ENGAGE.EU Presented Its Own Platform for Scientific Collaboration and Research Opportunities

Through an online event on 18 April 2023 ENGAGE.EU officially presented the benefits of its platform for creating and sustaining a research community across the nine partner universities. By registering on the platform the UNWE lecturers and PhD students will have the opportunity to connect with scientists with similar professional interests, create collaborative groups with them, participate in events, subscribe to useful articles, keep track of project grants, etc. Creating an account is free and involves a few easy registration steps.

According to the Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov, member of the Board of Rectors of the European University ENGAGE.EU and Head of the project for Bulgaria: "This platform provides collaboration, which is the basis for more complex research, access to new data, mutual support from colleagues working in the same scientific field and more career opportunities. Last but not least, the platform will provide a better understanding of our society and its problems and will contribute to their solution. We are proud to be part of it".

Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov

"The ENGAGE.EU platform provides new opportunities for innovation, interdisciplinary research and changes in institutional research policies. The connectivity and sharing of knowledge and experience are the basis of team achievements,which are always higher than individual ones", said after the event Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mihail Musov, Vice Rector for Research and International Affairs and ENGAGE.EU Coordinator, adding: "I am convinced that this platform will contribute to the strengthening of UNWE position as a research university".

Assoc. Prof. Mihail Musov

The opening event was attended by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Venelin Boshnakov, Coordinator of the work package related to the research activity and many lecturers from the UNWE. Currently, the number of accounts created in the platform is nearly 200, including 30 from the UNWE /or 15% of the total registered users/.

The established university network ENGAGE.EU offers various opportunities for scientific events and projects on the broad theme of social initiatives and solution of various actual challenges. The new platform aimed at researchers identifies eight major topics on which representatives of the nine partner universities can collaborate: digital transformations, justice, peace and human rights, sustainable business, sustainable societies, climate change and energy transition, healthcare and health management, social and gender inequalities, global economy /global trade (policies), international taxation, labour migration, remittances, diversity policies in companies/. These areas foster the interdisciplinary and supranational collaboration while creating an ecosystem for new project ideas with strong academic and practically applied impact.

"This innovative research platform helps people to connect with each other. It has the potential to reduce the time spent on many key tasks. And it can foster the culture of collaboration, fun and sharing", said during the opening of the platform for research communities. Prof. Dr. Ir. Jantine Schuit, Vice Rector Magnificus and member of the Executive Board of Tilburg University.

Prof. Jantine Schuit

The advantage of the platform is also in its crowdsourcing potential - each scientist can create and describe his/her own collaboration opportunity or select and filter already existing options, including: relations with experts, sharing experiences, participation in workshops, development of joint projects, reviewing teaching opportunities at partner universities, etc. Along with that working groups to join are already created in the platform but there is also the option to form new ones with different objectives and to include colleagues in them.

"We give shape to a new, innovative form of collaboration that is relevant to researchers from all partner organizations. Through ENGAGE.EU we build the future of international research and it is great to be part of this process", said Dr. James Small, Chief Coordinator of the platform.

Dr. James Small

The platform will be constantly updated and there is also an option to choose notifications /monthly or weekly/ to receive by email. See all upcoming events on the ENGAGE.EU website.