South Korea to join the European Union ’s research funding program

The European Commission announced today that South Korea will join Horizon Europe, as the 7-year, €95.5 billion ($104 billion) research funding program continues to expand far beyond the continent. South Korea will be the first East Asian country to “associate to” Horizon Europe, paying into the program so that the nation’s researchers can apply for and lead Horizon grants on an equal footing with scientists from EU member states. Associating “presents an opportunity for Korean researchers to tackle globally important research topics and expand their international contacts and collaborators,” says Park Seokchun, deputy director of South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT. The financial details of the deal haven’t been announced, but today in Brussels, Lee Jogn-ho, South Korean science minister, and Iliana Ivanova, European commissioner for innovation, research, culture, education, and youth, said they had completed negotiations and a formal agreement would be signed later this year. The deal comes less than a year after New Zealand became the first country from outside of the European region to join Horizon Europe, as the European Union seeks to internationalize the program. Under past iterations, only countries in Europe’s neighborhood could join, but Horizon Europe opens the option up to nations further afield which share a “ a common understanding of fundamental principles and values in research and innovation .”...
Source: Science of Aging Knowledge Environment - Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research