Parallel to the policy conference, the virtual Science is Wonderful! Exhibition lets schools, youth, citizens and stakeholders discover 40 EU-funded projects tackling the main challenges faced by our societies, from the climate emergency to the fight against cancer and COVID-19.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth said:

The 2020 edition of the European Research & Innovation Days already is a fantastic interactive event. With the policy conference covering 10 thematic hubs including the Green Deal and Horizon Europe, co-design sessions, as well as prize ceremonies and the Science is Wonderful! exhibition, there is opportunity for everyone to get involved and share their thoughts on the future of European research and innovation.

This morning Commissioner Gabriel joined Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans and Jean-Eric Paquet, the Commission’s director general for research and innovation, to provide an in-depth look at the contribution of research and innovation to the European Green Deal and Europe’s recovery. In the afternoon, a dedicated session will address the main novelties of the upcoming Communication on the Future of Research and Innovation and the European Research Area. In another session, Vice President Dubravka Šuica will speak about how Co-designing & involving citizens in EU missions will lead to a European collective intelligence

This morning high-level independent experts also handed over their recommendations on five potential EU missions to tackle our most pressing societal challenges. By 2030, the proposed missions aim to find solutions for saving more lives from cancer, making Europe climate resilient, restoring our ocean and waters, achieving 100 climate-neutral cities, and ensuring 75% of soils in the EU are healthy.

Next to plenary sessions, dedicated hub sessions and workshops, the Commission will award four prestigious European prices to game-changing innovators and ideas over the next two days:

• The EU prize for Women Innovators 2020
• The European Capital of Innovation (iCapital) Award
• The Horizon Impact Award,
• The European Innovation Council Horizon Prize for Affordable Tech for Humanitarian Aid.

Background

European Research and Innovation Days is the European Commission’s annual flagship Research and Innovation event. This year, it is a fully virtual event, with the Policy conference and the Science is Wonderful! Exhibition both taking place online.

The policy conference forms the core of the European Research and Innovation Days and is divided into plenary sessions, hub sessions and workshops covering 10 themes:

• Hub 1: Policy
• Hub 2: European Green Deal
• Hub 3: Digitalisation
• Hub 4: Horizon Europe
• Hub 5: EU Missions
• Hub 6: Smart implementation
• Hub 7: International cooperation
• Hub 8: European Innovation Council
• Hub 9: European Institute of Innovation & Technology
• Hub 10: European Research Council

Last year’s ‘physical’ event was recognised as the most visible EU research event in many years, attracting more than 4,400 conference participants, 3,200 exhibition visitors, and with an overall social media reach of some 120,000.

The European Research and Innovation Days are open to everyone who wants to get involved or is interested in the future of research and innovation. Registrations remain open until the 24 September, the last day of the conference.

More information

Registrations (open until 24 September)
Policy conference
Programme
Media page
2020 EU R&I Days video
Science is Wonderful! Exhibition
EU research and innovation in the fight against coronavirus