About SEREN5

SEREN5 is a project funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

SEREN5 activities dedicated to Cluster 3 NCPs will build on the experience and results of the previous SEREN projects (especially SEREN3 2015-2018 and SEREN4 2018-2021). The overall approach of SEREN5 is mainly based on the following concepts, corresponding to the currently identified needs of the Cluster 3 NCPs and of the entire European Civil Security research ecosystem:

• capacity building and mutual learning of NCPs (WP2),
• provision of targeted and high-quality services to Cluster 3 applicants, with a special focus on widening countries (WP3 and WP5),
• provision of new ways of networking and cooperation with key actors (WP4),
• impact assessment and policy feedback (WP7).

The main aim of SEREN5 is to improve and professionalize the skills of the Cluster 3 (CL3) National Contact Points (NCPs) across Europe, simplifying applicants’ access to Horizon Europe (HE) calls and raising the average quality of submitted proposals.

Starting from the assumption that the NCP role is crucial in order to raise the participation in HE in terms of both quality and quantity, SEREN5 overall concept is that the CL3 NCP community requires knowledge, skills, competencies, and a proven comprehensive suite of tools to convey a message in a multicultural and multi-disciplinary environment such the one that characterizes Cluster 3 and to effectively support its broad-based constituency.

Therefore, the project is based on three pillars:

1. NCPs capacity building and competence development;
2. development of targeted and high-quality services (events and tools) for CL3 applicants and stakeholders;
3. CL3 community building and general mainstreaming of CL3 NCPs in Horizon Europe.

What can SEREN5 do for (provide) you?

SeReMa partner search tool
Database with the objective of increasing the visibility of security-related research in Europe and optimizing the networking between security stakeholders.

Brokerage events
Organized with the objective of gathering potential applicants interested in designing projects and building consortia for the open calls, enhancing international cooperation in CL3. There will be also pitch presentation sessions, from stakeholders wishing to present their project ideas to find partners or to join consortia.

European Information Days
There will be at least one info day per year organized in close cooperation with the European Commission and the Research Executive Agency. This will provide training and dedicated services for stakeholders.

Training stakeholders
The purpose is to raise the standard of learning to security stakeholders through a proactive consultation process. Training will be divided into two specific themes, the first being the ‘knowledge’ theme, and the second being the ‘information’ theme.

Promoting synergies with Security key players
The essential synergies between industry, research organizations, universities and other vital players in the Civil Security area will lead the project to further cooperate with key players in the field of security such as CERIS, EARTO, EOS, ECSO, etc. The main aspects of collaboration will revolve around communication of the ecosystem needs, trends and ideas, information exchange, participation and co-organization of events of mutual interest (SMI2G event).

Promoting synergies with Enterprise Europe Network
The aim is to use synergies and relationships, between Cluster 3 NCPs and EEN, to provide improved support to Cluster 3 applicants and beneficiaries, to produce better proposals and find partners by giving them access to diverse opportunities and resources.

Information materials for stakeholders
E-mails
Newsletters
Leaflets
Website
Social media