should be promoted only to the highest tRls and as long as close-to-market activities of companies are concerned. ■

all details of the Polish Position Paper LINK

II. In the sPothlIght

Polish Position Paper on future framework Programme

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Science and Higher Education Jarosław Gowin presented the Polish Position Paper on the 9. Framework Programme on 25th April in Brussels. the position paper has been prepared by many Polish stakeholders including: Ministry of Science and Higher education, Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the european union in Brussels, Polish national Contact Point and members of the Polish scientific and research and innovation society.

4 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| Interview with Prof. lucyna a. Woźniak

II. In the sPothlIght

Interview with Prof. Lucyna A. Woźniak Vice-Rector for science and International Relations, medical university of lodz, a member of the high level group on maximising the impact of eu Research and Innovation Programmes

excellence is one of the most important and not negotiable issues of horizon 2020 and future framework Programme

The European Commission has announced the 12 members of the new High Level Group that formulates a vision for future EU research and innovation and makes recommendations on maximising the impact of EU investments in this area. What are the tasks of the Group and what is your role as an expert from Poland? I have treated it as a challenge and privilege to be selected by the european commission in september 2016 from over 350 candidates as a member of high level group of experts for the interim evaluation of horizon 2020 (h2020). the group's mandate was to provide advice on how to maximise the impact of the eu's investment in research and innovation. the group is chaired by Pascal lamy, President emeritus of the Jacques Delors Institute. It consists of 12 personalities from 12 countries appointed in a personal capacity. We started the work in December 2016 and the report LAB – FAB – APP: Investing in the European future we want was presented at the stakeholder conference Research & Innovation – Shaping our Future, taking place on 3 July 2017 in brussels.the high level group (hlg) was asked to formulate a vision for future eu Research and Innovation (R&I) and formulate strategic recommendations on maximising the impact of eu R&I programmes in the future. the group is set up in the context of the Interim evaluation

of h2020, which is currently carried out by the commission services. the hlg’s work will be grounded in the results of the evaluation (i.e. relevance, coherence, efficiency, effectiveness and eu added value) as they become available. It will also be informed by the economic rationale for investments in R&I, as well as by R&I foresight. It may take into account other input it considers appropriate. We focused our vision and recommendations for future eu investments in R&I based on excellence, openness and impact and how to maximise their impact as part of future R&I policy and programming at EU level. the hlg report will influence the programming of the 2018 – 2020 work programme of h2020 (with more than €30 billion still to programme) and will set the scene for a public and political debate on R&I in the multiannual financial framework post 2020, which is expected to have a budget of the magnitude of €100+ billion on an eu-28 basis. While the hlg’s report will be addressed to the european commission, a wider audience for the report will be the eu institutions as well as the broad range of stakeholders involved in current and future eu R&I as part of the european Research area and beyond. It could be also important for national stakeholders since we have to build up our programmes and strategies to improve our participation

5 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| Interview with Prof. lucyna a. Woźniak

II. In the sPothlIghtin european Programmes, increase internationalization and ranking position of Polish universities. the synergy between national (ncn, ncbR) agencies' strategies and fP programmes would be increasing efficiency of investing public and private resources into Research and Innovation. all members of hlg participated individually in numerous national and international meetings transferring their observations and conclusions to the working meeting of hlg. I want to stress that there were several important conferences and meetings in Poland organized by the previous beneficiaries of fP6/fP7/h2020  (example: RegPots meeting in Warsaw, and XV symposium association of national council of Research Project coordinators in Jastrzebiec. We had an opportunity at all of these meetings to share our experience and concerns and exchange networking information. I hope that such meetings would be helpful for future participants of fP consortia in R&I proposals. In Poland we hosted members of the ItRe group of the european Parliament, who visited also Portugal and germany. mePs met in Warsaw (ministry of science and higher education) and lodz (medical university) several participants of the fP projects and were interested in a diagnosis of the low performance and low interest of Polish researchers in h2020.

Regarding EU investments, what should be the focus on exploiting European research and innovation potential?excellence is one of the most important and not negotiable issues of h2020 and 9fP, therefore we should revise our innovation potential to identify and support centres (research groups, institutions, sme and innovative business) of excellence. concerning catalysing the whole potential of the european Research area (eRa) & attracting eu-13 participants we find it generally difficult for newcomers to join existing collaborative research networks. even though some new member states are developing quickly and have excellent research centres with cutting–edge research facilities financed via european structural and Investment funds (esIf), the existing cooperation patterns within eu-15, poorer visibility of eu-13 excellence,

low involvement of eu-13 in testing new technologies in h2020 projects results lower participation. eu-13 position needs to be significantly strengthened in all parts of h2020 and the next fP. such approach would not only support less participating regions, but also clearly demonstrate European added value. the contribution measures should be implemented to encourage the inclusion of new partners and partners from the Widening countries, in order to take advantage of the entire potential of the eRa.

It is said that Poland does not fully use its research and innovation potential and should increase participation in Horizon 2020 and the next framework programme. yes, indeed. the results presented in the Interim Report on h2020 are not satisfactory but rather disappointing. I think that a deeper analysis and discussion is required among all institutions and partners responsible for our R&I productivity. the very low activity combined with relatively lower success rate could lead to conclusions on the required changes.

What solutions should be introduced to improve Poland and other EU-13 countries’ participation?a simple formula does not exist, of course. activity, activity, activity…. and better and more efficient collaboration between partners, including collaboration between Polish groups and institutions to build up networks in advance, to identify and find proper partners. to do this, we definitely need higher funding at the national level responding better to requirements of international collaboration and internationalization of universities. the national agency for academic exchange (narodowa agencja Wymiany akademickiej), whose purpose will be to stimulate the process of internationalisation of Polish higher education and science would be, in theory, a partial solution to this goal, however, it is just in a preliminary stage, so we have to wait for the results, better and more professional support for applicants and higher activity of researchers. It stays in line with strategic goals and challenges defined by the minister of science

6 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| Interview with Prof. lucyna a. Woźniak

II. In the sPothlIghtand higher education, Jarosław gowin, Deputy Prime minister, and also is clearly indicated in the strategy of sustainable Development. We have to remember that h2020 is the financial instrument implementing the  Innovation union, a europe 2020 flagship initiative aimed at securing europe's global competitiveness. therefore, a closer and more profound collaboration with industry (understood in a very broad meaning) is crucial to improve our position in this eu challenge. for this we have to remodel not only research approach (from individual towards collaborative) but also reconsider higher education, to promote entrepreneurship and new collaboration skills.

The High Level Group based its work on the results of the interim evaluation of Horizon 2020. Regarding Horizon 2020 experience what recommendations should be contained in order to fully use Polish and EU-13’s potential? this is a clear declaration from the ec that eXcellence factor as a basis of proposals evaluation could not be compromised. this was a consensus from the very beginning of our work on the Report. however, we should point out in accordance to the Polish Position Paper on the future framework Programme - eu support for scientific, technological and social development that excellence is present both in eu-15 and eu-13 countries, however its visibility is significantly lower in eu-13. Despite serious efforts by the european union and the member states as well as the inclusion of the Widening package in horizon 2020, significant gaps remain among european regions in terms of research and innovation performance. therefore, current efforts to support wider participation need to be significantly strengthened in the future fP. currently we have a set of good practices elaborated under fP7 and h2020 but there is a need to use them and also include some new mechanisms. Propositions in this area might include measures to encourage inclusion of new partners and enhance sustainable development of eRa i.e. introduction of a new Widening scheme based on the experiences of fP7 RegPot instrument and impact of the Widening Package.

the widening instruments as a new type of an action should be integrated in all parts of h2020. moreover, introduction of impact requirements in calls and changes in the evaluation process, where one of the obligatory criteria for differentiation should include the size of the budget dedicated to the widening countries would considerably improve the european added value of the future framework Programme. In order to prepare background for the future framework Programme such pilot instruments should already be implemented within WP 2018-2020 in h2020.Widening package should facilitate better utilisation of excellent modern research infrastructures built through esIf and market uptake of new technologies.as said before, we should focus on deeper analysis of the interim evaluation of h2020 to find the most efficient way to decrease a gap between our position and our ambitions. thus, the mechanisms of widening, the existing and the future ones will require from eu-13 additional efforts. It is quite clear that some of these programmes have not been equally successful in different countries. In my opinion, we have to analyse the doubtful success of 7fP RegPots in Poland and support sustainability of the excellence, and experience created by RegPots trying to improve these centres of excellence and help them to reach next goals, spread their knowledge and apply for other funds. more than 20 RegPots can be translated to 20 sustainable leading institutions representing different fields and areas of R&I. If we take success stories and build upon them, support them when necessary, we will have a ‘win-win’ situation. on the other hand, the teamIng applications were very unsuccessful despite of very good foreign partners, therefore, we have to make even more careful and conclusive analysis before reapplying of the proposals. ■

full report lab – fab – aPP: Investing in the european future we want

LINK

7 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| TOP 10 Polish smes and large companies

II. In the sPothlIght

1. Selena Labs Sp. z o.o. 4 016 380,212. CRIST Offshore Sp. z o.o. 2 408 690,003. KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. 1 220 000,004. Mostostal Warszawa S.A. 1 216 865,325. Krajowa Agencja 1 139 772,50

Poszanowania Energii S.A.6. ABB Sp. z o.o. 981 887,447. Orange Polska S.A. 958 625,008. ASTRI POLSKA Sp. z o.o. 951 208,009. Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne 803 807,13

Operator S.A.10. AILLERON S.A. 756 375,00

the amount of funding (in euro)

TOP 10 Polish smes and large companies successfully funded in horizon 2020

TOP 10 large companies from Poland which received the most funding in Horizon 2020 Programme

1. FundingBox Accelerator Sp. z o.o. 7 993 987,502. Synektik S.A. 3 687 250,003. ITTI Sp. z o.o. 2 239 800,004. Vigo System S.A. 2 233 525,005. Metrosoft Polska 1 846 018,006. TORQWAY Sp. z o.o. 1 639 553,007. INTELICLINIC Sp. z o.o. 1 624 875,008. HARIMATA Sp. z o.o. 1 587 250,009. Airoptic Sp. z o.o. 1 518 624,50

10. IZNAB Sp. z o.o. 1 499 250,00

the amount of funding (in euro)

TOP 10 small- and medium-sized enterprises from Poland,which received the most funding in Horizon 2020 Programme

Data based on ecoRDa v8 refer to 358 calls closed before 31st may 2017.

Innovative small- and medium-sized enterprises as well as large companies which invest in R&D&I solutions play a key role in Polish economy. the development of Polish companies and creating innovation-friendly environment are the priorities for the economic policy of Poland. Well qualified, creative entrepreneurs and researchers who

are more and more interested in international collaboration in the research and development fields within horizon 2020 strengthen the Polish market. We present Top 10 most successful smes and large companies in horizon 2020, according to the latest data.

8 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| Interview with michele andolfo

II. In the sPothlIght

Interview with Michele Andolfo, scientist, selena labs

Poland – a country that desires to move to the next step

Why did you come to Poland and decide to work here? I was looking for some new challenge for my professional career and selena was looking for an international chemist. so during and after the recruiting process I visited Wrocław and I was astonished by the characteristic soul of the city. my first impression of Poland was really positive and still is. a country that desires to move to the next step.

What do you do in Selena? selena is a big chemical company especially devoted to building construction sector, in selena labs (the R&D of selena) I am leading the development on a certain class of products and innovation at an international level. looking for new products, new business opportunities through the R&D path. to propose new technology directly to people that can understand the breakthrough. for this reason I started to be very active in EU funding at horizon 2020 level and I am glad that after the first project (eensulate) that we won at the beginning of 2016 we were informed that another proposal was evaluated positively at the end of last year granting to selena the possibility to be the coordinator of a horizon 2020 project in the bbI framework.

Was it difficult to settle down in Poland? Share your experience, please.Right now I have only one problem in Poland and it is the Polish language. something really tough for a foreigner. you need a lot of effort

to be proficient in this language, but little by little it is getting better. on the other hand Polish people speak english very well so I make the improvement in Polish even harder.

How do you assess working in Poland? What do you like, what would you like to change?Working for a Polish company it was not so complicated, all the people in the hR and accountant department help me with the bureaucracy also living in a big city like Wrocław you can find an help easily. moreover, an Italian community is big and so there was also help in my mother tongue. I was surprised with the will to help a foreigners in the town. of course communication with some offices (tax office in particular) is really complicated for no Polish speakers.

What can attract foreign researchers to Poland, to working in Polish industry, at universities?Increasing the strength in the global market of Polish companies such as selena, increasing the range of actions abroad and starting to show what Polish companies can do, this usually astonishes the former Western part of europe. also it must be explained that if the salaries are still not comparable with some other countries in europe, the cost of living is very low in Poland and it is a huge opportunity for me and my family that we are planning long settlement in Poland and in particular in Wrocław. ■

Selena operates globally, manufacturing and providing professional contractors and DIY users with a wide array of construction chemicals. Selena’s products include polyure-thane foams, adhesives, sealants, building insulation systems and much more. Michele Andolfo is a scientist at Selena Labs Sp. z o.o.

9 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| Interview with tomasz Kośmider, PhD

II. In the sPothlIght

Interview with Tomasz Kośmider, PhD, President, technology Partners

ACTTiVAte project brings financial, organisational, educational and networking support to small- and medium-sized enterprises

Technology Partners is a member of the ACTIVATE project consortium. What does the involvement in this project mean for your institution?

the overall concept of the acttiVate project is to support innovation in smes by enabling the emergence of new cross-border and cross-sector value chains resulting from the translation of advanced technologies among selected sectors with strong synergies. acttiVate project involves a dozen of institutions from six european countries - Portugal, spain, Ireland, belgium, the netherlands and Poland. We are looking for smes who offer their technology-driven products in aeronautics, health care, agriculture or Ict sector. We offer support with a 50 000 euR grant to modify their technology in order to transfer the applications to other of the four mentioned sectors. In addition, the successful beneficiaries will be given an opportunity to network with their counterparts across europe and to present their business cases to a group of private investors who may provide higher amounts of capital as well as a distribution network to commercialisation on a wider european arena.

for us acttiVate project means an opportunity to combine our 15-year expertise in scientific-driven project management with the business acumen of our key staff and to apply them in an area occupied by accelerators and seed capital providers. the success of acttiVate

will give us a very credible reference to expand the scope of our services into technology driven Pe/Vc.

What are the main objectives of the ACTTiVAte project?

acttiVate project works towards three main objectives:

• to foster cross-sector innovation among smes from four different sectors: aerospace, agri-food, health and Ict, allocating around 85% of the project budget to smes,

• to generate new value chains and to develop strategies that allow clusters to lead the engagement of smes in activities intended to create new services and products,

• to set up strategies to achieve stable growth of cross-sector and cross-border innovation beyond the project.

Who will benefit from the project results?

acttiVate project brings financial, organisational, educational and networking support to small- and medium-sized enterprises. they may be well-established companies as well as start-ups that demonstrate a very interesting business idea and determination to prove its value. In april 2017 were announced calls for proposals. ■To apply, go to www.acttivate.eu

ACTTiVAte

10 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| Interview with tomasz mazuryk

FundingBox is a funding platform for startups and accelerators. Could you explain what does your company do? 

We help governments distribute funding to startups and smes that have disruption potential. We do it online. It is a simple process that requires only hours to apply. then, within weeks and with the help of investors and specialized mentors we choose the winners through an open call. together with the funding, startups, but also smes, receive services such as acceleration. the average funding per startup/sme is between 60 and 250 k euros.

What kind of start-ups does FundingBox support? 

We support startups that have technological disruption potential in the topics that governments want to prioritize. In case of the ec, the h2020 topics. In case of the member states, those that make sense for the smart specialization of the region of the startup or the sme.

Nowadays the global economy requires international cooperation. What benefits does international collaboration bring to companies? 

In the field where we work, the key word is ‘global’. If a startup or an sme does not have global potential, it will not get funded. so the

international aspect is not only a benefit, it is a must!

How to attract foreign partners to Poland?

every consortium trying to win funding for their research project needs a Polish partner. Poland is the most preferred representative of the cee. a consortium without cee partners, it is not a balanced consortium.  the key is to be an active partner in the hubs and the platforms where the innovation ecosystem agent meet. both on-line through platforms like fundingbox but also at events that are frequently organized by the PPPs (public private partnerships). 

FundingBox is one of the companies which receive funding under Horizon 2020. Could you give some advice how to be successful in Horizon 2020? 

Why we are convinced that we have been successful is because we have approached the research challenges from the ec in a ‘lean startup’ way. We look at each project as a startup. We look for consortium partners that want to be our co-founders. then, we focus a lot on ‘go-to-market’ approaches. this allows us to propose sustainable projects that outlive the project duration itself. ■

II. In the sPothlIght

Interview with Tomasz Mazuryk, Partner, co-founder, fundingbox accelerator sp. z o.o.

We focus a lot on go-to-market approaches

11 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| more than 600 foreign scientists came to Poland

III. come to PolanD

more than 600 foreign scientists came to Poland in the last decade

The majority of them are from Ukraine, Germany and India. 34 scientists from around the world have been employed by the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology (Polish Academy of Sciences). The researchers, including chemists, biologists, linguists and psychologists, have moved to Poland within the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) programme established by the European Union.among the 668 scientists who have moved at the Vistula river, there is Rohan Soman from India. he works at the gdansk Institute of fluid-flow machinery. 'I have to admit that when I came across this opportunity, I did

not know much about Poland', emphasizes the doctoral student. 'but I quickly found out that the classes are at a high level here and the institute is a prestigious research unit with stable funding. I specialize in mechanics and investigate the influence of wind turbines on health. I have been offered a job at the Institute of fluid-flow machinery after completing the scholarship, so my adventure with Poland will not end', says Rohan soman.he is one of the 27 Indian researchers who moved to Poland in the last 10 years within the msca grant. the same number of researchers are from spain. the largest group is from ukraine - 34, germany - 32 and Italians - 24.

668 foreign scientists came to Poland (excluding Polish scientists who returned to Poland)

Top 5 nationalities of scientists who come to Poland

32German

34Ukrainian

24Italian

27Indian

27Spanish

Top 3 Polish entities which hosted the researchers

34

Nencki Institute of Experimental biology, Polish academy of sciences 30

University of Warsaw

27

Institute of Physical chemistry Polish academy of sciences

Top 5 Polish companies which hosted the researchers

top-gan sp. z o.o.

abb sp. z o.o.

ctadventure sp. z o.o.

future synthesis sp. z.o.o.

Zamak mercator sp. z.o.o.

12 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| more than 600 foreign scientists came to Poland

III. come to PolanDthe scholarships are given for a period of one to three years. 'they are granted to scientists who already have a PhD or 4 years of experience in research', explains Anna Wiśniewska from the National Contact Point for Research Programmes of the European Union, who helps researchers win eu funding, including grants for international travels. 'the programme finances living and travel expenses, family allowances and research. the money goes to the university or company that hosts the scientist from abroad,' says anna Wiśniewska.thanks to msca, foreign researchers were employed, among others, by top gan - the manufacturer of semiconductor laser diodes, as well as by cta - specializing in medical imaging and virtual reality. the programme is implemented by academic institutions, including the Polish academy of sciences: the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology and the Institute of Physical chemistry.'International mobility is an inherent part of the scientific profession. Participation in international conferences, research projects or applying for fellowships to do research in another country are activities which are crucial for scientific research at the highest level', says Adam Szewczyk, Director of the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology. 'such conditions are provided to our employees and under such conditions we host foreign researchers', stresses prof. szewczyk.Professor Marcin Opałło from the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy

of Sciences in Warsaw points out that these several hundred foreign scholars working in Polish scientific centers are a valuable energy shot: 'thanks to the marie skłodowska-curie actions programme, 27 foreigners were admitted to our institute. they are ukrainians, belarusians, but also germans and Indians. apart from being excellent experts, they also bring a little different perspective based on their experience gained in their countries. 'It is really precious', believes director of the institute.the marie skłodowska-curie actions programme has been in operation since 1997. at the time, it has supported the careers of 135,000 scientists from around the world. among them are eight nobel Prize winners, but also an oscar prize winner (for engineer programmers in the ‘special effects’ category). the msca grants focuse on career development but also on international mobility of experts. the scholarships are given to the best and most promising researchers from all over the world. beneficiaries either come to europe from other continents or move from one eu country to another. the grants can be used also outside the old continent, but in that case the researcher after his secondment has to return to europe for one year.this important scholarship program commemorating the Polish chemist and two-time nobel prize winner maria skłodowska-curie is funded by the eu framework Programme horizon 2020.

are you an experienced researcher thinking about your next career move and you want to come to Poland? apply for msca grant! Individual fellowships (If) fund researchers looking to enhance their career development and prospects by working abroad.

individual Fellowships

iF Click for more information

all marie skłodowska-curie actions researchers are invited to join the marie curie alumni association. mcaa members connected to Poland are warmly encouraged to join the Polish chapter, established in 2017.

Join the Marie Curie Alumni Association

MCAAClick for more information

13 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| Visit euRaXess Poland portal

III. come to PolanD

meet international researchers

Junya, JapanI came to Poland with my family to join Prof. Piotr sułkowski's group at the faculty of Physics at the university of Warsaw.  I was employed as a postdoctoral researcher for his project "Quantum fields and Knot homologies" funded by european Research council, which aims to tackle fundamental questions that lie at the interface of quantum field theory, string theory and knot theory.

as non-eu residents with no knowledge of Polish, we expected to have a hard time obtaining our residence permits and other necessary documents. then, a staff member at my department recommended us to seek help from euRaXess Poland. they kindly explained everything we needed to understand and helped us communicate with the immigration and municipal offices, making the applications far easier than we had imagined. We were simply amazed by how supportive and professional they were.

thanks to the assistance of the euRaXess staff, our life in Warsaw has been very comfortable.We are especially satisfied with the balanced lifestyle and the quality of food here (and just to let you know, we came to Poland from Italy). they seem to have positive effects on my research as well, and I'm ready to create what will be the most important work of mine here in Poland. ■

Visit euRaXess Poland portal

euRaXess in Poland supports foreign researchers by providing personalized information and assistance when moving to Poland. on the portal you will find jobs and funding database, as well as information related to working and living as a researcher

in Poland. you will find also contact details to 10 euRaXess centres in  Poland. Website address: www.euraxess.pl

If you have any questions, please contact our Polish euRaXess expert monika Zaremba. e-mail: monika.zaremba@kpk.gov.pl

14 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| meet international researchers

III. come to PolanD

Jan, the netherlandsafter completing my PhD in the netherlands, I came to Warsaw, Poland, for a postdoc position at the Institute of mathematics of the Polish academy of sciences. since I am a european citizen, securing a visa for myself

was not a problem. however, my fiancée is from the united states and it was much more of a fuss to obtain a residence permit for her, mainly because we are not yet married. We were in the process of going through all the paperwork and trying to figure out how to proceed when someone recommended that we contact monika Zaremba from EURAXESS Centre in Warsaw. I am extremely glad that we did because from the moment we contacted her she took complete control of the process and helped us with every part of it (filling out the application forms and accompanying us to the appointments and to a tax office, including having one of her colleagues come along as an additional translator); she supported us in every step of the application process.

I am sure that without the help of euRaXess it would've been very difficult for us to apply correctly for the residence permit, and perhaps the result wouldn't have been the same (we ended up getting the residence permit). ■

meet international researchers

narasimha Rao, IndiaI worked as a marie curie fellow in an eu funded program at the Pharmaceutical Research Institute in Warsaw, Poland, for three years (2013 september - 2016 august).

During this period of my stay in Poland, I received enormous support from the euRaXess centre in Warsaw. monika from euRaXess was helping me with the language problems to communicate with locals, to get residency permit, to file tax statements, she was really a great help during that time. as a part of marie curie program, I needed to attend training schools in different countries. she was very helpful to get visas during travels. apart from that she was also given a great support in finding accommodation, to talk with the land lords etc. Whenever, I faced problems to communicated with locals she was always helping me with the language on phone or in person. I am thankful to her from the bottom of my heart. I wish her all the success in her career and I wish she will be helpful in the same way for other researchers in the future. ■

15 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| Polish Programmes

III. come to PolanD

Polish Programmes

Grants for experienced scientists The TEAM programme offers funding for research teams led by distinguished scientists. Pursued projects shall involve R&D programme enabling breakthrough scientific research of major significance for the society and economy. Projects must be carried out in cooperation with a foreign partner.the aim of the TEAM-TECH programme is to fund research teams headed by distinguished scientists pursuing excellent and competitive R&D projects leading to development of new technologies, processes, and innovative products or services. In both programmes applicants must be scientists holding at least a PhD degree. funding is awarded for a period of up to 3 years (with a possibility of extension for further 2 years). It is recommended that the project budget does not exceed EUR 900 000. Projects may be carried out in Poland at research institutions or enterprises or in scientific/industrial consortia. the next call for applications in the teAM and TEAM-TECH programmes will be announced in november 2017 with its deadline in January 2018.Grants for young researchers the FIRST TEAM programme offers funds to young researchers who want to launch their first team. the funding of approx. euR 455 000 may be awarded for three years with a possibility of extension by one year. the projects may be implemented in research units, companies or scientific/industrial consortia. the HOMING programme is addressed to talented researchers who want to come or return to Poland to pursue their research programmes. under this funding stream, grants of up to euR 180 000 will be awarded for postdoctoral-like internship projects. the financing may be awarded for two years. the projects may be implemented in research units or companies.

Researchers who interrupted R&D work at an early stage of their professional careers due to employment in another sector of economy or for parental reasons may apply for a grant of up to ca. euR 180 000 in the POWROTY/REINTEGRATION programme. the projects may be implemented in research units or companies. funding under all the three programmes is available for young doctors (who have had a doctoral degree for not longer than 5 years) regardless of their nationality. Projects selected for funding must be implemented in cooperation with a scientific partner (domestic or foreign).

the next call for applications in the FIRST TEAM, HOMING and POWROTY/REINTEGRATION programmes will be announced in august 2017 with its deadline in october 2017.

Poland: International Research Agendas top scientists, irrespective of their nationality, may now apply for funding to create in Poland a research unit (innovative center of excellence) within the International Research agendas Programme (IRaP) run by the foundation for Polish science.the IRaP provides an opportunity to create specialised, world-class research units in Poland conducting quality research programmes and pursuing R&D activities on specific global scientific challenge. each project will receive the funding required to implement the research agenda. the suggested funding amount for five years is approximately euR 8 million and may be increased.the IRaP is co-financed within the framework of axis IV of the smart growth operational Programme 2014 - 2020. the total budget of the programme is about euR 126 million.

Detailed information on the IRaP LINK

The Foundation for Polish Science - the largest NGO providing competitive funds for science in Poland – invites scientists from all over the world, irrespective of their nationality, to respond to call for proposals in the wide range of programmes implemented by the Foundation and financed from the Smart Growth Operational Programme 2014 - 2020.

16 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| nature-based solutions in Polish cities

IV. success stoRIes In hoRIZon 2020

currently over 70% of europe's population lives in cities, which is expected to increase to over 80% by the middle of the century. this translates to 36 million new urban citizens by 2050 and brings new challenges

related to water and energy supply, waste management and spatial planning. cities are also more vulnerable to climate change, especially with their population growing older. In order to address those challenges, the environment unit within the Directorate-general (Dg) Research and Innovation of the european commission launched the concept of nature-based solutions (nbs) as a way of making ecosystems and nature an integral part of sustainable development. European commission defines nature-based solutions (nbs) to societal challenges as solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience. the aim of such solutions is to bring more, nature and natural features and processes into cities through locally adapted, resource-efficient and systemic interventions. Within the framework of horizon 2020 nature-based solutions are supposed to solve the problems identified under social challenge 5: climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials. last year's call for proposals: scc-02-2016-2017: Demonstrating innovative nature-based solutions in cities, was very successful for Polish participants and four projects with Polish participation are about to start. GROW GREEN - Green Cities for Climate and Water Resilience, Sustainable Economic Growth, Healthy Citizens and Environment - brings the partner cities together to find sustainable solutions to various climate change related problems. the front runner cities: Manchester (uK), Valencia (Spain), Wrocław (Poland) and Wuhan (China) and the follower cities: lille

(France), Zadar (Croatia) and Modena (italy) are currently inhabited by 12.7 million people and sit at the heart of wider metropolitan areas which are home to 17.8 million people. all the cities already experience flooding and heat stress, with projections for these issues to increase due to climate change and ongoing development. gRoW gReen brings the partner cities together on the basis of these similarities but also their differences. across the 6 european and 1 chinese city they represent the range of different cities that are found across the world, and the different climate risks that they face. the cities will demonstrate a replicable approach for the development and implementation of city nbs strategies. gRoW gReen will also provide a platform presenting various ways that nbs are embedded in the long-term planning, development, operation and management of cities around the world. the project is coordinated by manchester city council, Poland is represented by City of Wrocław, Wrocław Agglomeration Development Agency and Wrocław University of environmental and life Sciences. CONNECTING - COproductioN with NaturE for City Transitioning, INnovation and Governance - project partners will form a community of cities fostering transdisciplinary capacity-building between cities within a ‘transitioning, innovation and governance academy’. this academy will co-develop the policy and practices necessary to scale up urban resilience, innovation and governance via nature-based solutions. connectIng will provide the reference framework for a new generation of urban nature-based solution processes and empower transitioning ambassadors who will globalise this approach through a strategy targeting multiplier cities. the project is coordinated by trinity College Dublin. Polish partners in this project include: City of Poznań and Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.INASOUL - Innovative NAture-based SOlutions for Urban resilience and welL-being - the project aims at the provision of a robust evidence

nature-based solutions in Polish cities

17 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 2| nature-based solutions in Polish cities

IV. success stoRIes In hoRIZon 2020

nature-based solutions in Polish citiesbase on nature-based solutions through the development and demonstration in urban settlements. Implementation of Inasoul will support resilience and well-being in cities. It will also contribute to green economy, by creating green jobs and exploring innovative financing in selected cities. Inasoul is coordinated by iHe Delft institute for Water education and Polish partners are City of lodz and european regional Centre of ecohydrology – Polish Academy of Sciences.ACQUA - Adaption to Climate change, improving Quality of life in Urban Areas - the project has a main goal to adapt cities to climate change and improve quality of life in urban areas. for this reason, impact is created for water and climate challenges as well as for socio-cultural, economic and environmental challenges. the main output of acQua is an online reference framework that can be used by facilitators, suppliers and beneficiaries of nbs and that functions as guidance for application of inbs in urban planning in any context, worldwide. acQua is coordinated by GEMEENTE UTRECHT and Poland is represented in the consortium by itti Sp.z o.o.Growing interest in a current Horizon 2020 call for proposals proves that Polish cities became keen on nature-based solutions and are looking forward to join demonstration projects and turn into living labs. Participation in horizon 2020 is for Polish local authorities not only a smart way to get european funds for local investments but also bring many other benefits, such as for example opportunity to test the most innovative solutions not yet on the market. furthermore, joining the international consortium creates a space for networking, exchange of experience and best practice.

OPPLA platform was created for all parties interested in implementation of nature based solutions. the main goal of oPPla is to simplify

the way the knowledge about environment is obtained and shared. membership in oppla allows access to the following services:

• Ask Oppla: a crowd-sourced enquiry service, where members of the oppla community help to answer each other's questions.

• Oppla Marketplace: a knowledge supermarket where you can obtain guidance, software, data and other useful resources, as well as promote the outputs of your own project or network.

• Oppla Community: an easy-to-use system for networking with other members from around the world.

up till now over 60 universities, research institutes, agencies and enterprises are contributing to oppla as part of a joint activity between the oPeRas and openness projects, funded by the european commission fP7 Programme.Other valuable source of information and inspiration for nature-based solutions is Think nature Platform, created within the framework of horizon 2020 project. the thinknature Platform brings together multi-disciplinary expertise on nature-based solutions.  by joining the platform it becomes possible to ask questions, view case studies and share strategies.

think nature topic lines include:• enhancing sustainable urbanisation• Restoring degraded ecosystems• Developing climate change adaptation

and mitigation• Improving risk: management and resilience.

If you have any questions, please contact our Polish ncP expert magdalena głogowska, PhD. e-mail: magdalena.glogowska@kpk.gov.pl

18 | en.kpk.gov.plBULLETIN No. 1| how to effectively create R&D strategies

V. eVents

more than 200 representatives of Polish companies, academic institutions and public administration met on the 17th of may 2017 in Warsaw’s creativity center at the conference How to effectively create research and development strategies in the Polish industry? Institutions whose representatives have participated in the conference are already active or are planning their activity in the field of research and development (R&D). they are also beneficiaries and applicants for funds from the horizon 2020 framework Programme, the Innovative economy operational Programme and the Regional operational Programme of the masovian Voivodeship. conference recording is available at strategiebplusr.pl (Polish language)Half-way point of the Horizon 2020the participants were welcomed by the director of the national contact Point for Research Programmes of the european union in Poland,  Zygmunt Krasiński, PhD. he recalled that the Polish ncP have supported Polish entities participating in eu framework programmes since 5 fP that is almost 20 years. ‘We are in the middle of the horizon 2020, we have something to fight for – there is still 30 billion euro to dispose, including about 1/3 for companies’, said director Krasiński. and he added: ‘We initiated a nationwide forum to discuss and exchange the best practices. the experience from this conference will help to formulate recommendations on the effective implementation of research and development strategies in the Polish industry, effective communication and brand building on the global market, which – on the one hand

– should have an impact on a greater share of Polish companies in horizon 2020 and the next framework programme, on the other hand – to increase the competitiveness of the Polish economy’.one of the speakers of the plenary session was sławomir tokarski, Director of Innovation and advanced manufacturing, Directorate general Internal market, Industry, entrepreneurship and smes (Dg gRoW) of the european commission. he presented a new initiative of the european commission to support industrial modernization in europe through intelligent specializations and interregional cooperation. he emphasized that private spending on research and development in Poland is growing faster than in other eu countries, at about 15% per year. In his opinion, Poland does very well in all categories of human capital in the european Innovation scoreboard.significant reductions for companies investing in research and development the Deputy minister of science and higher education Piotr Dardziński assured that the Polish government creates good conditions for those who invest in innovation. Vice minister explained that one of the arrangements that supports companies investing in R&D is the substantial tax reduction, which is planned under the innovation act. he added that the role of conducted PhDs is also very important in building cooperation between science and industry. Piotr Dardziński stressed that horizon 2020 is one of the european programmes that should be used by entrepreneurs. ■Read more at en.kpk.gov.pl

how to effectively create R&D strategies in the industry

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Bulletin Team: Katarzyna Walczyk-matuszyk, Renata czeladko, sława Duszyńska, monika Zaremba