On 3–4 February 2026, the information day “Ostatnia prosta w Horyzoncie Europa. Wykorzystaj swoją szansę!” took place at the Hotel Presidential in Warsaw, organized by the National Contact Point for EU Research Programmes at the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR).

The event focused on the final calls of the #HorizonEurope programme (2021–2027) and the upcoming 2026–2027 calls, which mark the close of the current funding period and set the direction for preparations for the next Framework Programme.

Over two intensive days, participants had the opportunity to learn about the latest open and upcoming calls, key priorities of the European Commission, and practical guidance for preparing competitive project proposals. Special attention was given to artificial intelligence and new technologies – from EU policies to real applications in research and innovation projects. The programme included plenary sessions with European Commission representatives, expert panels, discussions on European partnerships, business funding instruments, and extensive networking opportunities.

Centre for Systems Solutions was represented by Michalina Kułakowska, who participated as a panelist on the second day in the “Health, Agriculture, Environment” session. This was an excellent opportunity to share our expertise gained through the #FOODMISSION project – an EU Horizon Europe initiative focused on transforming food systems toward more sustainable and inclusive models. Within FOODMISSION, Centre for Systems Solutions contributes to the co-creation of interactive educational content, monitors participatory processes, and engages citizens in hands-on research activities. Highlighting this experience during the session demonstrated how citizen engagement and practical project implementation can inform policy and innovation.

Participation in the event allowed us to showcase our experience in research and innovation projects, strengthen our presence among Horizon Europe stakeholders – including representatives from the European Commission, public administration, academia, business, and NGOs – and represented an important step in preparing for upcoming calls and further developing international project collaboration.