Professor Anette Hallin, scientific director of WOTAM at Mälardalen University, represented the project at the Horizon Europe Cluster 2 Coordinators’ Day during 14–15 September 2026 organised by the European Research Executive Agency (REA) in Brussels.

The two-day event brought together coordinators from projects funded under Cluster 2 – Inclusive Society, alongside policy officers from the European Commission’s Directorates-General for Education and Culture, Employment and Social Affairs, and Research and Innovation.

A platform to present WOTAM’s approach

On the first day, dedicated to the Science for Policy session, Professor Hallin joined coordinators from across the cluster in presenting their projects through short pitch sessions, highlighting how each initiative contributes to the European Commission’s policy priorities. This gave WOTAM the opportunity to introduce its empirical, evidence-led approach to Working Time Reduction to policy officers and fellow coordinators working on related questions of inclusion, labour markets and social policy across Europe.

The second day focused on practical guidance for coordinators managing Horizon Europe projects, covering the operational and administrative aspects of project implementation. As WOTAM’s scientific director, Professor Hallin’s participation supported the project’s coordination team, MDU, in aligning WOTAM’s management practices with best practice guidance shared across the Cluster 2 community.

Connecting with the wider research community

Beyond the formal sessions, the Coordinators’ Day offered a valuable opportunity to meet directly with REA and European Commission officers, as well as with coordinators from other Cluster 2 projects addressing related challenges in labour markets, social inclusion and the future of work. These conversations help position WOTAM within the broader landscape of EU-funded research on inclusive societies and open the door to potential collaboration and clustering activities with peer projects, as foreseen in WOTAM’s own dissemination strategy.

Professor Hallin, who coordinates WOTAM’s scientific leadership alongside Professor Chris Ivory, brings extensive experience in leading Horizon-funded research, including her previous role in the Horizon Up-Skill project. Her participation in Brussels reflects the project’s commitment to staying closely engaged with EU policy priorities and the wider Horizon Europe research community throughout WOTAM’s three-year lifetime.