Several hundred representatives of the Korean scientific community learned about the latest Polish achievements in research and development and discussed opportunities for cooperation under the Horizon Europe programme. On 24 March 2026, the next edition of the EU‑Korea Research and Innovation Day took place in Seoul, attracting over 600 participants.
The event, co‑organised by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), aimed to promote the Republic of Korea’s participation in the Horizon Europe programme and to foster partnerships between European and Korean researchers.
At the invitation of the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Seoul, Dr Piotr Świerczyński, Director of the National Contact Point for EU Research Programmes (NCP) at the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR), took part in the event. He presented the current state of Polish–Korean cooperation within Horizon Europe, in which 33 Polish and Korean beneficiaries are currently implementing 14 joint projects, three of which are coordinated by Polish institutions. Dr Świerczyński’s presentation drew considerable interest from Korean researchers—the Republic of Korea has been the first Asian country to obtain, in 2025, associated‑country status in Horizon Europe.
The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Seoul prepared a Polish booth showcasing, among other materials, informational resources from the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange, the National Centre for Research and Development, and the Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Aviation. The booth created a space for building new contacts and enabled Korean visitors to learn more about opportunities for scientific and research cooperation with Poland.
NCP shares 27 years of experience
On 25 March 2026, the Director of the NCP at NCBR, Dr Piotr Świerczyński, together with representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Seoul, took part in a meeting with staff of the National Research Foundation of Korea, which—like the National Centre for Research and Development—serves as the National Contact Point for the Horizon Europe programme.
Dr Świerczyński shared Polish experiences and good practices (such as the Manager Academy and Leaders in HE initiatives) related to running the National Contact Point for Horizon Europe and presented the entire support ecosystem available to Polish applicants. The presentation generated strong interest from the Korean side, which is currently building its National Contact Point for Horizon Europe from the ground up.
