The European Commission has selected 74 new consortia to support international and inter-sectoral collaboration under the 2020 Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) call for proposals - part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).

Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, stated: “Research and innovation exchanges like the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions RISE scheme enable researchers to collaborate with their colleagues from around the world. By boosting their creativity and entrepreneurship, we help them turn cutting-edge research into innovative products and services, which are needed now more than ever. I wish the 74 consortia we have selected today every success with their projects.'

The RISE action promotes international collaboration through sharing knowledge and ideas between research and markets across the world. 823 organisations (including 117 Small and Medium Enterprises [SMEs]) from 137 countries will exchange over 4,000 staff members to engage in research and innovation activities across scientific disciplines and sectors. Researchers at doctoral level, post-doctoral fellows, technicians, managerial and administrative staff will all be involved as part of these exchanges.

The newly-funded projects represent the broad objectives of the MSCA-RISE actions and potential impacts for society. Selected projects include

• eUMaP - Development of utilities management platform for the case of quarantine and lockdown

  The project eUMaP aims to develop an open platform through which local and public authorities will be able to better plan and manage the demand and supply of building utilities, including energy, water, waste and telecommunication in crisis, quarantine and lockdown situations such as during COVID-19. Staff exchanges between the nine collaborating partners will develop and pilot a platform in four European cities that can be of great value to prepare for future crises.

• ALISE - Antibody light-induced selectivity enhancement

  The ALISE consortium involves staff exchanges between seven partners in five countries which have complementary expertise in each step of design, synthesis, and pre-clinical testing of a new molecule to treat cancer. The multidisciplinary team will make new molecules that can target tumours and induce killing of cancer cells through irradiation with light. The involvement of three SMEs is expected to provide new skills and boost career opportunities of the staff involved in the exchanges.

• TransMigrArts - Transforming Migration by Arts

  TransMigrArts aims at observing, assessing, modelling and running artistic workshops (theatre, dance, clowning, music and performance) to migrants in vulnerable situations. The staff exchanges will create a network of researchers, artists and experts from 14 European and Latin America universities, scientific centres, cultural associations and enterprises. The outcomes of their work with migrants is expected to be applicable to other vulnerable populations, such as war victims, women, children, the elderly, the disabled, sick people or people living in poverty.

• MYCOBIOMICS - Joining forces to exploit the mycobiota of Asia, Africa and Europe using -OMICS techniques

  MYCOBIOMICS brings together eight leading organisations in Europe, Africa and Asia who use complementary approaches in the fields of chemistry and engineering to study fungal biodiversity, ecology, and biotechnology applications. Exchanges of staff between the project partners will give the researchers the opportunity to learn and apply new tools and knowledge to look for new drugs and to create new alternatives to chemical pesticides.