The main role of the regional helpdesks is to diffuse APRE’s services across Italy, facilitate the identification of the most appropriate calls for project ideas and to support the participation of APRE’s associated members to the European Framework Programmes for research and innovation.

Since 2010, the EU Liaison Office in Brussels has contributed to place APRE and its members in direct and constant contact with EU institutions and other key players of the EU’s decision-making process, promoting a strengthened engagement of our network and the whole Italian Research & Innovation community in the EU R&I policies and programmes.

APRE hosts all NCPs for Horizon 2020 in Italy, offering, free of charge, assistance and information services related to the participation in EU Framework Programmes for R&I. The Italian NCPs work in close collaboration with NCPs in other 130 countries across thematic areas and international networks.

APRE maintains close relations with the most important institutional actors active in research and innovation in Italy, supporting the development and internationalization of the Italian R&I system. Those entities include various Italian Ministries, public organizations, and agencies as well as representatives of the regions.

APRE is a partner of the Enterprise Europe Network – a European initiative, composed of 600 nodes in more than 60 countries, supporting companies and other research organizations in developing their innovation potential in line with EU policies. Given APREs long-standing experience in facilitating internationalization and growth of companies and due to its privileged access to the EEN international database with more than 60 000 entities looking for clients, providers and research partners, APRE facilitates fruitful collaborations, technological transfers and fosters business development.

In line with APRE’s mission, the main objective of international collaboration is to contribute to the development, modernization and internationalization of the Italian R&I system, facilitating collaboration opportunities between national innovators and researchers with international partners. APRE’s science diplomacy activities comprise, among others, providing information about international cooperation opportunities in the framework of EU R&I programmes as well as supporting the European Commission in bilateral and multilateral international dialogues (e.g. in relation to Science and Technology Agreements or the International Service Strategy).