Portugal hosts the first meeting of the 5+5 Dialog on Research, Innovation and Higher Education (2022-2024)

Portugal organized the 13th meeting of senior representatives (GSO), the first of Portugal's presidency and Mauritania's vice-presidency of the 5+5 Dialogue on Research, Innovation, and Higher Education for the 2022-2024 biennium, which was held on January 26 and 27 with the aim of programming the implementation plan for the commitments made during the 5th Ministerial Conference last October in Nouakchott, Mauritania.

This remote GSO allowed the delegates from the member countries Algeria, France, Libya, Italy, Mauritania, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Tunisia and Spain to present the plan of activities planned for 2023 and exchange information on cooperation opportunities with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the European Commission, who participated as observers, as well as with the Director of the Union of Mediterranean Universities (UNIMED).

The presidency was assumed by the President of the Foundation for Science and Technology, Madalena Alves, who expressed confidence in the work done by the countries in leading each action of the work plan for the biennium, in view of the objectives of promoting cooperation, social cohesion, youth employment and sustainable development in the western Mediterranean region.

These objectives will be pursued through the implementation of new networking tools, fostering research linked to socio-economic development and open cooperation for research and innovation (R&I), as R&I and Higher Education institutional ecosystems are strengthened, promoting quality assurance and blended learning practices for skills development and talent circulation, focusing on the areas of implementation of the UfM roadmaps, the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Region(PRIMA) and the sustainable blue economy.