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CIH Hosts a half-day Seminar on Global Health Research Opportunities in H2020

Audience attending seminar listening to presentation
Photo:
Ragnhild Osnes Legreid

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Close to 45 researchers and academicians drawn from CIH, UiB, Helse Bergen, from the Muhimbili University of Dares Salaam (MUHAS) from Tanzania and the Addis Ababa University (AAU) from Ethiopia met for a half-day seminar dealing with Global Health Research Opportunities in H2020.

During the seminar, three panelists gave presentations on issues related to global health research opportunities.

Professor Roland Jonsson from the Department of Clinical Sciences shared his wide and rich experience of securing research grants during his presentation entitled “My Way into a EU Funded Project”. He discussed key issues by pointing to practical examples from his earliest contract in 1996 all the way to his current research engagements. He emphasized on his experiences with the EU funded projects. He elaborated on the importance of focusing on forming research teams and networking for coming up with a successful proposal.

Kristin Andersen, national contact point for health in H2020 representing Research Council of Norway made a detailed presentation on” Opportunities for Global Health Research in Horizon 2020”.

She started by reminding on the dwindling funds from RCN/GLOBVAC and advised participants to turn their attention to HORIZONT2020 instead. To that end, she gave a description on how researchers need to orient themselves in the European funding landscape. She also talked about a list of new H2020 topics that are of interest to Global health researchers.

Concerning the issue of support by RCN as to how researchers could find their way into H2020 projects, she mentioned host of areas of support. These include identifying grant opportunities and the competence needed in projects, finding partners, mentoring and commenting on project proposals. She also mentioned that her office is manned with national contact points (NCPs) for every program in the H2020 who are available to render services to those who seek support and advice.

Leader of the External Funding Task Team with the UiB, Beatriz Balino on her part familiarized the participants with the research support the University of Bergen provides to researchers and the way the task team is organized and operates. She also made a detailed description of the pre and post award research support and services provided by the UiB. Her team works with UiB’s permanent liaison office in Brussels to help researchers to be in the forefront regarding research grants from EU programs.