The SEE-ERA.NET project

- a brief overview on the interim project results

The SEE-ERA.NET target region:

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Project objective and approach to coordination Overall project objective:

SEE-ERA.NET aims to structure and expand the European Research Area to the West Balkan by coordinating and supporting RTD activities conducted at a uni- and bilateral level. Mainly - but not exclusively – bilateral inter-governmental programmes are addressed.

Coordination on equal footing:

 17 partners from 14 countries within and outside the European Union,  including all countries in the West Balkan.

Each country is represented in the SEE-ERA.NET Steering Board  Regional approach:

South-East Europe

 Coordination period: September 2004 – August 2009

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The major SEE-ERA.NET interim results (1)

Sept 04 – Dec 05:

Information exchange on

 Existing uni- and bilateral funding programmes and agreements incl the evaluation of their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT analysis)  The research capacity of the West Balkan region and the SEE collaboration needs between all the participating SEE-ERA.NET partners Jan - Oct 06:

Preparations for the first call for proposals

(SEE-ERA.NET Pilot Joint Call)  

Joint Implementation Agreement (IA)

on the Pilot Joint Call (PJC) for RTD proposals incl a joint funding and (peer) reviewing strategy 

dedicated to scientific excellence All 14 participating countries sign

the IA and agree to participate in the PJC with national contributions (the original plan was that only a few countries join in with moderate financial  contributions)

International call for tender

–> technical assistance for the Pilot Joint Call

(PJC)

-

Central Administrative Body (CAB):

  Programming of an

online Project Application Management Tool Development of a new evaluators’ database

 for further use, but restricted access to the SEE ERA.NET project partners‘ peer review activities  External administrative support for review: project proposals)

transparent and fair assessment procedures

(peer

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The major SEE-ERA.NET interim results (2)

Nov 06 – Aug 08:

The SEE-ERA.NET Pilot Joint Call

 PJC launch in Nov; the call was open until end of March  The SEE-ERA.NET National Contact Point system: Central Administrative Body

NCP training

with representatives of the     Thematic conferences as

networking opportunities for researchers from 14 European countries

before the deadline, organised in three West Balkan countries

Evaluators ’ database

(peer review of the PJC applications):  registration of

1262 evaluators

, of whom

580 match

the keywords of the PJC June 07:

Decision on the evaluated proposals

: Meeting of the Steering Board in Brussels 321 eligible proposals after first check from 1437 research teams (oversubscription)  Funding of

26 research and networking projects, and 5 summer schools

   Contract negotiations with projects, start of projects in Sept/ Oct 07 Evaluation of the funding process (external expert) Monitoring of project results by Aug 08 (external expert)

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The major SEE-ERA.NET interim results (3)

March 07 – Sep/Oct 08: The

SEE-ERA.NET White Paper

and the

Joint Action Plan



BALKAN MISSION:

lobbying missions in the 6 Western Balkan countries and in the EC for the

White Paper

,

Joint Action Plan

& and the Reigonal programme

ReP-SEE

 As part of the Joint Action plan:

Regional Programme for Cooperation with Southeast Europa (ReP-SEE): PILLAR I: Joint RTD projects: next call with approx €2.625 Mio national contributions* PILLAR II: Accompanying Measures

: to be developed in 2008/09

PILLAR III: Young Scientist Programme

: to be developed in 2008/09

PILLAR IV: Innovation Programme**

 Other Joint Action Plan activities (already implemented): e.g. ZSI/ASO Ljubljana & UNESCO ROSTE & MHEST conference ‘Why Invest in Science in South Eastern Europe?’ Sept 06. The GSRT South East European Conference on Innovation in Nov 07; PT-DLR Management training for science administrators from the Western Balkan countries; SEE ERA.NET’s International Conference on Evaluation and Benchmarking in FYROM, Oct 08; Slovenian MHEST “Herman Potočnik – Noordung Award” for Research Infrastructure Donations within the Framework of RTDI Collaboration with West Balkan Countries; etc Footnotes: *SEE-ERA.NET PLUS: plus approx 33% by EC; project in negotiation phase, to be implemented 2008-2011 (project proposal, Era Net, FP7) ** SEE-ERA.NET on Innovation (project proposal, Era Net, FP7)

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Summary

SEE-ERA.NET

is the main European Commission

networking project

for the integration of countries in the West Balkan into the European Research Area

SEE-ERA.NET

is a

network of 14 ministries and 3 agencies

countries that includes all Western Balkan countries in 14 European

SEE-ERA.NET

provides

new opportunities for scientists and already existing networks

in Southeast Europe by opening up a European-wide perspective for scientific cooperation and funding

SEE-ERA.NET

partner countries provide funding for multinational research teams through Joint Calls for Proposals

SEE-ERA.NET

puts forward a reviewing system for research projects where the assessment procedures are

transparent, fair and dedicated to scientific excellence SEE-ERA.NET

is a long term project of 5 years duration which develops scenarios for sustainable cooperation beyond 2009:

Regional Programme for Cooperation with South-East Europa

(ReP-SEE)

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SEE-ERA.NET contact details Marion Haberfellner

SEE-ERA.NET Co-ordinator Centre for Social Innovation Linke Wienzeile 246 1150 Vienna, Austria [email protected]

www.see-era.net

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