Korea-EU Researchers Meet Directly to Accelerate Research Collaboration in 'Quantum Science'

'Horizon Europe Korea-EU Researcher Networking Forum'
to Be Held in Brussels, Belgium Starting from the 1st

Researchers in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum science and technology from Korea and Europe will have the opportunity to meet in person to share their individual research topics and discuss practical research collaborations with European research institutions.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced that from the 1st, the 1st and 2nd Horizon Europe Korea-EU Researcher Networking Forums will be held consecutively over two weeks at the Korea-EU Research Cooperation Center (KERC) in Brussels, Belgium, and other locations.

European Union (EU) Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium. Photo by AFP/ Yonhap News

Since January 1 of this year, Korea has been participating as an associate member in Horizon Europe, the world's largest multilateral research cooperation program.

The Ministry of Science and ICT is expanding pre-planning support for participation in Horizon Europe through Korea-EU cooperation promotion projects, and is promoting various support measures to activate Korean researchers' participation in Horizon Europe, including sharing related information and networking among researchers through the 2025 Korea-EU Research Innovation Day (March 6).

The Horizon Europe Korea-EU Researcher Networking Forum will be held locally in Brussels, Belgium. Brussels, as the headquarters of the EU, is a hub where networking between European research institutions and research support organizations related to Horizon Europe is actively conducted.

The forum is jointly hosted by KERC, Korea’s local research cooperation base in Brussels, and the Korea-Europe Quantum Science and Technology Cooperation Center (KE-QSTCC) to facilitate networking with various European research institutions and research support organizations. The 1st forum, focusing on artificial intelligence, will be held from the 1st to the 4th, and the 2nd forum, focusing on quantum science and technology, will take place from the 9th to the 11th.

At this networking forum, researchers in AI and quantum science and technology from Korea and Europe will meet directly to share their individual research topics and discuss methods for jointly applying for Horizon Europe projects.

Additionally, representatives from the European Commission (EC) Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) and Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT), which oversee Horizon Europe, will attend to introduce policies related to AI and quantum science and technology under Horizon Europe. Representatives from European research institutions and research support organizations’ Brussels offices, who wish to collaborate with Korea, will also participate, providing an opportunity to discuss practical research cooperation with European research institutions.

The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to continue supporting the establishment of networks between Korean and European researchers to activate participation in Horizon Europe by holding ongoing forums on various detailed fields of Horizon Europe such as bio and energy following the 1st and 2nd forums. Information about the 1st and 2nd forums and future forums will be sequentially released on the KERC website.

Hwang Seong-hoon, Director of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, "We will strive to support related efforts so that Korean researchers can achieve various research outcomes, including securing strategic technologies, through joint research with European researchers."