The “HORIZON 2020 Week – 2015” was held on September 21–25, 2015, in Minsk. The event concerned the participation of Belarus research, industrial and business organizations in the 2nd Work Programme of “HORIZON 2020” for 2016–2017. For Belarus, the start of the “HORIZON 2020” is quite promising: upon the results of the first year, 11 projects with national participants have already brought around 1,5 mln EUR. However, having almost 20 thousand researchers, Belarus has a much higher capacity.

The Week was organized by the Belarusian Institute of System Analysis and Information Support for Science and Technology with support of the two EU projects – IncoNet EaP and EAST-HORIZON.

The Week has combined three main activities. It started with the “HORIZON 2020” Information Day (September 21, 2015) focused on such thematic priorities as “Secure, Clean and Efficient Energy” and “Climate action, resource efficiency and raw materials”, as well as on Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions. The experts from the several EU projects (IncoNet EaP, ener2i, INNOVER-EAST and NoGap) presented the instruments provided by their projects for attendants to support their innovation activities in the Programme and beyond it. Several ‘external’ schemed (COST, the new EU-supported project “MOST”) have been recommended as well. Thanks to the fact that Belarus recently joined the Europe Enterprise Network, the Business Cooperation Centre “EEN Belarus”, its local partner for the first time has presented a mechanism of practical interaction with national clients.

On September 21–23, 2015, two training sessions were organized for potential participants of the “HORIZON 2020”. The training for newcomers was held by the experienced experts from the Estonian Research Council. It focused on such issues, as project idea, partner search, understanding of the Work Programme for 2016–2017 and practical skills for working with the Participant Portal of “HORIZON 2020”. During the second training, the attendants had an opportunity to improve their skills in preparing a proposal through drafting, presenting and evaluating the pilot project proposals in the “Information and Communication Technologies” Theme.

The last days, September 24–25, 2015 were devoted to individual consultations provided by the staff of the Belarus National Information Point for the EU Research and Innovation Programmes to the participants of the Week in order to answer the numerous questions  generated by the new information they had got there. 

The “HORIZON 2020 Week – 2015” has raised an interest in the research community. The total number of attendants in the first three days was around 200. The number of those who registered to the training for newcomers has exceeded two times the available places that is the good reason to repeat such trainings more often in future.

Мaterials of the “HORIZON 2020 Week – 2015” will be posted soon at the National Science and Technology Portal and website of the Belarus National Information Point for the EU Research and Innovation Programmes.