Overview
The Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI) is an autonomous research funding agency in Romania, under the authority of the Ministry of Education, and working closely with the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization, whose mission is to promote quality and leadership for higher education, research, development and innovation.
The Agency’s goals are to:
- Set up the framework for higher education and scientific research within the national budget and other sources
- Fund high quality research projects
- Provide science policy expertise.
UEFISCDI has a long track record of implementing forward-looking projects targeting higher education, science and innovation, professions and skills, research infrastructures, etc. It has been innovating in foresight methods, real-time argumentative Delphi, horizon scanning and big data, and others.
The Motivation Behind Joining VELES
The Agency’s participation in the VELES project is driven by its commitment to advancing research, development, and innovation in different research areas, including healthcare.
The alignment of the project’s goals with Romania’s National Strategy for Research, Innovation, and Smart Specialization (2022-2027), as well as the emphasis on digitalization, data-driven solutions, and cross-country cooperation, makes VELES a strategic opportunity for UEFISCDI to contribute to the regional and European health innovation ecosystem.
Through the Agency’s contributions to the project, it expects to achieve certain outcomes that will enhance the current situation in the region:
- Strengthening Ecosystem Collaboration: By fostering a collaborative Regional Smart Health Data Space, it aims to strengthen cross-country collaboration among stakeholders, enabling the efficient exchange of health data, knowledge, and expertise for the development of innovative healthcare solutions.
- Enhancing Innovation Framework: UEFISCDI’s involvement in developing the long-term strategic agenda and action plan will provide a framework for sustained research and innovation in digital healthcare. This will lead to the creation of an innovation ecosystem that aligns with national and regional priorities.
Overall, UEFISCDI’s engagement with VELES reflects its commitment to advancing RDI in health-related fields and contributing to the creation of a sustainable and impactful Smart Health Innovation Ecosystem in South-East Europe.
Responsibilities & Contribution
UEFISCDI plays a crucial role in VELES, specifically in coordinating two key tasks:
- Regional Smart Health Data Spaces Enablement and Ecosystem’s Stakeholder Engagement: UEFISCDI will lead the efforts to establish a collaborative ecosystem for sharing health data and engaging relevant stakeholders across the South-East EU countries involved in the project. This involves facilitating the establishment of national and regional self-sustainable ecosystems around the Smart Health Data Space by engaging with and supporting both demand and supply-side relevant actors, in order to foster a conducive environment for data-driven healthcare solutions.
- Long-term common R&I and investment strategic agenda and action plan: UEFISCDI will contribute to the development of a comprehensive long-term strategic agenda and action plan for R&I that will outline the priorities, goals and activities required to advance the smart health ecosystem in the South-East EU region. The Agency’s expertise in R&I funding, policy development, and stakeholder engagement will be essential in shaping a roadmap that aligns the efforts of all participating countries.
