NCP4Missions survey highlights the capacity-building efforts and issues recommendations for future capacity building activities

Published on: 14/02/2025

The National Contact Points (NCPs) for EU Missions continue to enhance their ability to support applicants through targeted capacity-building efforts under the NCP4Missions project. A recent evaluation provides valuable insights into ongoing progress, identifies key challenges, and offers recommendations for further strengthening these efforts.

The evaluation gathered feedback from 60 NCPs across 31 countries, assessing participation in capacity-building activities. Of the NCPs surveyed, 65% had participated in events organized by the network. Of those who had not yet participated, most cited scheduling conflicts and lack of time as the biggest barrier.

Effective capacity-building initiatives

The capacity building activities were generally well received, particularly the "Meet & Share" and "Deep Dive" sessions which provided practical knowledge and fostered peer exchange. Feedback highlighted the importance of long-term planning of events, effective communication, and fostering collaboration between NCPs.

Recommendations for Future Activities

To further support NCPs, respondents suggested:

Expanding topics to include stakeholder engagement strategies beyond academic stakeholders.
Combining training sessions with interactive "Meet & Share" discussions.
Increasing the duration of key events to allow for more in-depth exploration of topics.
Insights into mission-specific issues as such as pathways to impact, multi-actor approach and SHH integration
Strengthening collaboration using digital tools and joint events with stakeholders from complementary programmes.

Next Steps

Building on these recommendations, NCP4Missions will refine its approach to capacity-building, ensuring activities are more focused, collaborative, and impactful. By fostering knowledge-sharing and strengthening connections, the network aims to enhance support for EU Missions and drive greater participation in future funding opportunities, contributing to the impact of the Missions in promoting a fair and sustainable Europe.