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

Portugal hosted the 13th meeting of senior representatives (GSO), the first under 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 took place on January 26 and 27 with the aim of planning the implementation of the commitments made during the 5thMinisterial Conference last October in Nouakchott, Mauritania.

This remote GSO meeting enabled the presentation of the plan of activities planned for 2023 by the delegates of the member countries—Algeria, France, Libya, Italy, Mauritania, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Tunisia, and Spain—and the exchange of information on opportunities for cooperation with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the European Commission, which 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 carried out by the countries leading each action of the work plan for the biennium, with a view to 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 socioeconomic development and open cooperation for research and innovation (R&I), as institutional ecosystems for R&I and higher education are strengthened, promoting quality assurance and blended learning practices for skills development and talent circulation, with a focus on the areas of implementation of the UfM roadmaps, the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA), and the sustainable blue economy.