European Research Day 2025 – Bhubaneswar

European Research Day 2025 – Bhubaneswar

Date and Time: Friday, 17 October 2025, 10:00am-6.00pm
Venue:  MAYFAIR Convention, 8-B, Jayadev Vihar, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha – 751013.
 
 

Post-Event Press Release

This year’s European Research Day was held in Bhubaneswar, in collaboration with the Delegation of the European Union to India and EURAXESS India, and with the support of KIIT University Bhubaneswar and Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster, at the Mayfair Convention. This event delved into the strategic partnership between the EU and India in research and innovation, showcasing opportunities for Indian students to apply for world-class fellowships, and researchers to collaborate with the EU and its Member States. Tailored for the academic community in and around Bhubaneswar, the event highlighted funding opportunities and collaborative projects under Horizon Europe, such as EU-India co-funding calls, European Research Council and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Grants, as well as research and innovation and fellowship programmes offered by the EU Member States.

During the event +200 participants got the opportunity to engage directly with distinguished official representatives from Czechia, France, Germany, Hungary, and The Netherlands. These experts presented opportunities for bilateral cooperation and career development pathways designed to promote collaborative research initiatives. Additionally, attendees gained valuable insights into the support services provided by the EURAXESS India network, which facilitates EU-India research collaborations and opportunities for career pathways in Europe.

The event commenced with a welcome address from Mr. Pierrick Fillon-Ashida, First Counsellor at the Delegation of the EU to India. Keynote addresses was delivered by Prof. Mrutyunjay Suar, Director General (R&D and Innovation), KIIT University Bhubaneswar.

Testimonies on EU Fellowships and existing EU-India cooperation were shared, and representatives from various EU countries presented research, innovation, and study opportunities in Europe. The closing remarks were held by Dr. Namrata Misra, Chief Executive Officer, Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster and Dr. Samrat S. Kumar, EURAXESS India. A networking session offered further engagement and dialogue for participants.

Background:

About the European Union: The EU, which consists of 27 countries, has the world's second largest economy and its third largest population, after China and India. Though richly diverse, the countries that make up the EU (its 'Member States') are all committed to the same basic values: peace, democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights. 
EU-India Cooperation on Mobility and Career Development of Students and Researchers: Europe is a major destination for higher studies and research for India. 
-    Students: Almost 100,000 Indian students are currently studying in EU. In 2025, 101 students from India received funding to pursue the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters programme. In the last 10 years, more than 6,000 Indian students have benefited from the EU Erasmus+ programme. 
•    Researchers: Almost 3,000 Indian researchers (Doctoral and Postdoctoral) have benefited from the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Fellowships. Total funding to these fellowships amounts to >200 million euros. Indian nationals are one the largest beneficiaries of the MSCA. Since the beginning of the European Research Council (ERC) in 2007, nearly 100 Indian nationals have been awarded ERC grants. Indians rank third in terms of grants, after the US and Canadian nationals.
 

About Horizon Europe

Horizon Europe is the European Union’s largest research and innovation programme, backed by a budget of €95.5 billion. It supports collaboration across borders and disciplines to address global challenges—such as climate change, digitalization, public health, and sustainable development—while fostering economic growth and competitiveness.
The programme is inclusive and open to MA/MSc students, PhD candidates, early-career and senior researchers, university administrators, and private-sector organizations including SMEs and startups. Through its diverse funding opportunities, Horizon Europe enables access to world class infrastructure, researcher mobility, and partnerships that boost knowledge creation and technology deployment.