“BLIST” (Boosting incLusion of Students In research acTivities) is an ERASMUS+ project, selected under Key Action 2, Cooperation Partnerships, with the aim to increase the participation of students in scientific research projects and broaden the horizons of teacher-researchers to European partnerships. The two-year project will provide teachers and students with tools to strengthen their involvement in research and innovation at the European level.

The consortium consists of three European organizations:

• SynHERA, the coordinator, an association representing applied research within Frenchspeaking Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) and their associated Research Centres from Belgium
• BUILDERS – School of Engineering located in Caen (France)
• Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação (SPI), a Portuguese consulting company supporting innovation-fostering projects and international opportunities.

Together, the partners will develop tools to encourage student participation in research, such as a guide of good practices for the integration of students in research and innovation, training modules, and other initiatives and will also organize networking and awareness-raising events for students, teachers, and international managers of higher education institutions.

The kick-off meeting of the project was organized by SynHERA and held in Brussels on March 28th and 29th. It was an opportunity for the partners to finally meet in person and build stronger relationships after months of collaborating remotely on their proposal. The partners reviewed the main aspects of the project and began to plan several activities that will take place in the coming months. They all expressed optimism about the project’s potential impact and look forward to working together towards its successful implementation.