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TRANSCRIPT
February 2014 Issue 42
HORIZON 2020 At the beginning of 2014, the new European research programme continued to open its doors to researchers and innovators throughout Europe. Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn participated in the launch events of Horizon 2020 in Bratislava, Vienna, Nicosia,
Bern and Athens.
For full speeches please visit:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-14-41_en.htm
"WE ARE COUNTING ON EUROPE’S SCIENTISTS TO PRODUCE
EXCELLENT RESEARCH THAT WILL UNDERPIN BOTH THE
ANSWERS TO SOCIETAL CHALLENGES AND THE INNOVATION
THAT IS VITAL TO OUR ECONOMY."
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH UPDATE February 2014 Issue 42
Dear Reader…
The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2014 in Davos under the
theme “The Reshaping of the World: Consequences for Society, Politics and Business” has closed its doors.
Of particular significance for research and innovation was the message that “Research needs to confront the communities in an even more innovative way to find out the value of that research for them” (Neil Gershenfeld in the session "The Global Science Outlook"). All the sessions can be viewed on the website here - http://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-
annual-meeting-2014/about. Yours sincerely,
The Editors
In this issue:
- Switzerland committed to Horizon
2020 - EU-South Africa Joint S&T
Cooperation Committee (JSTCC) 12th meeting - Presenting South Africa - a research and innovation partner for Europe in Horizon 2020
And many more… FYI: A calendar of important upcoming events
ISSN 2315-358X © European Union, 2014
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
February 2014 Issue 42
Switzerland committed to Horizon 2020
Switzerland organized a four-day-long stakeholder conference to launch Horizon 2020 in Bern on 14-17 January. The conference was opened by Federal Councillor Johann N. Schneider-Ammann, head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research and one of the seven Ministers of the Swiss Federal Council, and by Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn. Robert-Jan Smits, Director-General for DG Research and Innovation, gave a keynote speech on the main elements of Horizon 2020 and on the benefits and challenges for Switzerland. The opening day alone attracted over 500 participants – twice as many as the FP7 launch event. In her address, the Commissioner stressed the role of Horizon 2020 in improving living standards in Europe and in strengthening Europe's economy in the face of international competition. Mr Schneider-Ammann stressed the great importance of international cooperation in research and innovation for Switzerland. Switzerland has budgeted CHF 4.4 billion (€3.56 Billion) to maintain its associated member status. An agreement is currently being negotiated by the EU and Switzerland allowing Switzerland’s association to Horizon 2020. This agreement is expected to be signed over the course of 2014, which will allow it to become provisionally and retroactively applicable as from 1 January 2014. Meanwhile researchers in Switzerland are already fully entitled to take part in Horizon 2020 calls for proposals.
Photo: Commisioner Geoghegan-Quinn at the stakeholder
conference to launch Horizon 2020 in Bern on 14-17 January
For more information, please visit http://launch-h2020.ch/launch-h2020/pages/programme--4
or contact Minna Wilkki, [email protected], RTD C1
EU-South Africa Joint S&T Cooperation Committee (JSTCC) 12th meeting
The meeting took place in Brussels on 13 January 2014, to review and plan new priorities for collaboration and was co-chaired by Robert-Jan Smits and Phil Mjwara, Directors-General of DG Research and Innovation and the South African Department of Science and Technology respectively. South Africa is a strategic partner of the EU in the domain of science, technology and innovation, which is often considered a flagship for overall cooperation. Both sides agreed to step up collaboration in the fields of global health research, earth observation and research infrastructures. In preparation for the second programme of the European and Developing Countries' Clinical Trials Partnership, the EU and South Africa will work together to mobilise broader African participation. The parties will also collaborate within the Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness and the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases. In the context of the post-2015 strategy for the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) a possible joint action will be explored to support the AfriGEOSS initiative. The EU and South Africa will also discuss synergies between the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) and the South African national research infrastructure roadmap. Possible future areas of cooperation to be explored in 2014 are marine research including the possible opening of the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance initiative towards new partners such as South Africa and minerals research and innovation. South Africa also plays an important role in bi-regional EU-Africa cooperation. It participated actively in the second meeting of the EU-Africa High Level Policy Dialogue on STI (Brussels, 28-29 November 2013) and will be an active partner in the implementation of the conclusions.
Photo: Robert-Jan Smits (center), Director-General DG RTD with
Phil Mjwara (left), Director-General of the South African Department of Science and Technology
For more information, please visit
http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm?pg=newsalert&year=2014&na=na-130114
or contact Nienke Buisman,
[email protected], RTD C3
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February 2014 Issue 42
Presenting South Africa - a research and innovation partner for Europe in Horizon 2020
The seminar was organised by ESASTAP Plus in Brussels on 14 January, as a side-event to the Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee that took place the previous day to review and plan new priorities for collaboration. The seminar was opened by Cristina Russo, Director for International Cooperation at the European Commission, DG Research and Innovation and Mmboneni Muofhe, Deputy Director-General at the South African Department of Science and Technology. The purpose of the seminar was to present to the European science and technology community the exciting opportunities for cooperation with South Africa under the European Union's research and innovation programme, Horizon 2020. In addition to presenting the policy context, from both a South African and European perspective, regarding the strategic importance of collaboration in research and innovation between the two partners, the seminar highlighted South Africa's scientific and technological expertise in some of the priority research and innovation focus areas of Horizon 2020. The event was an ideal opportunity for European organisations interested in cooperating with South Africa under Horizon 2020 to learn more about the country's capacities.
For more information, please contact Nienke Buisman,
[email protected], RTD C3
JRC and NOAA give new impetus to their bilateral
cooperation
On 13 January 2014, in Brussels, Mr. Vladimir Šucha, JRC Director-General met Ms Kathryn Sullivan, Acting Under- Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Acting NOAA Administrator. The meeting provided an opportunity to review the progress of bilateral cooperation ongoing in the framework of the JRC-NOAA Implementing arrangement signed on 31 May 2012 to promote collaboration in relation to climate, weather, oceans and coasts. Collaborative scientific activities developed in accordance with the biennial JRC-NOAA Work programme 2013-2014 concern such key topics as space weather, fisheries research, tsunami modelling and climate data records. Joint events have been organised in these areas in 2013, among which a workshop on "Space weather impacts on the Power Grid" that aimed at raising awareness of the related hazards and addressing risk assessment, vulnerability analysis, preparedness and response. The collaboration also helped develop the Assessment for All (a4a) fisheries modelling framework related to new needs and challenges in the fisheries sector with respect to management and policy advice. Several collaborative activities are foreseen for 2014 in priority areas including
addressing hydrological forecasting in support to disaster risk reduction and water resources management. The JRC-NOAA cooperation contributes to the objectives of the Transatlantic Ocean Research Alliance, launched in May 2013 in Galway.
Photo: Mr Vladimir Šucha, JRC Director-General met Ms Kathryn Sullivan, Acting Under-Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Acting NOAA Administrator
For further information, please contact Liliana Pasecinic, [email protected], JRC A5
Info-day on Horizon 2020 in Japan and JEUPISTE Project Launch Seminar
On 6 December the new EU-Japan Bilat project, JEUPISTE, organized an Info-day, where the key elements of Horizon2020 were presented to researchers and R&D managers from public and private organizations, and the key Japanese ministries and funding agencies involved in international research collaboration. Presentations by the EU side: the EU Delegation (Barbara Rhode), EURAXESS (Lee Woolgar) and the newly established JEUPISTE (Toshiyasu Ichioka), were followed by presentations of Japanese funding schemes that could be used to support Horizon2020: Ministry of Internal Affairs – ICT, Ministry of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. In the afternoon, during the JEUPISTE Project Launch, Yuko Harayama, executive member of the Council for Science and Technology Policy introduced the Japanese STI strategy and strategic partnership with Europe (photo below), while Barbara Rhode explained the philosophy and history of Framework Programmes and future perspectives in the context of collaboration with Japan. Examples of the research cooperation were presented by the representatives of EUJO-LIMMS, the first European laboratory in Japan, CONCERT-Japan (Japan Science and Technology Agency)
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February 2014 Issue 42
and opportunities for European industry (DSM). Finally, members of JEUPISTE presented the role and challenges of the new Bilat project.
Photo: Dr Yuko Harayama, Executive Member, Council for Science
and Technology Policy (CSTP), Cabinet Office of Japan
For further information, please contact Barbara Rhode, [email protected], or Tom Kuczynski
[email protected], EU Delegation to Japan
ELiTES general meeting in Tokyo
Experts from the EU and Japan in cryogenic technologies for future gravitational wave detectors and observatories met at the EU Delegation in Tokyo on December 4 to discuss the progress of global gravitational wave projects and the status of collaboration within the FP7 IRSES project ELiTES. This project aims at designing the key components of two telescopes in the EU and Japan: Einstein Telescope (EU/FP7) and KAGRA (Large-scale Gravitational Wave Telescope Project in Japan). The direct detection of gravitational waves, predicted by Einstein's theory of General Relativity will be a breakthrough for astronomy and astrophysics because it will allow investigation of the origin of the Universe and exploitation of the information collected by electro-magnetic telescopes and particle detectors.
Photo: Participants of the ELiTES General Meeting in Tokyo, EU
Delegation to Japan
For further information, please contact Barbara Rhode, [email protected], or Tom Kuczynski [email protected], EU Delegation to Japan
The Challenges of Water and Wastewater Treatment for Rural Areas - Seminar 12-16 January 2014 Sakhnin
Between 12 and 16 January 2014, over fifty Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians gathered for an intensive technical seminar on wastewater treatment which was organized by the Towns Association for Environmental Quality – Agan Beit Natufa (TAEQ) and the Migal Galilee Research Institute. The seminar was held in TAEQ’s prize-winning Green Building which came first in the 2006 EU Med Enec competition for energy efficiency in the construction sector. The participants included water specialists, academics, students, public authority representatives, civil society organizations and water technology companies. The seminar combined lectures, site visits and round tables, as well as an exhibition and demonstration of the latest commercial technological developments. The EU hosted a session devoted to water-related projects funded under various EU programmes - the Seventh
Framework Programme (FP7), Cross Border Cooperation (Mediterranean Sea Basin), EU Partnership for Peace and SWIM (Sustainable Water Integrated Management). The session was opened by Ambassador Lars Faaborg-Andersen, Head of the EU Delegation to Israel and its aim was to enhance the synergies and impact of the various projects. Topics ranged from the treatment of olive mill wastewater through climate change and water security to the management of transboundary water basins. A presentation was also given of the EU’s new research and innovation programme Horizon 2020 with particular emphasis on the water sector and international cooperation activities.
Photo: The team ready to welcome the participants to the seminar on wastewater treatment
For more information, please
contact Angela Liberatore, [email protected], DG RTD C3 or Alexandra Meir, [email protected], EU
Delegation in Tel Aviv
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February 2014 Issue 42
Fusion Energy Creating an Infinite Future (Symposium 2013 on ITER/Broader Approach (BA) Activities)
On 27 November 2013 the Japan Society of Plasma Science and Nuclear Fusion Research, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in cooperation with Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF), and the Atomic Energy Society of Japan, organised a symposium in Tokyo on 'Fusion Energy Creating an Infinite Future – the 2013 ITER/BA Activities'. The aim of the symposium was to explain the future role of Japan in the ITER Project and the BA Activities (Naka and Rokkasho). During the event some Japanese industrial technologies related to production of the principal devices for ITER/BA were also presented. Osamu Motojima, ITER Director Genaral, reported on the progress of the ITER project (photo below). The EC was represented by Barbara Rhode (EU Delegation to Japan) who summarized the status and prospects of the BA Activities, emphasizing the role of voluntary contributors (delivery of cryostat for Tokamak JT-60SA in March 2013) and importance of the successful implementation of the IFMIF/EVEDA project for economic and safe design of DEMO. The following corporations presented a progress of the technologies developed in BA Activities: JAEA, Toshiba, Mitsubishi Heavy Industry, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Kakaen and SGI.
Photo: Prof Osamu Motojima, DG of the ITER Organisation
For further information, please contact Barbara Rhode,
[email protected], or Tom Kuczynski [email protected], EU Delegation to Japan
neuGRID4you: the neuroimaging research facility
neuGRID is an innovative e-infrastructure which provides neuroscientists, clinicians, bioinformaticians and pharmaceutical professionals with a “virtual” imaging laboratory, where they can upload, use, and share expert applications and data for brain analyses. In neuGRID, applications come with large reference neuroimaging
datasets to allow users to build, test and scientifically validate computationally intensive biomarkers, backed with specialized support and training. This leading infrastructure
is the result of a long-standing EC-funded Success Story, which witnessed the development of 4 major phases: neuGRID (2008-11), outGRID (2009-12), DECIDE (2010-
13), and N4U (2011-15). Thanks to its private cloud, neuGRID nowadays offers access to more than 6 000 dedicated processing CPU cores, together with 20 terabytes of staging storage, thus supporting ongoing visionary research, such as the Human Brain Project (HBP) and the European Medical Information Framework (EMIF).
neuGRID will be present at the following events:
The European Psychiatric Association Congress, Munich, 1-4 March 2014.
The Joint Annual Meeting ISMRM-ESMRMB, Milan, 10-16 May 2014.
The Organization of the Human Brain Mapping, Hamburg, 8-12 June 2014.
For more information, please visit https://neugrid4you.eu/, watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKCCBHU1nvQ or
contact Dr Cristina Bagnoli, N4U project manager, [email protected]
Calendar 2014 – 'EU-Japan Innovation Partnership'
The EU Delegation to Japan produced a desk calendar 2014 (in Japanese, cover below) promoting bilateral research collaboration; introducing 12 EU-Japan research projects (mostly FP7) and providing basic information about Horizon2020, MSCA, ERC and a link to open calls. 2800 copies have been distributed to current and potential research partners in Japan, including all universities, research institutions, research funding agencies and Ministries involved in Innovation.
Photo: Cover of the EU Delegation to Japan Calendar 2014
For further information, please contact Barbara Rhode,
[email protected], or Tom Kuczynski [email protected], EU Delegation to Japan
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February 2014 Issue 42
A successful e-AGE paving the way for the development of Arab e-Infrastructure
The 3nd “International Platform on Integrating Arab e-infrastructure in a Global Environment, e-AGE 2013”, took place in Tunis, Tunisia on 11-12 December 2013 organised by the Arab States Research and Education Network (ASREN). e-AGE was attended by speakers, policy makers, experts, and scientists representing over 30 countries. Participants recognised the importance of ASREN in providing regional e-infrastructure and services for the benefit of ASREN members R&E institutions and together with the wider regional Research and Education (R&E) community. The e-AGE platform set among its priorities: • developing pan-Arab e-Infrastructure and services • coordinating with regional e-infrastructures • enhancing R&E cooperation among the Arab countries and with communities in Europe, the US, Canada, Latin America, Africa, and beyond • creating a suitable dialogue to facilitate investments in regional R&E links and capacity through preparation and execution of national and regional e-Infrastructure projects. e-AGE participants also recognized the great importance of support from the League of Arab States, Europe, the US, and international donors. Arab NRENs, European GEANT, US Internet2, Candian Canarie, African UbuntuNet, and Asia Pacific APAN jointly declared continued cooperation to develop sustainable and interoperable e-Infrastructures, supporting researchers across the world. The success of e-AGE will pave the way for the development of Arab e-Infrastructure and linking it to the world R&E communities.
Photo: Participants to e-AGE2013
For more information, please visit
http://www.asrenorg.net/eage2013/ or contact Yousef Torman, [email protected] or Serena Belligoli
Information event on Horizon 2020 at the Beijing Municipal S&T Commission, China
Within the context of the recent launch of Horizon 2020, the China International Technology Transfer Centre, subsidiary organisation of the Beijing Municipal S&T Commission, invited the European Delegation to China, as well as several S&T Counsellors of the EU Member States and Associated Countries, to a public information event held in Beijing on 23 January 2014. The Representatives from the European Member States and Associated countries, presented overviews of collaboration opportunities between China and Europe. Philippe Vialatte, EU Delegation, introduced the European Framework Programme, Horizon 2020, and the opportunities of collaboration it offers to Chinese researchers focussing in particular on the innovation dimension of the programme. The audience of around 100 Chinese researchers and entrepreneurs were very receptive and the discussion following the presentations was fruitful and attested the deep interest of Chinese research and innovation stakeholders in Beijing to collaborate with Europe. For more information, please contact Philippe Vialatte, [email protected], EU Delegation in Beijing
Brainstorming seminar: How to encourage Chinese
participation in Horizon 2020?
On 22 January 2014, the EU Delegation in China invited 25 Chinese and European researchers and private sector R&D operators based in Beijing to a brainstorming seminar on "How to encourage Chinese participation in Horizon 2020". Horizon 2020 is not only fully open to international participation in all fields and areas, but it aims at doubling the participation from third countries. China is one of the EU's key international partners in research and innovation, and will – as other emerging economies and industrialised countries – no longer enjoy automatic access to EU funding. The seminar aimed to assess the new situation and find corresponding ways to promote Horizon 2020 to the Chinese research and innovation community. The participants shared their previous experience in collaborative projects and on the expectations they have in Horizon 2020. The seminar produced a number of constructive proposals and recommendations on the messages the EU could convey to Chinese stakeholders to enhance EU-China collaboration in Horizon 2020, including highlighting the excellence of European science and promoting the attractiveness of European mobility schemes (e.g. Marie Curie and ERC).
For more information, please contact Alexandra Lehmann, [email protected], EU Delegation in Beijing
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February 2014 Issue 42
Calendar of upcoming international cooperation events
EVENT Type Location Date
Infoday ICT Cooperation with Mexico conference Mexico DF 12/02/2014
H2020 Key Launch Event event Western Balkans 4/03/2014
"Success Stories of STI Cooperation with European
neighbourhood countries"exhibition/event
Brussels (European
Parliament)4/03/2014
Innovation convention event Brussels 10-11/03/2014
Launch of H2020 – Eastern Partnership: "From
Framework Programme 7 to Horizon 2020:
generalities, rules of participation, financial aspects"
workshop Chisinau 17/03/2014
EU-Africa Summit summit Brussels 2-3/04/2014
CELAC-EU SOM on S&I meeting San José - Costa Rica 3-4/04/2014
Greek Presidency event :" Research and Innovation in
the service of Economy and Society. EU Neighbourhood
and the Black Sea region"
event Thessaloniki 29-30 /05/2014
For online version kindly visit: http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm?pg=events&period=2014&theme=5BF57941-E740-571C-B4E5909CCF039C53
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European Commission
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