19th edition of the V4 Training for Research Project Managers

The 19th edition of the V4 Training for Research Project Managers will take place in Brussels on 23–25 November 2026. The three-day training is addressed to professionals involved in research project management and administration. V4 Training is a joint initiative of the Brussels-based liaison offices of the Visegrad countries: CZELO, NRDIO, PolSCA and SLORD.

The programme combines topics related to European research and innovation policy with practical aspects of research project management and administration. To date, more than 580 participants have taken part in the training. While the initiative originated within the V4 cooperation framework, its alumni community now includes research managers and administrators from across Europe.

The 18th edition, held in March 2026, brought together 37 participants representing 10 European countries. A summary of the spring edition is available HERE.

Further information on the programme and application process for the 19th edition will be published soon.

Exploring the Role of AI in Research – Annual Conference of the V4 R&I Liaison Offices in Brussels

Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly visible part of research, from developing project ideas and preparing proposals to the way research organisations manage and support their work. This year’s annual conference of the V4 R&I Liaison Offices in Brussels will look at where AI is already changing research practice, what questions these changes raise, and how they are being experienced. On 20 October 2026, the Brussels-based research and innovation liaison offices of the V4 countries will hold the next edition of their annual conference. This year’s event, entitled “Exploring the Role of AI in Research”, will bring together perspectives from the Visegrad region and place them within the broader European discussion on the use of artificial intelligence in research.

AI is already influencing how researchers develop, refine and present project ideas, while research organisations are increasingly exploring its use in administrative and support processes. At the same time, new questions are emerging around responsible use, the skills needed to work effectively with AI, its possible role in proposal evaluation, and the growing pressure on researchers and support structures as application volumes continue to rise.

The conference will address, among other issues, how AI may shape proposal preparation and evaluation, where the boundaries lie between legitimate support and undue influence, and what kinds of institutional support are needed as researchers adapt to changes in efficiency, integrity and day-to-day work. The aim is not to provide ready-made answers, but to compare practical experiences from the V4 countries and contribute them to the wider European debate on the role of AI in research.

The event is jointly organised by the Czech Liaison Office for Education and Research (CZELO), the National Research, Development and Innovation Office of Hungary (NRDIO), the Polish Science Contact Agency of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PolSCA), and the Slovak Liaison Office for Research and Development (SLORD).

The V4 liaison offices organise this conference every year, each time focusing on a topic of current relevance to European research and innovation policy. Last year’s edition explored how research and innovation can contribute to a fair green transition. You can read the summary of the 2025 V4 conference here.

The detailed programme and registration link will be published in early September.

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 and University of Florence 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.

Draft agenda

09:30-10:00 | Registration and welcome coffee 

10:00-10:15| Opening of the conference   

10:15-10:30 | Keynote address   

10:30–12:00 | Session I 

From the Mission Soil to Lasting Innovation Ecosystems: The Future of Living Labs in European Agriculture 

This opening plenary session will explore the evolution of the EU Soil Mission from a research and innovation initiative into a catalyst for long-term systemic transformation in agriculture. The discussion will examine how Living Labs have emerged as key instruments for co-creating, testing and scaling sustainable agricultural solutions, while fostering collaboration among farmers, researchers, businesses and public authorities. Looking beyond Horizon Europe, the session will address how Living Labs can be embedded within agricultural innovation ecosystems and what role they may play in shaping priorities and implementation mechanisms under FP10. Particular attention will be given to governance models, sustainability of funding, and pathways for maintaining impact beyond the lifetime of Mission-funded projects. 

The session will contain keynote opening, strategic introduction to the agroecology living labs ecosystem, panel discussion and showcase session.

13:00–14:30 | Session II 

Smart Agroecosystems: Harnessing AI Tools and Crop Diversification for Soil Health  

This session explores the synergy between digital innovation and agroecological practices, focusing on the combined potential of AI tools and crop diversification strategies, such as inter-cropping and the integration of legumes, to evaluate and enhance soil health. The discussion addresses key policy directives, environmental impacts, and practical on-farm challenges associated with digital agriculture. By examining both the opportunities and risks of intelligent agroecosystem monitoring, this session aims to bridge policy, scientific innovation, and practical implementation. Attendees will gain insights into the European Strategy for AI in Science, followed by an extended, interactive panel discussion featuring agricultural practitioners.  

The session will consist of keynote strategic opening, panel discussion and showcase session.

14.30 -15.00 | Closing session 

15:00-16:30 | Networking

Satellite Brokerage Event: Partnering for Nature, Agriculture and Resilience

On 12 October 2026, the day before the conference, the NCBR Office in Brussels will host the international brokerage event “Partnering for Nature, Agriculture and Resilience”.

The event is aimed at researchers, project managers and organisations interested in building consortia for selected 2027 calls under Horizon Europe Cluster 6. The programme will include project idea pitches, a consortium-building workshop and networking opportunities.

Participants are welcome to attend both events. Separate registration is required.

More information and registration to Brokerage Event

Further information on the final 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