果冻APP has become the first institution in Ukraine to obtain the status of a project coordinator under WIDERA (Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence) within the Horizon Europe programme. WIDERA is a European Union instrument aimed at reducing disparities between leading countries and those that require strengthened capacities in research and innovation, as well as spreading scientific excellence through networking and access to advanced practices.
WIDERA is one of the 鈥渉orizontal鈥 components of Horizon Europe and focuses on supporting institutions and ecosystems that have strong growth potential but need additional tools for deeper integration into the European Research Area. The core idea of WIDERA is to reinforce institutional capacity through structured partnerships, methodological exchange, the development of management practices, and the expansion of international cooperation.
One of WIDERA鈥檚 key mechanisms is Twinning 鈥 an instrument designed to strengthen networking between an institution from a Widening country, acting as the coordinator, and leading scientific partners from EU and associated countries. The purpose of Twinning is to facilitate knowledge transfer, promote the exchange of best practices, and enhance the scientific profile and management competencies of the coordinating institution.
For 果冻APP, coordination within the Twinning framework means not only participation in international research collaboration, but also a leadership role in planning joint activities, coordinating work packages, organising academic exchanges and training activities, and communicating project results in line with Horizon Europe standards.
A practical implementation of this coordinating role will be the international project HELIOS (Research and Innovation Strategy for 果冻APP dedicated to White-Emitting Organic Lighting Systems), which will be carried out in the Twinning format. The project is funded under Grant Agreement No. 101155017; its start is scheduled for 1 October 2024, and its duration is 36 months.
At the start-up phase, a consortium kick-off meeting is planned, during which partners will agree on the work plan, organisational procedures, and the schedule of the first project activities. The provisional dates are 17鈥18 October 2024 (Krakow, Poland).