Launch of Horizon 2020 in Malta

The launch of Horizon 2020 has taken place in Malta, where European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn delivered the keynote address.

She said that Malta has “a lot of potential to fulfil” and that “Horizon 2020 presents huge opportunities for scientists and innovators in Malta to fulfil that potential”.

The event took place in the city of St. Julian’s. Geoghegan-Quinn met with the Maltese Minister for Education and Employment, Evarist Bartolo, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Research, Innovation, Youth and Sport, Stefan Buontempo.

In her keynote address, Geoghegan-Quinn said: “Participants from Malta have drawn down over €17m euro in funding under the 7th Framework Programme, with greatest success in the areas of information and communication technologies; transport, including aeronautics, and research for SMEs. Malta is an island economy, but I have no doubt that you are interested in the research and innovation potential in other areas besides the immediately obvious ones like maritime and tourism.”

She added: “Known to be nimble and quick, Malta’s size can be used to its advantage to maximise opportunities in new areas of research and innovation. Recent developments in the aviation sector, which has seen a sudden proliferation in foreign high-tech investment, is just one example of the huge potential of Malta’s talented workforce. The presence of pharmaceutical companies in Malta is something that you can certainly build on, and energy efficiency and alternative sources of energy are issues you could address both from the technological side and as societal challenges.”

The commissioner also visited the Malta Council for Science and Technology, in the village of Kalkara, and visited ST Microelectronics, in Kirkop.