Periodic Activity Report

Periodic activity report

Reporting Period: April 01, 2007 –March 31, 2008

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Project no. PL043911

Project acronym: RegionERA

Project title: REGIONAL NETWORK FOR SUPPORT OF SCIENTIFIC ANDTECHNOLOGICAL CO-OPERATION BETWEEN EUROPEAN UNIONAND RUSSIAN REGIONS

Instrument: FP6 Specific Support Action

Thematic Priority: INCO

Periodic Activity Report

Period covered: from 01/04/2007 to 31/03/2008Date of preparation: 14/05/2008

Start date of project: 01/04/2007Duration: 18 month

Project coordinator name: Dr. Igor Zornikov

Project coordinator organisation name:

VoronezhStateUniversity,

Central Black Soil Regional Information Point for S&T

Co-operation with EURevision draft

May 2008

RegionERA, PL 043911 Page 1 of 33

Periodic activity report

Reporting Period: April 01, 2007 –March 31, 2008

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Document information

Project ref. no. / PL 043911
Project title / REGIONAL NETWORK FOR SUPPORT OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL CO-OPERATION BETWEEN EUROPEAN UNION AND RUSSIAN REGIONS
Project acronym / RegionERA
Contractual date of delivery / May 15, 2008
Actual date of delivery / May 14, 2008
Report number / 1
Report title / Periodic Activity Report
Covering Period: April 01, 2007 –March 31, 2008
Number of pages / 34
Prepared by / Igor Zornikov (CBS RIP VSU)
Alla Akoulshina (CBS RIP VSU)
Authored by / Vladimir Popov / Irina Sharova
Gabriele Gorzka
Andrey Girenko
Approved by / WPLs & Co-ordinator
Released by / Igor Zornikov
Document history / Version / Date / Reason of modification
0.1 / Draft version
Distribution List / European Commission
All RegionERA Partners
Via RegionERA RestrictedArea, Document Repository/Reports
EC Scientific Officer / Tarik Meziani
Report status / This document is classified as project internal.
This document is distributed to the below listed people only.
This document contains confidential project information and must be treated as such.

Table of Content

Publishable executive summary / 4
Project objectives and major achievement during the reporting period / 5
Workpackage progress of the period / 7
2.1.WP1 Studying European expertise of support of S/T co-operation and experience of participation in EU framework programmes and INTAS of Russian regions / 7
2.2. WP2 Creating and developing of regional infrastructure for information and consultancy provision of S/T co-operation / 8
2.3. WP3 Training and supervising of regional consulting managers in the field of international S/T co-operation / 10
2.4. WP4. Information and consulting services provision, dissemination of RIP expertise / 12
2.5. List of deliverables / 15
2.6. List of milestones / 16
Consortium management
WP5 Project management
Project timetable / 17
17
20
Other issues / 25
Annex
1. Plan for using and dissemination the knowledge / 27
27
2. Articles Published, Press releases etc / 33

RegionERA, PL 043911 Page 1 of 33

Periodic activity report

Reporting Period: April 01, 2007 –March 31, 2008

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Publishable summary

The project intends to extend the number of potential Russian participants through creating better conditions for regional scientists’ involvement in FP7 and other research schemes on all the thematic priorities, focusing on food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology.

Its particular aims are to raise awareness of Russian institutions of ERA, FP7 and other European RTD programmes and to create infrastructure for information and consultancy support of S/T cooperation between Russia and EU, to open up scientific potential and achievements of Russian regional research teams to European partners and to train professional consulting managers for international cooperation and in order to build skills of FP7 proposal writing.

They have been achieved through implementation of 5 Workpackages:

WP1. Studying European expertise of support of S/T co-operation and experience of participation in EU framework programmes and INTAS of Russian regions

WP2. Creating and developing regional infrastructure for information and consultancy provision of S/T co-operation

WP3. Training and supervising of regional consulting managers in the field of international S/T co-operation

WP4. Information and consulting services provision, dissemination of RIP expertise

WP5. Project management and coordination

Under these Workpackages activities havebeen carried out in the following lines:

-The survey, which has revealed typical obstacles to building successful partnerships between European consortia and Russian regional researchers. There has been studied information and consultancy support expertise and number projects in order to highlight the problems of European and Russian cooperation. The result analysis has been used while adjusting existing RIPs and creating new ones; defining the optimal model of informational and consultancy provision of S/T co-operation; making up programme and selecting participants for the training seminars; developing recommendations on participations in FP7.

-There was set up a network of Regional Information Points which map participation capabilities of Russian regions in FP7 and facilitate involvement of regional research community into European RTD consortia. There was also developed a multifunctional interactive information system for providing of S/T cooperation between Russian regions and EU.Web-site information is updated. A number of web-portal users have increased. Collaborative activities among RIPs and Russian and European NCPs are defined. There was achieved databases extension and layout of databases links in web-sites of INCO-targeted European NCPs.

-Target training of Russian regional multipliers in the field of European research project management (in the FP7 context) has provided quality support of regional researchers.Trained consulting managers in the field of S/T co-operation who are able to act as independent local trainers in the field of participation opportunities, partner search and proposal writing.

-There was created a system of regular and sustainable information and facilitation support of potential regional participants in FP7.There was implemented advising (both direct and through Internet forum) of regional scientists on the issues of participation in FP7 projects, search for European partners, consortium-building and proposal writing.

1.Project objectives and major achievement during the reporting period

Participation level of Russian institutions in the FP6 does not correspond with its scientific capacities. Russia participated in around 330 FP6 signed contracts (in comparisonGermany participated - 4100 contacts, to UK - 8000 signed contracts, to French participants - 3500).

In order to change the state-of-the-art the project carries out activities in the following lines:

-WP1. The survey, which has revealed typical obstacles to building successful partnerships between European consortia and Russian regional researchers. There has been studied information&consultancy support expertise and number of selected FP5/6 and INTAS projects in order to highlight the problems of European and Russian cooperation.

-WP2 There was set up a network of Regional Information Points which map participation capabilities of Russian regions in FP7 and facilitate involvement of regional research community into European RTD consortia, complementing and reinforcing existing 10 Russian NCPs otherwise unable to operate effectively across vast Russian territory; There was also developed a multifunctional interactive information system for providing of S/T cooperation between Russian regions and EU

-WP3 Target training of Russian regional multipliers in the field of European research project management (in the FP7 context) has provided quality support of regional researchers and the widest spread of information on the existing cooperation opportunities offered by FP7 and EU programmes

-WP4 There was created a system of regular and sustainable information and facilitation support of potential regional participants in FP7

The analysis shows that roots of this problem are multifaceted, but the main reason hampering further involvement caused by:

-lack of awareness of the EU research policy, FP6, other European programmes and ERA; absence of infrastructure for information and consultancy support of S/T co-operation on regional level;

-lack of European partners’ awareness of Russian regional research communities;

-absence of experience of joint project proposal writing skills and partner search; lack of professionally trained staff for international cooperation.

1. With the aim to raise awareness of Russian institutions of ERA, FP7 and other European RTD programmes and to create infrastructure for information and consultancy support of S/T cooperationbetween Russia and EUthere has been:

–analysed the existing positive experience and efficiency of the Russian researchers’ participation in the various FP5, FP6 and INTAS projects as well as the main difficulties and obstacles to better involvement of the regional scientific communities in future research collaboration, mainly in the field of FP7

–studied the European experience in information&consultancy provision for developing international S/T co-operation in the framework of EU programmes

–created a network of FP7 regional information points in order to provide regional research communities capable to participate in collaborative FP7 projects with information support and dissemination

–developed a multifunctional interactive information system for providing S/T cooperation between Russian regions and the EU, which is capable to provide regional research community with sustainable information support in the field of FP7 and raise European partners’ awareness of scientific potential of Russian regions classified according to the FP7 priorities

–provided efficient interaction between Russian and European institutions in the field of S/T cooperation, federal and local authorities, regional research community, mass media

–developed a framework model of RIP, its interaction with European and Russian National Contact Points, Ministry of Education and Science, regional universities, research organizations, SMEs, local authorities and mass media.

2. With the aim to open up scientific potential and achievements of Russian regional research teams to European partners there have been:

-developed English-language databases “Scientific potential and achievements of regional HEIs and research institutions classified according to the FP7 priorities”, “FP7 project proposals of regional researchers” including an e-search system for Russian regional partners by European participants of S/T cooperation in order to include into consortia

-made contacts with European NCPs and EU research centres.

3. With the aim to train professional consulting managers for international cooperation and in order to build skills of FP7 proposal writing there have been:

-trained 30 consulting managers who are able to act independently in their regions

-supported partnership through consultancy services in the field of participation in FP7 available to research teams from Russian regions

-developed guidelines on participation in FP7 for Russian partners

4. With the aim to address common issues concerning biotechnology (food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology) there has been:

-created a database “Researches in food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology”

-held an international scientific workshop on the FP7 thematic priority “Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology”

-developed recommendations for the relevant Committees of the Federation Council.

It is also expected that the project contributes to further integration of Russian regional research community into the European Research Area and FP7 and provides European scientists and business with access to Russian regional scientific potential that will extend S/T cooperation between Russian regions and EU, foster regional research integration into ERA and reinforce influence of this co-operation on science, economy and social sphere of Russian regions. The project is a model and can be used to create RIPs in other Russian regions as well as the NIS countries.

Creation of RIPs on the basis of existing since the 1990s regional centres for international cooperation and academic mobility of the leading regional universities, possessing sustainable experience of international cooperation in the field of higher education, human resources and necessary equipment and support from local authorities ensures development of the activities of the network of regional information points after the project completion with the usage of national funding.

Workpackage progress of the period

2.1.WP1 Studying European expertise of support of S/T co-operation and experience of participation in EU framework programmes and INTAS of Russian regions

Workpackage number / 1 / Start date or starting event: / 1
Workpackage title: Studying European expertise of support of S/T co-operation and experience of participation in EU framework programmes and INTAS of Russian regions
Participant id / VSU / INBI / UNIK
Person-months per participant: / 8 / 2 / 0,2

WP leader is CBS RIP, with participation of all consortium members

Objectives

to analyse the existing positive experiences and efficiency of the Russian researches’ participation in the various FP5, FP6, INTAS projects as well as the main difficulties and obstacles to more extend involvement of the regional scientific communities into future research collaboration; mainly in the field of FP7

to study the European experience in information and consultancy provision for developing international S/T co-operation

To achieve these objectives the following activities were implemented:

Identifying the universities and regional research organisations working in the field of EU RTD programmes’ priorities. The list includes more than 50 universities and research institutions from 19 Russian regions (6 cities of the Central Black Soil Region and also 13 cities of the Central Federal District, the South Federal District and Volga Region). They carry out research on all FP7 Themes. The list is presented in deliverable D 1.1. List of the regional universities and research organizations.

Finding out regional research teams, who have had experience of participation in FP5, FP6, INTAS or other European programmes (deliverable D 1.2)

Study of the experience in developing information and consultancy activities of the East-West-Science-Centre (OWWZ), KasselUniversity and FFG (Austria), the experience of European FP6 projects (ERA-CENTRALASIA, EURO-MEDANET, ERA-WESTBALKAN, BS-RESPORT, ASBIMED and others). Report on a trip to the OWWZ can be found in Deliverable 1.5.

According to the results of the D 1.3. (Study of the experience of FP6 projects in the field of informational provision of participation in S/T programmes) and D1.4. (Survey targets on analysis of experience of participation in FP5/6 and INTAS, identifying the existing needs and obstacles to successful participation of regional organizations in FP6) and also D.1.5 there have been prepared the analytical notes including recommendations on adjusting of structure and activity of RIPs; developing a regional infrastructure for informational support to regional research community; creating seminar programme and selecting participants of the training workshop (D.1.6.)

Taking into account that Task 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 are in close relation it is regarded reasonable to present common deliverables report for this tasks (D1.3,1.4.1.6)

Milestones

The result analysis has been used while adjusting existing RIPs and creating new ones; defining the optimal model of informational and consultancy provision of S/T co-operation; making up programme and selecting participants for the training seminars; developing recommendations on participations in FP7.

2.2.WP2 Creating and developing of regional infrastructure for information and consultancy provision of S/T co-operation

Workpackage number / 2 / Start date or starting event: / 1
Workpackage title: Creating and developing regional infrastructure for information and consultancy provision of S/T co-operation
Participant id / VSU / INBI / UNIK
Person-months per participant: / 16 / 8 / 0,2

WP leader is CBS RIP, with participation of all consortium members

Objectives

–to create a network of regional FP7 information points in order to provide information support and dissemination to regional research communities capable to participate in collaborative projects

–to build links and contacts with European and Russian organisations in the field of S/T cooperation, federal and local authorities, regional research community and mass media

–to provide an efficient and sustainable information support to potential Russian regional participants, especially while FP6 moves to FP7; promote exploitation of the existing participation experiences and skills; to enable effective partner search and target dissemination

To achieve these objectives the following activities were implemented:

Adjusting of structure and activity of the CBS RIP, taking into consideration FP7 priorities and needs of regional research communities (D2.1)

The RIPRegulationsweredeveloped, the structure and main functions were defined.Equipment and technical facilities were upgraded (D 2.1.)

Our main priorities are:

-disseminating general and specific information on FP7 and other RTD programmes set up by the EU, Russian scientific foundations, including on calls for proposals, conferences, seminars, etc (D4.3, D 2.5, D 2.6)

-creating the information system of providing S/T cooperation between Russian regions and EU and updating a database of the local scientific potential and project proposals; (D 2.2, D 2.3, D 2.4, D 2.9)

-organizing info-days, conferences, and round-table discussions with a view to introducing FP7, other European programmes as well as the Black Soil Region research capacity; (D 4.1, D 4.2, D 4.4, D 4.5)

-advising new actors on FP7 (e.g. conditions for participation and submission of proposals, project management); (D 2.6. D3.3., D 4.5)

-setting up a network of regional consultants, organising training workshops on proposal writing (D 3.1, D 3.3)

-assisting in partner search activities for Russian-European research programmes (D 2.3);

-enhancing research mobility, including researchers, university teachers, postgraduates, and students (D 2.7);

-interacting with Russian and European NCPs, Russian regional information points, federal and local authorities (D 2.8);

Creating of interactive information system for providing S/T cooperation between Russian regions and EU, the information system is available .

The information system including

-FP7 and EU programmes information

-e-mail newsletters for regional universities,

-information on open calls for proposals, thematic search,

-young scientists programme unit,

-joint English-language databases “Regional research organisations and universities scientific potential with classification of its records by FP6 and FP7 priorities” and “Regional researchers’ project proposals on participation in FP7 “Researches in biotechnology” .

Atpresentthedatabasescontaininformationabout205 partner offers from 25 universitiesandresearch institutions of the Central Black Soil region, the South Federal District of Russia, Tatarstan as well as Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Tadzhikistan.Collectingpartnersoffersfromuniversitiesandresearchinstitutionsis keeping as well as permanent database updating.

-E-system of Russian regional partners search:

-development of regional databases in Russian and English languages

-Internet-forum “Issues of Russian organisations participation in FP7“

-development of information resource “European and Russian RTD organisations, foundations and programmes of S/T cooperation”

Detailed description of functions, content, and technological, technical and field-performance data of the Information System on the whole including its abovementioned parts can be found in the deliverable report D 2.2. Taking into account that deliverables D2.3, D2.4, D2.7 and D2.9 are parts of the Information System report on them is included into deliverable report D 2.2.