The Croatian Science Foundation (HRZZ) and the Croatian Agency for Small Business, Innovation and Investments (HAMAG-BICRO) invite you to the launching of the Research Programme Croatia, which is implemented as part of the second Swiss contribution to selected EU member states to reduce economic and social inequalities within the European Union.
The ceremony will take place on Friday, April 12, 2024, starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Zonar Hotel (Trg Krešimir Ćosića 9). For interested participants who are unable to participate live, virtual participation will be enabled.
The Swiss Confederation provided CHF 8 million for the implementation of this Program, while the Republic of Croatia provided an additional 15%. Research Program Croatia will be implemented through two program components – Multilateral Academic Projects (MAPS), for which HRZZ is responsible, and EUROSTARS, for which HAMAG-BICRO is responsible.
MAPS is a multilateral initiative that supports research collaboration between scientists based in Switzerland and their colleagues in Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Poland and Romania. Within this program component, joint research projects involving at least three research groups from at least three of the listed countries will be financed, whereby one research group must be from Switzerland. The MAPS competition opened on April 2, with the application deadline of July 1, 2024. More information is available on the HRZZ website.
The EUROSTARS program represents an important mechanism for supporting innovation and research throughout Europe. Through this program, small and medium-sized enterprises have the opportunity to collaborate on international projects, which enables them to access the financial resources and expertise necessary for the development of high-tech solutions. By encouraging cooperation between different sectors and countries, this program supports innovations with the potential to transform society and the economy. Participation in the Eurostars program strengthens Croatia’s competitiveness in high-tech sectors and contributes to the country’s long-term goal of becoming a recognizable destination for research and development. Tenders for the EUROSTARS program are opened twice a year, the next one opens on July 12, with an application deadline of September 12, 2024. More information is available on the HAMAG-BICRO website.
At the event, the goals and procedures of both new programs will be presented, as well as the experiences of users of previous programs financed under the first Swiss-Croatian cooperation program – the Croatian-Swiss Research Program (CSRP) and EUROSTARS.