Horizon Europe Teaming Stage 2 project proposal in a reserve list

On 08.09.2022. NSP FOTONIKA-LV of University of Latvia submited Horizon Europe Teaming for Exellence (HORIZON-WIDERA-2022-ACCESS-01-two-stage) project Stage 2 proposal No. 101059672-2 "Photonics and Knowledge Transfer Excellence Centre FOTONIKA-LV". Coordinator: University of Latvia (J. Alnis), Partners: Lund University (Sweden), University of Münster (Germany), Budget: EUR 15 million from European Commission and EUR 15 million from local funds, Duration of the project: 6 years. The project aims to develop un sustain the Center of excellence.

On 12.12.2022. a letter was obtained from the European Commission that FOTONIKA-LV Teaming Stage 2 project proposal is included in the reserve list. 

Abstract

For Europe to be competitive on a global scale, all actors in the European Research Area (ERA) must be equipped and mobilised, including Widening countries. This project aims to increase the R&I performance of Latvia in Photonics through an upgraded Photonics and Knowledge Transfer Excellence Centre FOTONIKA-LV (CoE FOTONIKA-LV) of the University of Latvia (LU). Through this centre, a critical mass of human resources in Photonics will be created, an upgrade of the research infrastructure will be made (funded by local funds) and knowledge transfer from leading European research institutions – Lund University (Sweden) and the University of Münster (Germany) – will be realised (via > 140 months of secondment visits, seminars, and training). The created capacities will allow Latvia to be more successful in international project competitions (during the project >20 Pan-European project proposals will be prepared), as well as in contributing to local and foreign industry (ties with > 20 local and >10 foreign companies managed), and be visible in ERA as a strong Baltic player in Photonics. The project will empower the topical focus of CoE FOTONIKA-LV under three pillars: Quantum Optics (led by J. Alnis, h-index 25), Photonics and Nonlinear Optics (led by ERA Chair R. Ganeev, h-index 56), and Space Photonics (led by B. Foing, H-index 50). The project will be realised in 6 years. The budget consists of 15 million EUR from the European Commission (to mainly cover the salaries of local and foreign partners and secondment visits), and complimentary local funding of 15 million EUR (to cover the upgrade of the research infrastructure in Photonics).

In a short-term perspective, the Project will achieve various numerical results like publications, patents, and career growth of involved researchers and students. In a long-term perspective, the Project will transform the R&I culture of the LU and Latvia towards excellence.