On 17-18 September 2025, BioAgora was represented in the Biodiversa+ Midterm Conference, hosted at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, Netherlands. The event gathered leading biodiversity initiatives, researchers, and policymakers to reflect on progress and to strengthen Europe’s science-policy interface for biodiversity.
The BioAgora coordination team was represented by Kaisa Korhonen-Kurki (Syke) and Marie Vandewalle (UFZ). Both engaged in discussions on how BioAgora contributes to the EU biodiversity science-policy landscape and supports the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 through building the Science Service for Biodiversity.
Together with its sister collaborative projects CO-OP4CBD and RESPIN, BioAgora presented their joint efforts to reinforce the European biodiversity science-policy interface through fostering collaborations. The upcoming BioAgora SPI dialogue workshop was also successfully advertised throughout the two days of the conference.
Throughout the two-day conference, promotional materials from BioAgora were displayed at the conference venue, underlining the strong collaborative links among Horizon Europe projects working at the science-policy interface.
On 18 September, Marie Vandewalle participated as one of the speakers in the panel on tackling the biggest barriers to impact, stressing the importance of knowledge providers taking part in policy discussions and the importance of them being provided with efficient tools for such participation.
Afterwards, a special collaborative session brought together CO-OP4CBD, BioAgora, RESPIN, the ECA Network and Biodiversa+. The session showcased the successful cooperation between the initiatives and set out future pathways for deepening collaboration, emphasising its importance for maximising the policy impact of biodiversity research in Europe. BioAgora co-coordinator Kaisa Korhonen-Kurki outlined the benefits of collaborations through the Science Service for Biodiversity, further noting that such structured collaborations are key for the efficient advancement of the biodiversity science-policy landscape.
In the afternoon of the second day, BioAgora’s communications officer Alexandra Korcheva participated in a communications workshop focusing on the effective collaboration for outreach and impact. Her contribution reflected BioAgora’s experience in maximising visibility through shared actions with sister projects.
Throughout the two days the conference was skillfully facilitated by Ben Delbaere (Delbaere Consulting).
The Biodiversa+ Midterm Conference provided a valuable platform for BioAgora to demonstrate its progress, engage in policy-relevant discussions, showcase the merits of the Science Service for Biodiversity and reinforce its partnerships within the European biodiversity science-policy community.