EEA and Norway Grants, along with The Norwegian Research Council, have prepared a varied programme with informative presentations, inspiring panel debates, discussion tables and presentations of EEA and Norway Grants results.

Main session: Monday May 27th

On-site and online

12:00
Registration opens at 12:00 and lunch will be served from 12:15

12:30
Welcome
Anders Eide – Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to the European Union (TBC)
Kristján Andri Stefánsson – Ambassador of Iceland in Brussels

13:00
Why are we here? Setting out the objectives and ambitions for the day
Rune Vistad – Director of Department for International Cooperation, Research Council of Norway

13:10
Introduction to the EEA and Norway Grants programs, projects and results
Ragna Fidjestøl – Managing Director of the EEA and Norway Grants, Financial Mechanism Office

13:30
Travelogue from EU Missions + EEA and Norway Grants Events in 2023

13:45
Panel conversation 1
EEA and Norway Grants looking at the EU Missions
Panel moderator: Ásdís Jónsdóttir – Sector Officer for Research and Education, Financial Mechanism Office

• Ovidiu Cimpean – State Secretary at the Ministry of Investments and European Projects, Romania
• Zuzana Dostálová – Head of the EEA and Norway Grants Department at the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic
• Michał Miedziński – Economic and policy researcher at the Joint Research Centre
• Agnieszka Ratajczak – Director at the Department of International Cooperation of the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) Poland
• Evangelia Tzika – Policy Officer DG MARE of the European Commission

14:15
Coffee break

14:40
Panel conversation 2
Reflections on the potential of connecting the results of the EEA and Norway Grants'
programs to EU Missions
Panel moderator: Tor Ivar Eikaas – Special Adviser, Research Council of Norway

• Philippe Froissard – Head of Unit “Strategy, Policy Coordination and Urban Transitions”, Clean Planet Directorate, DG Research & Innovation, EC
• Andreea Strachinescu –  Head of Unit "Maritime Innovation, Marine Knowledge and Investment" (A1), DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, EC
• Philippe Tulkens – Head of Unit, Climate and Planetary Boundaries (B3), DG Research and Innovation, EC
• Jan Van De Loo – Senior Expert at Unit "Combatting Diseases" DG Research and Innovation
• Jelena Vidović, Research Programme Officer "New Research & Innovation Concepts" DG

Agriculture and Rural Development, EC3

15:15
Panel conversation 3
How to make the synergies happen?
Panel moderator: Tom-Espen Møller – Special Adviser, Research Council of Norway

• Adrian Curaj – Director of the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding, Romania
• Ragna Fidjestøl – Managing Director at Financial Mechanism Office, EEA and Norway Grants
• Joerg Niehoff – Deputy Head of Unit, ERA Spreading Excellence and Research Careers, (A4) DG Research and Innovation, EC
• Marnix Surgeon – Deputy Head of Unit, Common Missions and Partnership Service (G4), DG Research and Innovation, EC

15:45
Closings comments
Inger Midtkandal – Special Adviser, Research Council of Norway

16:00
Reception at EFTA-House

Workshop: Tuesday May 28th

On-site only

09:00
Registration

09:30
Reflections on the future of the EEA and Norway Grants
Rune Vistad – Research Council of Norway

09:40
State of play and the future of the EU Missions
Oda Bjelland Mathiassen – Seconded National Expert at Common Missions and Partnership Service (G4), DG Research and Innovation, EC

09:50
Short introductions to each of the 5 Mission
Representatives of the Mission Secretariats (TBC)

10:15
Session 1
Discussion tables dedicated to the different EU Missions + Widening policies

10:55
Coffee break

11:00
Session 2
Discussion tables dedicated to the different EU Missions + Widening policies

11:45
Summing up and next steps

12:00
Lunch

Venue
EFTA House
Avenue des Arts 19H
Brussels

Online streaming available on May 27th

Workshop exclusively on-site

Contact
Aleksandra W. Haugstad: awh@rcn.no
Ásdís Jónsdóttir: Asdis.JONSDOTTIR@efta.int