The Marqués de Valdecilla Health Research Institute (IDIVAL) organized the event “Brussels in Cantabria: Opportunities and Synergies in European Projects”, an initiative aimed at strengthening Cantabria’s participation in European R&D&I programmes and consolidating the regional network of European project managers. The meeting took place at the IDIVAL Building (Avda. Cardenal Herrera Oria s/n, Santander).
This event followed up on the session “Cantabria’s R&D&I Map for Europe”, held on December 19, 2024, which brought together more than 30 institutions from the region and resulted in the development of an inventory of scientific and technical capabilities with a European outlook. On this occasion, the main objective was to bring the functioning and institutional reality of Brussels closer to local managers, fostering the exchange of best practices and the identification of new funding opportunities.
The programme included presentations by Inma Valencia Bayón, Director of the Office of the Government of Cantabria in Brussels, and Marina Martínez, Horizon Europe Programme Officer at CDTI SOST – the Spanish Office for Science and Technology in Brussels. Both provided a strategic overview of European policies, the main funding programmes, and key factors for increasing Cantabria’s visibility and positioning within the European framework. Valencia, with extensive experience in European institutional relations, also shared practical recommendations for overcoming some of the most common barriers in the preparation and submission of proposals.
The event brought together project managers and representatives from various Cantabrian organizations, who actively participated by sharing experiences and exploring potential alliances to strengthen Cantabria’s presence in Europe. The meeting was very positively received by attendees, who highlighted its usefulness and relevance for reinforcing the regional R&D&I ecosystem.
