Events

On 29 May 2026, experts from the INSPIRE initiative, including the Applied Research and Communications Fund team, convened with local stakeholders and policymakers to explore practical solutions for the institutional integration, scaling, and adaptation of participatory governance approaches. The workshop focused on identifying institutional barriers, assessing governance capacities, examining the transferability of participatory practices across different contexts, and addressing the democratic trade-offs involved in embedding participatory governance within existing systems. Throughout the...

On 18 May 2026, the Applied Research and Communications Fund organised an on-site training for Bulgarian small and medium-sized enterprises selected through the open call for interested companies under the SustainX project. The training focused on open innovation, collaboration models, and the transfer of knowledge, innovation and technology as practical tools for strengthening SME competitiveness and innovation capacity. The session formed part of the national capacity-building activities implemented under SustainX, aiming to support companies in developing their innovation potential...

How can research, technology, and industry be effectively connected? Which cooperation models deliver real results for small and medium-sized enterprises? And how can successful European practices be applied in our context? The “RTIT>> Conference: Where Industry Meets Innovation” will take place on June 2, 2026, at the INTERA Technology Park, bringing together representatives from the public sector, academia, and industry with the aim of exchanging knowledge, experience, and concrete solutions to strengthen the innovation ecosystem. The conference will focus on technology transfer, the...

On 22–23 April 2026, the Applied Research and Communications Fund (ARC Fund) team joined partners from the HARMONMISSIONS consortium in Podgorica, Montenegro, to advance solutions aimed at increasing participation across the Danube Region in two key Horizon Europe climate missions: Mission 1: Adaptation to Climate Change and Mission 4: 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities. During the meeting, participating experts focused on practical approaches to engaging stakeholders and citizens in the European Union’s climate agenda. Discussions highlighted the importance of inclusive collaboration among...

On April 16 and 17, 2026, the annual meeting of the Synclusive initiative team took place in Rome. The meeting was hosted by the Italian National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL). On the first day of the meeting, representatives of the living labs from Bulgaria, Finland, the Netherlands, and Portugal presented preliminary results and conclusions from the activities carried out so far to the members of the Advisory Board. The partners then worked in small groups to generate policy ideas for continuing and building upon the achievements of Synclusive and replicating...

On April 15, 2026, the historic headquarters of Istituto Nazionale per l’Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro (INAIL) in Rome hosted a meeting of the Synclusive research partners. The session focused on consolidating findings from the initiative’s living labs to date, identifying key similarities and differences across contexts, and further refining the Realist Evaluation approach guiding the research. During the meeting, partners shared updates on the progress of quantitative fieldwork, highlighting both achievements and ongoing challenges related to data collection and...

On 26 March 2026, Applied Research and Communications Fund participated in the Academy for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Agriculture, aiming to build capacity in the sphere of project management and realisation. Within the event, ARC Fund presented the HARMONMISSIONS initiative and the Horizon Europe programme, encouraging participation in the European Union’s climate-focused Missions. The session focused on two key Missions: Adaptation to Climate Change 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030 The training provided participants with a comprehensive overview of the structure of...

On March 26, 2026, the Applied Research and Communications Fund participated in the first-of-its-kind Academy for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Agriculture. The event brought together entrepreneurs, experts, representatives of the public sector, and the scientific community, with the programme featuring training sessions, business project development, and presentations of innovative solutions in the agricultural sector. ARC Fund’s team provided participants with practical knowledge and know-how regarding various opportunities for private, public, and hybrid financing. Key stages in the...

All throughout Europe, people over the age of 50 are becoming an increasingly large section of the population. Nonetheless, they remain confronted with severe and specific challenges, with discrimination in the labour market affecting many people in the “silver” age group. Inadequate access to the labour market, low employee retention, and unfair treatment are only some of the challenges faced by people over 50. The SYNCLUSIVE initiative seeks to address these issues and make valuable contributions to social justice and equality. Within its framework, ARC Fund participated in a joint event...