CEI PILOT PROJECTS TO PROMOTE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION THROUGH CENTERS AND GROUPS OF SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE IN WEST BALKANS, DANUBE REGION, OTHER CEI COUNTRIES Presentation by Giorgio Rosso Cicogna Special Advisor to CEI Secretary General Meeting of CEI National Focal Points for Science and Technology Trieste, 8-10 July 2013

Regional Cooperation for European Integration - A Bridge between Macroregions

THREE CEI PILOT PROJECTS “CLONED”

• • • CEI Secretariat launched three Pilot Projects of regional cooperation to promote state of

art scientific research

transfer of potential of

technology know-how innovation for industry

• • • Concerning all CEI member countries through a bridge between macro-regions the Western Balkan region the Danube macro-region the Eastern neighbourhood Overlapping among the three projects will be adjusted on the basis of a variable geometry of different resources made available by the European Commission to EU members and Non-EU countries and according to the different respective eligibility of each CEI member country: i.e. structural funds, Horizon 2020, IPA 2, ENPI, etc.

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OBJECTIVES OF THESE PILOT PROJECTS

 CEI intends to contribute to the initial implementation of a

comprehensive strategy

fostering regional cooperation on Research and Innovation in Western Balkans, in cooperation with EC, RCC, World Bank, as it has been defined by the latter.

 Many years of experience with the CEI S&T Network will contribute to enhance capabilities of

centres of excellence

and other

advanced research groups

in the region (they will get 85% of project resources).

 In this context (WBC), a three year collaborative regional research project, building on the

strengths

of the CEI S&T Network, can start

immediately

, i.e. as soon as funded, with

limited financial resources

( €15,5 mil.) if compared with the ambitious target of World Bank strategy ( €200 mil.)  From this first priority, CEI Secretariat has contribute to the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) in the field of S&T: thus covering 17 of its member states. The third “cloned” a second pilot project to “clone” covers also Belarus  These pilot projects will disseminate scientific knowledge, transfer technology and promote innovation, while testing on the field most actions of WB strategy.

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CEI SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY NETWORK

• •  Centres which are

international by statute

ICTP International Centre for Theoretical Physics (UNESCO/IAEA) ICGEB International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (intergovernmental organization of the UN family) • • • •  Centres which are

international by vocation

Elettra Synchrotron Lab and Fermi Free Electron Laser Lab SISSA International School of Advanced Scientific Studies OGS Institute for Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics AREA Science Park For these pilot projects the Centres of global excellence of the CEI Network have identified ten scientific programmes with a strong multidisciplinary component, all based on their world recognised strengths. Training by AREA will promote technology transfer / innovation related to these programmes. For West Balkans overall objective is

complementary to that of WB

; for Danube strategy emphasis is put on

smart specialization

.

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PROPOSED FIELDS OF ACTIVITIES FOR CEI PILOT PROJECTS

 Synchrotron radiation and free electron laser to develop

innovative materials

, including new technologies for conservation of cultural heritage;

molecular and structural biology

tools including microscopy and 3D analysis (Elettra and Fermi)    

Environment protection Condensed matter Biotechnology

modelling and

climate change

for food and energy (ICGEB) (ICTP+OGS) physics and advanced materials (ICTP+SISSA) 

Cognitive mathematics neurosciences

; (SISSA)  

Regenerative medicine

with specific reference to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders (ICGEB+SISSA) Secure

energy

(OGS) innovative start-ups (AREA)

Computational biology

;

Applied

Cross-sectoral support: promotion of technology transfer and coaching of

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ENVISAGED SUPPORT THROUGH CEI PILOT PROJECTS

The CEI Pilot Projects will provide support through several actions, stimulating regional joint initiatives, aiming at a larger

participation to Horizon 2020

.

  Scholarships (30 months each) and grants for group leaders to be spent in own countries;  Support for scientific travel, organisation of scientific events subscription to literature, consumables, software;  Support for training and coordination by Centres of the CEI Network, including funding for joint research projects (also in view of participation to Horizon 2020);  Support for e-learning, e-laboratory, tutoring, networking, etc.

 Fellowships to be spent in Trieste (30 months each); Access to advanced instrumentation and lab facilities

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FOCUS ON RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AND TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY

 The CEI Pilot Projects focus on excellence in research and on best practices in transfer of know how, disseminating knowledge about different roles, in joint efforts, for research, development and innovation  In most CEI Countries there is a variable need for specific measures in order to support the itinerary from research to technology transfer and development, finalized to innovation  To reach this objective, these Pilot Projects envisage a monitoring “tailor made” advanced training by AREA, which has a specific experience in this field since its establishment, and will train many fellows in technology transfer related to the ten programmes above, also ensuring a post-course tutoring and

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EXPECTED IMPACTS FROM THE CEI PILOT PROJECTS

 Larger number of collaborative projects and co-publications with CEI S&T Network, also in high impact journals and by young researchers  Larger number of trained young researchers with promising careers, turning the trend from brain drain into brain gain  Targeted transfer of technology in larger number of innovative applications to industrial production  Broader participation to Horizon 2020 projects from scientific communities in WB Countries and efficient use of advanced instrumentation  Better public/political awareness about the advantages of research programmes, also in regional dimension/cooperation

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NEXT STEPS TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION OF CEI PILOT PROJECTS

 Building overall consensus and support at all CEI levels, among stakeholders • EC/RCC/World Bank Steering Committee for the WB Strategy (May 2013, Vienna) • WB Steering Platform for S&T (June 2013, Budva) • lobbing in Brussels with DG Research, DG Enlargement and DG Regio 

Today

: meeting in Trieste (9-10 July) of CEI S&T Focal Points, other government officials, EC representatives and prominent scientists from CEI countries, directly involving CEI S&T Network  Mapping matching Centers, groups and infrastructure in CEI Member Countries, and testing outline with ESFRI (contribution to roadmap?) 

Meeting of CEI Ministers for Science and Technology already scheduled in October 2013 in Trieste,

like every year, to establish a 

Steering Committee

RCC, World Bank, WBC INCO-Net, but no need of a new implementing structure.

with CEI S&T Focal Points, representatives of EC,

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CEI S&T PILOT PROJECTS IN A NUTSHELL

 CEI rationale in promoting these pilot projects • CEI Secretariat as collective catalyser of needs and expectations of scientific communities and Industry in member countries • driver from brain drain into brain gain, facilitating/increasing participation to Horizon 2020 through access to state of the art instrumentation / other lab facilities and cooperation with CEI network • testing on the field more ambitious strategies (for instance, most actions proposed by World Bank for the Balkans or recommended by the European Commission for the Danube region)  CEI Secretariat’s role as implementer of these pilot projects, once they will be (progressively) funded by the European Commission • own experience in management of EU funded projects • long specific experience of partners of CEI S&T Network • no need for a new implementing structure

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FRAMEWORK PROGRAM PARTICIPATION OF CEI S&T NETWORK

INSTITUTION SINCROTRONE ELETTRA SUBMITTED PROPOSALS 109 ICTP ICGEB SISSA OGS 66 49 197 80 33 AREA SCIENCE PARK TOTAL without UNIV.TS

534 UNIVERSITY TRIESTE

TOTAL

with UNIV.TS

356 890 ELIGIBLE PROPOSALS 103 MAIN-LISTED PROPOSALS 20 65 48 183 77 15 9 47 29 32 7 508 127 327 835 36 163 OF WHICH FUNDED BY IDEAS APPLICANT'S SUCCESS RATE 1 19,42% / 1 9 / 23,08% 18,75% 25,68% 37,66% / 21,86% 11 23,78% 2 13 11,01% 18,31%

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Your suggestions and support are most welcome!

As a precondition, WB Countries must include S&T among the priorities in their respective national IPA 2 programmes; EU members in the Danube Region must emphasize smart specialization in their national approach to regional cooperation to promote research and innovation.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION Giorgio Rosso Cicogna Special Advisor to CEI Secretary General [email protected]

www.cei.int

Regional Cooperation for European Integration - A Bridge between Macroregions