Norway's presence is becoming increasingly important at a time when the EU is strengthening its focus on research and innovation and the link between research and policy is increasing. The Norwegian Contact Office for Research, Innovation and Education in Brussels (NorCore) is now celebrating ten years of work to safeguard Norwegian interests in research, education and innovation in the EU.
The Norwegian Contact Office for Research, Innovation and Education in Brussels is a collaboration between the Research Council of Norway, Innovation Norway and the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir).
The contact office serves as a listening post and disseminates updated insights on developments in the EU's research, education and innovation policy to Norwegian actors. At the same time, the office works to ensure the best possible impact for Norwegian interests. This is done, among other things, through activities and meeting places that promote cooperation between Norwegian and European communities.
Together with the national contact persons for EU programmes (NCPs), Innovation Norway, the ministries and the Norwegian Delegation to the EU in Brussels, NorCore constitutes an important link between the environments in the EU capital and Norwegian actors.
Important platform for visibility in the EU
"The Research Council's presence in Brussels provides us with an important platform for visibility and dialogue with key partners in the EU, as well as valuable insight into the many processes that are taking place in Brussels at any given time," says Mari Sundli Tveit, Chief Executive of the Research Council of Norway.
"There is a significant dynamic within the EU's work on research and competitiveness, and in a time characterised by uncertainty, cooperation with Europe is our greatest strength.
"The collaboration with Innovation Norway and HK-dir makes it possible to combine our strengths for the common good. The pace in the EU has been accelerated, and politics and research are far more closely linked than before. That is why our joint office in Brussels is more important than ever," concludes Sundli Tveit.
The 10th anniversary will be marked with an event on 24 June at the Norwegian House in Brussels. Managing directors from all three organisations will participate: Mari Sundli Tveit from the Research Council of Norway, Håkon Haugli from Innovation Norway and Sveinung Skule from HK-dir. The Ministry of Education and Research is represented by Permanent Secretary Dag Thomas Gisholt.