SAVE-THE-DATE – From Soil to Systems: Living Labs and Artificial Intelligence for a Sustainable Future of Agriculture

Soil is rarely at the centre of conversations about the future of agriculture. We tend to focus on food production, resilience, new technologies, competitiveness and security. Yet all of these questions begin with the same basic resource: healthy soil. Its condition shapes biodiversity, water retention, crop quality and the long-term viability of farming systems.

On 13 October 2026, PolSCA PAS Office, the Committee of Agronomic Sciences of PAS, University of Florence and Leibniz University Hannover will host a conference in Brussels on soil and plant health, and their role in the future of European agriculture.

Bridging the Gap: Policy, Research and Living Labs

The event will take the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe” as its starting point. As one of the five Horizon Europe Missions, it has helped bring soil health into a broader policy and research debate. Just as importantly, it has moved that debate closer to practice: to farms, regions, field trials and collaborative projects involving farmers, researchers, businesses, public authorities and civil society organisations.

A central theme of the conference will be Living Labs. Rather than treating them as another Brussels policy term, the event will look at what they mean in practice: testing ideas in the places where they are expected to work. In fields, on farms and within local innovation ecosystems, it becomes much easier to see which solutions can make a real difference, and which remain convincing mainly on paper.

Technology and Data in Sustainable Agriculture

The conference will also look at artificial intelligence and the growing role of data in agriculture. Digital tools can help monitor soils, crops and agroecosystems, support precision farming and improve decision-making. At the same time, they raise practical and political questions: who controls agricultural data, who benefits from it, how can digital tools respond to the needs of users, and how can technology support sustainability rather than simply add another layer of complexity?

The event will bring together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, businesses and civil society organisations. It will also refer to ongoing work under European partnerships.

The conference follows on from “Advancing Food Systems in Europe”, organised by PolSCA Office in March 2025.

Further information on the programme and registration will be published soon.

Wrap-up: PolSCA Masterclass – Research Project Management with PM2 Methodology

June 2026 brought two editions of one of the most hands-on workshops in PolSCA PAN’s training offer. The in-depth workshop on research project management using the PM2 methodology took place on 18-19 and 24-25 June at the Institute of Nature Conservation PAN in Kraków. Across four days – spread over two groups – 45 researchers and research managers from PAN institutes and units got to work on what is often the hardest part of research work: turning a good idea into a well-managed project.

PolSCA and SLORD to co-chair IGLO in 2026–2027

During this year’s IGLO Summer Reception, the Brussels-based R&I liaison community gathered for an afternoon of discussion, exchange and networking. The event was also a special moment for PolSCA and SLORD, as Tomasz Poprawka, Director of the Polish Science Contact Agency, and Monika Bideau Repčíková, Head of the Slovak Liaison Office for Research and Development, were officially presented as the incoming IGLO Co-Chairs for 2026–2027.

EMERGE-EU: AI & Health – Connecting Emerging Researchers Across Europe

More than 20 researchers from Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom came together in Brussels for the EMERGE-EU AI & Health – Networking Study Visit for Emerging Researchers. Over three intensive days, participants explored the rapidly evolving intersection of artificial intelligence and health, exchanged ideas, and laid the foundations for future international collaborations. The programme was designed for researchers at the R2/R3 career stage who are building or strengthening their scientific independence and conducting research at the intersection of AI and life sciences. Through expert-led sessions, networking activities, and direct engagement with European stakeholders, participants gained valuable insights into both the scientific and policy dimensions of AI for health.

PolSCA Masterclass: Advanced training on research project management using the PM2 methodology

PolSCA PAS is organising an advanced training course as part of the PolSCA Masterclass – Research Project Management using the PM2 Methodology series. This time, both editions of the workshop, on 18–19 June and 24–25 June, will take place in Kraków!

The training is a continuation of previous workshops dedicated to the practical use of the PM2 methodology in research project management, in particular projects funded by European programmes. This edition will have a more advanced, workshop-based format. Its aim is to further develop selected topics that are especially important at the stage of project preparation, planning and organisation.

What is on the agenda?

The training programme will cover two thematic blocks:

A. Project initiation and planning
Participants will discuss the main elements involved in project preparation, including defining project objectives, scope, results, stakeholders and basic organisational assumptions. Particular attention will be paid to the practical application of PM2 tools in the context of research projects.

B. WBS / work packages, roles and team structures
The second part of the training will focus on creating a work breakdown structure, defining work packages and assigning responsibilities within the project team. Participants will work on ways to translate project assumptions into a clear structure of activities, tasks and roles.

Who is it for and where will it take place?

The training will be delivered as a two-day, on-site workshop in Kraków, at the Institute of Nature Conservation PAS. The meeting will have a practical character, with emphasis on working with examples, discussion and exchange of experience among participants.

Participants invited to take part are those involved in the preparation, coordination and administration of research projects at PAS Institutes, who have already completed the general training course within the series: » PolSCA Masterclass. Research project management using the PM2 methodology and » PolSCA Masterclass. Research project management using the PM2 methodology – 2nd edition.

The advanced PM2 training is another step in PolSCA PAS activities aimed at strengthening competences in professional research project management and building a community of people involved in project support in Polish scientific institutions.

All details shall be send to the Participants in the beginnig of June.

PolSCA Masterclass: Advanced training on research project management using the PM2 methodology

PolSCA PAS is organising an advanced training course as part of the PolSCA Masterclass – Research Project Management using the PM2 Methodology series. This time, both editions of the workshop, on 18–19 June and 24–25 June, will take place in Kraków!

The training is a continuation of previous workshops dedicated to the practical use of the PM2 methodology in research project management, in particular projects funded by European programmes. This edition will have a more advanced, workshop-based format. Its aim is to further develop selected topics that are especially important at the stage of project preparation, planning and organisation.

What is on the agenda?

The training programme will cover two thematic blocks:

A. Project initiation and planning
Participants will discuss the main elements involved in project preparation, including defining project objectives, scope, results, stakeholders and basic organisational assumptions. Particular attention will be paid to the practical application of PM2 tools in the context of research projects.

B. WBS / work packages, roles and team structures
The second part of the training will focus on creating a work breakdown structure, defining work packages and assigning responsibilities within the project team. Participants will work on ways to translate project assumptions into a clear structure of activities, tasks and roles.

Who is it for and where will it take place?

The training will be delivered as a two-day, on-site workshop in Kraków, at the Institute of Nature Conservation PAS. The meeting will have a practical character, with emphasis on working with examples, discussion and exchange of experience among participants.

Participants invited to take part are those involved in the preparation, coordination and administration of research projects at PAS Institutes, who have already completed the general training course within the series: » PolSCA Masterclass. Research project management using the PM2 methodology and » PolSCA Masterclass. Research project management using the PM2 methodology – 2nd edition.

The advanced PM2 training is another step in PolSCA PAS activities aimed at strengthening competences in professional research project management and building a community of people involved in project support in Polish scientific institutions.

All details shall be send to the Participants in the beginnig of June.

EMERGE-EU: AI and Health – another PolSCA study visit to Brussels

Polish Science Contact Agency PolSCA in Brussels is organising another EMERGE-EU study visit, this time focusing on topics related to artificial intelligence and health. As with the first edition, the programme will include expert sessions, networking activities in Brussels, and an institutional visit. Participants will represent countries such as Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovakia and the United Kingdom.

Research Data in Europe: a policy discussion on the future of Europe’s research data ecosystem

On 2 June 2026, representatives of European institutions, research organisations, research infrastructures and scientific communities gathered in Brussels to discuss one of the increasingly strategic issues for European research and innovation: how to build a research data ecosystem that is secure, resilient, interoperable and sovereign. The policy discussion Research Data in Europe: Security, Sovereignty and Resilience was hosted at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the European Union and jointly organised by the Permanent Representation, the National Science Centre Poland (NCN) and the PolSCA Office of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Brussels

MSCA at 30: Three Decades of Research Mobility and Building Bridges Across Europe

On 21 May 2026, the anniversary event MSCA at 30: Research Mobility & Bridging Gaps Across Europe took place in Brussels, focusing on the future of research mobility, research careers, and the role of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) in strengthening the European Research Area (ERA). Co-organised by the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS) and the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA), the event brought together more than one hundred participants from 20 countries. Attendees included researchers, research managers, representatives of higher education and research institutions, experts supporting participation in EU programmes, as well as representatives of the European Commission and the Council of the European Union.

Research Data in Europe: Security, Sovereignty and Resilience

How can Europe build a secure, resilient and sovereign research data ecosystem? Representatives of the European Commission, European research organisations and institutions of the Polish Academy of Sciences will discuss the challenges related to data protection, interoperability of research infrastructures, and the strategic importance of research data for science and trustworthy artificial intelligence during the event “Research Data in Europe: Security, Sovereignty and Resilience”, organised on 2 June 2026 in Brussels by the National Science Centre Poland (NCN) and the Polish Science Contact Agency PolSCA of the Polish Academy of Sciences, in partnership with the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the European Union.

Polish Science Contact Agency PolSCA of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Brussels, together with the National Science Centre Poland (NCN) and the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the European Union, invite participants to the event “Research Data in Europe: Security, Sovereignty and Resilience”, dedicated to the future of the European research data ecosystem. The meeting will take place on 2 June 2026 at 15:30 in Brussels, at the premises of the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the European Union.

The debate will focus on the challenges related to the security, resilience and sovereignty of research data in Europe. Participants will discuss the importance of research data for scientific progress, the development of trustworthy artificial intelligence systems, and strengthening Europe’s competitiveness and resilience in the face of global challenges. The discussion will also address research infrastructures, interoperability, data protection and international cooperation.

The event will bring together representatives of the European Commission, Science Europe, the EOSC Association, as well as European research institutions and organisations. Speakers and panellists will also include representatives of the Polish Academy of Sciences, among them Prof. Daniel Wójcik from the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS (representing the European Brain Council) and Prof. Sławomir Sagan, Director of the Institute of Oceanology PAS. The event will be opened, among others, by Dr Tomasz Poprawka, Director of the Polish Science Contact Agency PolSCA PAS in Brussels. A networking reception will follow the official programme.

Participation in the event requires prior registration. Registered participants will receive an individual confirmation of participation from the main organiser of the event – the National Science Centre Poland (NCN) – together with instructions regarding access to the building of the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the European Union.

Agenda of the event HERE

Summary of the event HERE