FCT hosts meeting of the 5+5 Research, Innovation and Higher Education Dialogue

The first face-to-face meeting of the Group of Senior Officials (GSO) of the 5+5 Research, Innovation and Higher Education Dialogue, under the presidency of Portugal and vice-presidency of Mauritania, took place in Lisbon, at the FCT premises, on May 25 and 26, 2023.

This meeting made a very positive contribution to the implementation of the seven actions in the 2023-2024 work plan, as attested to by the delegates from the member countries - Algeria, France, Libya, Italy, Mauritania, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Tunisia and Spain.

The commitments were made by all the countries in an atmosphere of close cooperation and collaboration, and future meetings, workshops and seminars were planned with the aim of creating networks between research, innovation and higher education institutions and all the players in the respective national systems.

The meeting also saw the active participation of the European Commission and the Union for the Mediterranean in providing political support for this Dialogue and implementing the actions.

During Portugal's presidency, which will last until the fall of 2024, the GSO has already met virtually on January 26 and 27, and informally on April 28, with the aim of making progress in implementing the Nouakhott Declaration, issued at the 5th Ministerial Conference in October 2022 in Mauritania.