Summarizing the events of May in which we had the opportunity to participate, it is impossible not to come back to one of the most important debates that took place in Warsaw on May 16, dedicated to Horizon Europe instruments for the so-called Widening Countries. The meeting was organized by the National Contact Point for Horizon Europe at the National Center for Research and Development and the Brussels-based organization Science Business.

The conference was an opportunity for representatives of the four Teaming-funded Centers of Excellence operating in Poland: SANO, NOMATEN, ENSEMBLE3 and RACE, to share their experience of establishing centers with a wide audience. The event was attended by about 30 participants from 7 countries. The invited guests included representatives from academia, industry, regional authorities, national governments and EU institutions:

- European Commission - Anna Panagopoulou, Director of the European Research and Innovation Area,
- European Parliament - Dr. Ivars Ījabs (MEP),
- ministries of science: Poland - Mateusz Gaczynski, Slovakia - Dr. Daniel Straka, Slovenia - Thomaz Boh and Romania - Adrian Curaj,
- research funding agencies in Poland: National Agency for Academic Exchange - Dr. Zofia Sawicka (Deputy Director of NAWA), Foundation for Polish Science - Kinga Slominska (Deputy Director for Program Activities),
- Centers of Excellence: Prof. Dorota Pawlak (ENSEMBLE3), Prof. Marta Miączyńska (RACE), Dr. Maciej Malawski (SANO) and Prof. Paweł Sobkowicz (NOMATEN),
- science sector: Prof. Leszek Kaczmarek (Institute of Experimental Biology according to Marceli Nencki of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Dr. Siret Rutiku (College of Tartu),
- Company: Dr. Rita Araujo (Biopolis), Kacper Koniarski (Nevomo), Dariusz Kwiecinski (Fujitsu), Katarzyna Pokwicka-Croucher (Ecopolplast), Dr. Eduardo Silvia (INESC), Marcin Szumowski (Molecure),
- EIT Health InnoStars: Joanna Broy and Jakub Chwiećko.

The open discussion focused on the benefits of the Teaming facility and the obstacles encountered in establishing new centers. The issues raised during the meeting will be continued in the following sessions: https://www.kpk.gov.pl/wydarzenia

We cordially invite you and thank for providing the photos: NCRD/M. Stawski.