Transcript Comparative benchmarking exercise for the NCP system in the West Balkan countires

Comparative benchmarking
exercise for the NCP system
in the West Balkan countires
Vienna 22-23 January 2009
NCP System in Montenegro
Branka Zizic, NCP Coordinator
Ministry of Education and Science
Montenegro
NCP network in Montenegro
• Third country contacts from FP6 (2 persons) at the
Ministry of Education and Science and Agency for
International Cooperation in Science, Education and
Culture
• Network of National contact points by thematic
priorities: end of 2006 – beginning of 2007
• Coordination of NCPs at the Ministry of Education
and Science
• Associated to FP7 in January 2008
NCP Montenegro
• Presently 8 people form the network –
inter-institutional non-formal organisation
– 4 at the Ministry
– 2 at the University
– 1 Agency for International Scientific,
Educational and Cultural Cooperation
– 1 National Agency for SME Development
– 2-3 FTE
IPA
part of pr.imp.unit
Tempus office
Ceepus,
fellowships
Bilateral
scientific
cooperation
Fellowships,
short courses
Ministry of Education
and Science –
Dept. for HE and Science
ZAMTES
NCP
Network of
Montenegro
National agency for SME
development
European information and
Innovation centre Montenegro –
Part of Enterprise Europe Network
Secretariat for EU
Integrations –
IPA, cross-boarder
University of
Montenegro
Office for
International
cooperation
Centre of Information
Systems –
Info platform
NCP Network and
Montenegrin Stakeholders in
Community Programmes
and international scientific cooperation
NCP organigram
Minister for Education and Science
Deputy Minister for Science
ZAMTES
Director
FP7 NCP Coordinator
(senior advisor for int. cooperation)
NCP 4
NCP 1
NCP 2
Directorate for SME Development
Director
NCP 5
NCP 3
University of Montenegro
Deans
NCP 6
NCP 7
NCP activities
Defined according to the EC Guidelines for setting up the system of NCPs
Priorities internally defined and discussed at the level of Deputy Minister
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Awareness raising
Informing
Advising
Partner search
Training
Delegates at the Programme Commitees
Reporting to the Minister, Science Council and
Government on FP7 activities
Review of NCP activities
2007
• 1 major Fp7 Info day
• Thematic info days (ICT, 2 KBBE, Health,
People)
• 3 workshops on project planning and proposal
writing (general and thematic for REGPOT)
• Round table on Mobility
• Mini-fair on European education and research
programmes
• Establishment of NCP web site:
www.mneresearch.ac.me
• Regular direct and on-line consultations
Review of NCP activities
2008
• Preparation for signing of the MoU
• Press conference on association to FP7
• REGPOT campaign: meetings, workshops, consultations, assistance
in proposal preparation
• Thematic info days (Health, People, 2 SMEs)
• Workshops within coordination projects (EU Balkan FABNET, WBC
Inco Net)
• Visit of the Commissioner Potocnik (meeting with researchers)
• Nomination of Programme Commitees / SCAR / CREST / JRC
members, meetings
• Direct and on-line consultations
• Informing, Partner search
• Web-site updating
• Contacts with media, Promotional materials
• Participation in FP projects
Financing of NCP activities
• Ministry of Education and Science,
Zamtes, Directorate for SMEs – budget
• FP projects’ budget
• Cooperation with local / international
organisations or EU partners (GTZ
Montenegro, Slovene Ministry HEST)
FP7 participation
1
(NB. 75% rebate)
NCP
Activities
+ EC
Committees
1/5
Main categories of
costs:
Travel
Expert honoraria
Promotional materials
Workshop organisation
Priorities and differentiation
of activities
• No defined NCP policy
• Ad hoc activities planned on 6-month basis, so to cover all the FP7
segments and respond to requests
• Guidance by the priorities set in the Strategy for research activities
• Differentiation of activities
– General information about FP7, first contacts with institution, proposal
preparation: NCP coordinator
– Specific information about priority themes, partner search: thematic
NCPs
• New initiatives – open to all NCPs BUT not part of business culture
in public service
• FP project activities – complementary to NCP daily activities, but
sometimes divergent.
• Non-flexible employment policy of the Ministry + lack of space are
obstacles for developing the network
Evaluation of NCP work
• Feedback from the researchers, clients – in email and direct communication
• Surveys about the quality and adequacy of
workshops offered and subsequent improvement
• Still more focused on awareness raising, little
body of project cases to analyse
• Reporting to the Deputy Minister and Minister –
their feedback
• No formal evaluation about the effectiveness of
NCP work
Strengths / weaknesses
• Motivated, flexible group
• Good internal communication
• Non-formalistic approach,
readiness to bridge the gaps
• Physical closeness with
technical and natural faculties
in Podgorica
• Closeness with other
Community programmes in the
Ministry
• Small research community =
ability to deal with individual
requests
• Dispersed system within
one town
• No regional coverage
• Some people working on
a voluntary basis
• Low technical knowledge
(proposal writing)
• Lack of quality system
(services offered,
information flow,
evaluation)
• Decision makers too
distant from NCPs
Thank you for your attention!
Branka Zizic
Ministry of Education and Science
Cetinjski put bb
81000 Podgorica
Montenegro
[email protected]
+382 20 265-014