June 2012 Issue 25 1

INFORMATION FLASH ON INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES

DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION DIRECTORATE

POLICY

EU/Member States-INDIA Conference and Ministerial Meeting Build Momentum for Indo-European Research and Innovation Partnership Over 200 European and Indian stakeholders from the public and private sectors gathered in Brussels on 31 May – 1 June 2012 at a conference organised by DG Research and Innovation to discuss common challenges, priority areas and instruments to boost Europe-India cooperation in research and innovation.

A Vilasrao Deshmuk'h, Indian Minister for Science and Technology and

Earth Sciences, meets Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn A ministerial meeting hosted by the Danish Presidency of the European Union was held in parallel with the participation of Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Morten Østergaard, Danish Science and Innovation Minister, Shri Vilasrao Deshmuk'h, Indian Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, and – representing the past and future EU Presidencies - Barbara Kudrycka, Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education representing and Stavros Malas, Cypriot Minister of Health. In a Brussels Communiqué on the "Indo-European Partnership for Research and Innovation", Ministers agreed draw up a shared strategic agenda in the area of research and innovation and to support it through the setting up of a Group of Senior Officials, with the

objective of adopting the new strategic agenda in the first half of 2013.

For further information, please contact Diego Sammaritano, DG RTD, Directorate D

EU and Japan Agree to Promote Cooperation in ICTs, Internet Security, and Cloud Computing European Commission Vice-President Neelie Kroes and Tatsuo Kawabata, Japanese Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications met in Brussels on 3 May to reaffirm EU-Japan close partnership in the area of ICTs. In particular, they discussed internet policies, internet security, cloud computing, safer internet for children, cooperation on ICT R&D, and Active and Healthy Ageing. The Vice President and the Minister underlined the need to promote and reinforce international standards for exchanging internet security information and announced their plan to hold a Japan-EU internet security forum to further discuss these matters. In addition, both recognised the advantages of "cloud computing" technology for social and economic activities and disaster management, and underlined the success of the Japan-EU Cloud Computing Technical Seminar held in Tokyo on 19 April 2012. Reinforced research cooperation in the area of Active and Healthy Ageing was also identified as a priority for both Japan and Europe.

For further information, please contact Barbara Rhode, EU Delegation in Tokyo

Third ASEAN-EU Dialogue Meeting on Science and Technology The meeting took place in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar on 18 May. It led to concrete decisions to launch pilot ASEAN networks of excellence with support from the Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (‘READI’ funded by DG DEVCO). Singapore and Malaysia called for stepping up cooperation, particularly between the ASAEN Action Plan for Science and Technology flagship programmes and similar EU initiatives. ASEAN participation in FP7 has increased significantly with 792 applications submitted (18% of total Asian applications) and 170 FP7 grant holders (21% of all Asian grant holders).

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH UPDATE June 2012 Issue 25

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The main areas of EU-ASEAN cooperation include Health, Food, Agriculture, Biotechnology, Environment, and Information and Communication Technologies. A sign of this vibrant and multifaceted cooperation, 31 joint events have taken place since the launch of the 'EU-ASEAN Year of Science 2012' in Hanoi in November 2011, including those organised on the occasion of Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn's visit to Singapore in March.

For further information, please contact Jean-Michel Sers, DG RTD, Directorate D

PROJECTS

International Learning Network Workshop on the Valorisation of Project Results and Experiences The 6th Workshop of the International Learning Network (ILN), the network of FP 7 INCO project coordinators, took place in Athens on 10-11 May. With the end of FP7 in sight and the international activities of Horizon 2020 to be shaped, 35 project coordinators from all over the world discussed how best to valorise project results and experiences. They recommended concrete strategies for the dissemination of project results and experiences to relevant stakeholders in Member States, and suggested providing more focused information to policy makers about on-going projects. Participants also discussed issues on joint programming, co-funding and reciprocity.

For further information, please contact

Susanne Madders, DG RTD, Directorate D Attracting the World's Best Research Talent: "Destination Europe" Meeting of Funding Agencies A Destination Europe workshop on 7 May in Brussels brought together representatives of key European funding agencies to showcase the broad spectrum of current programmes and initiatives to attract foreign researchers to Europe. Participants shared experiences and pooled ideas and suggestions for the development of the Destination Europe initiative. The next Destination Europe event is planned to take place in early December 2012 in San Francisco.

For further information, please contact Ludger Viehoff DG RTD, Directorate D

EU Project Assesses the Transatlantic Relationship and its Role in Shaping Global Governance. Funded under the FP7 Social Sciences and Humanities Programme, the TRANSWORLD project aims at testing a number of hypotheses in the field of EU-US relations, namely "Structural Drift between EU and US", "EU-US Functional Partnership", "EU-US Enduring Partnership". It includes case studies as well as a large elite survey. TRANSWORLD recently organised two events in Rome, including the project's General Assembly on 19 April, and an international conference on 'The West and the BRICS: the Challenge of Global Governance' on 20 April. The conference was attended by the Italian Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Marta Dassù, and was covered by RAI News TV

Prof. Ranabir Samaddar, Mahanirban from the Calcutta Research Group at the TRANSWORLD Conference in Rome

TRANSWORLD started on 1 March 2012 with a budget of € 2.5 M, and involves 13 partners including two from the USA

For further information, please contact Angela Liberatore and Simon Schunz, DG RTD

Cultures of Governance and Conflict Resolution in Europe and India: the CORE Project The CORE project held its mid-term meeting and a public Conference in Varanasi, India, on 18 and 19 March. Implemented as a Specific International Cooperation Action (SICA) by the Social Sciences and Humanities Programme, the project involves five partners from Europe and five from India and is coordinated by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)

EU and Indian Speakers at the CORE Mid-term Conference in Varanasi The project is based on the observation that conflict resolution strategies often fail to take into consideration the multiple local, social, and cultural contexts, and that there is a lack of substantial assessment of the impact of governance agendas on local conflict dynamics. CORE wants to fill this gap by analysing the premises and operational initiatives in conflict transformation processes through a combination of fieldwork, statistical analysis and theory development.

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The case studies of the project encompass 3 ongoing or frozen conflicts in Europe (Bosnia, Cyprus, Georgia) and 3 in India (Bihar, Kashmir, North East India). The conference was organised in consultation with the EU-Delegation in Delhi and was covered by two major Indian newspapers: Times of India and Hindustan Times.

For further information, please contact

Angela Liberatore and Heiko Prange-Gstoehl, DG RTD Philippe de Taxis du Poet, EU Delegation in India

Vietnam Researchers Get Advice on How Best to Participate in the EU Research Programme More than 100 participants from universities, research institutes and government agencies from across Vietnam took part in the FP7 Information Session held on the 24 May at the National Agency for Science & Technology Information (NASATI). The event was jointly organised by the FP7-funded SEA-EU NET project together with NASATI, and ran in conjunction with the 2012 ASEAN-EU Year of Science, Technology and Innovation. With 31% of proposals accepted, and translated into approximately €4 M in EU funds for joint R&D projects, Vietnam holds the highest success rate in the ASEAN region.. During its opening speech, Dr. Ta Ba Hung, NASATI Director, praised Vietnamese researchers for being "very proactive and interested in the FP7 programme. Vietnam and Europe have a long history of cooperation in the field of science and technology”. He also underlined the positive impact of the 2012 EU-ASEAN Year of Science, Technology and Innovation, which he credited for "The creation of a new generation of researchers in Viet Nam”.

For further information, please contact

Jurgen Sanders, DG RTD, Nati Lorenzo, EU Del. in Hanoi

EVENTS

Newly Published European Report on Development Calls for Managing the 'Water-Energy-Land Nexus' The third edition (2011-2012) of the European Report on Development "Confronting Scarcity: Managing Water, Energy and Land for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth" was launched on 16 May, during an event hosted by EU Commissioner Andris Piebalgs. Funded by the EC and seven EU Member States, this annual independent report sheds light on the most important development concerns from a European perspective. This third edition examines the pressing issue of water, energy and land constraints, and how they interrelate. It looks at how these resources can be managed effectively with the ultimate aim of promoting growth that is both socially inclusive and sustainable. The report calls on the EU to adopt an ambitious integrated approach to the management of the “Water-Energy-Land Nexus” which addresses the wide-ranging impacts stemming from specific actions. The report also highlights the potential of innovative solutions in this area, such as the so-called "payments for ecosystem services" supporting activities to protect environmental resources.

For further information, please contact Charlotte Bué and Kevin McCarthy, DG DEVCO

European Higher Education Fair in Tokyo and Kobe Highlight Opportunities for Japanese Scientists The first-ever European Higher Education Fair in Japan was held at Meiji University in Tokyo on 10 and 11 May and at Kobe University on 12 May.

"European Funding Guide for Researchers and Students in Japan" Showcased at European Higher Education Fair at Kobe University

The fair was a major success with well over 1200 (Meiji) and 250 (Kobe) students visiting the booths of over 30 EU universities and grant funding agencies from 10 Member States to explore opportunities for studying abroad. At a side conference at Meiji University, the S&T section of the Tokyo Delegation made a presentation on Marie Curie Actions and Erasmus. The "European Funding Guide for Researchers and Students in Japan", prepared by EURAXESS-Japan, was widely distributed at all three events, and very well received by participants.

For further information, please contact Barbra Rhode, EU Delegation in Tokyo

"Broader Approach" Steering Committee Meets at the Naka Fusion Institute, Japan.

The 10th meeting of the Steering Committee "Broader Approach" (BA) was held on 24 April 2012 at the Naka Fusion Institute of the Japanese Atomic Energy Agency. The Broader Approach is an agreement between Euratom and Japan covering research and technology activities supporting the ITER project and an early implementation of fusion energy for peaceful purposes. The agreement was signed in Tokyo on 5 February 2007 and entered into force on 1 June 2007.

On the occasion of the Naka meeting, representatives of the EU and Japan confirmed the remarkable progress achieved despite the difficulties caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, and approved the 2011 Annual Reports and Project Plans for the three BA projects of IFMIF/EVEDA, IFERC and Satellite Tokamak Programme. For the Satellite Tokamak Programme the Committee approved a revised schedule, with the first plasma foreseen to be produced in March 2019.

For further information, please contact Barbara Rhode, EU Delegation in Tokyo

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China and EU Experts Share Experience, Insights at Closing Session of STF Programme The EU–China Research Collaborations through People-to-People Exchanges conference and the closing session of the Science and Technology Fellowships (STF) pilot initiative took place in Beijing. Philippe Vialatte, EU S&T Counsellor, and Lei Fengyun, Deputy Director-General, State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs gave the opening addresses. The event gathered over 160 participants including representatives from Chinese, European, and international research organisations. The programme included two main sessions: “Mobility of European Researchers to China” and “Mobility of Chinese Researchers to Europe”. Following keynote speeches by Member States S&T Counsellors and Euraxess-Links representatives, STF fellows provided useful feedback on their experiences doing research in China. At the closing ceremony, EU Head of Delegation Markus Ederer encouraged STF fellows to continue being proactive in China-EU S&T relations. Participants expressed high expectations for a follow up programme to STF.

For further information, please contact

Alexandra Lehman, EU Delegation in Beijing

"ERC Goes Global" Campaign Continues to Latin America The Secretary General of the European Research Council (ERC), Prof. Donald Dingwell, visited Latin America from 23 to 29 May, following a series of meetings in North America and Africa as part of the awareness raising campaign "ERC Goes Global".

© 2012, TRACSYMBOLS

ERC Secretary General Donald Dingwell with Prof. Henshilwood,

Research Professor for Human Evolution, U.of the Witwatersrand and ERC Grantee at the Blombos Cave Project, Zuid Afrika

He met key representatives and researchers from various research institutions in Brazil (Saõ Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia) and Chile (Santiago de Chile), with a view to foster relations and to encourage more top talent to apply for ERC funding. The visit included meetings with high-level representatives of the two countries' foreign ministries and of the Chilean Senate. Since 2007, six researchers of South American origin have been awarded ERC grants (four Argentines, one Brazilian and one Venezuelan). The global campaign

targets over 15 countries and runs until 2014. It was launched in Canada in February this year and the ERC Secretary General has since also visited South Africa. The next stops of the tour are Russia, Asia, Mexico and the West Coast of the United States.

For further information, please contact

Samantha Christey, ERCEA EU-China Space Research Cooperation Gets a Boost at Beijing Information Event On 20 April, the EU Delegation in Beijing, in conjunction with DG Enterprise and Industry, organised a Space Research Information Day co-sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology. The event featured presentations on FP7 space research, Chinese space programmes, as well as testimonials by Chinese participants in on-going joint projects. It provided an opportunity to explore the potential for further EU-China research cooperation in space research. Over 100 Chinese and EU representatives from industry, academia, and space research organisations attended the event.

For further information, please contact Reinhard Schulte-Braucks, DG ENTR

Philippe Vialatte EU Delegation. Beijing International Human Microbiome Congress Brings New Insights into Microbes-Man Relations Human Microbiome research has become one of the most exciting fields in biology, generating fascinating insights into the relations of microbes and man and the effects of microbes on our health and well-being. World leading scientists discussed the new findings, their impacts and the future trends at the International Human Microbiome Congress organized by the European consortium MetaHIT on 19-21 March in Paris. Placed under the patronage of UNESCO, this Congress followed previous events in 2010 in Shenzhen, China, and in 2011 in Vancouver, Canada. The Paris meeting gathered more than 620 participants from 36 countries on 5 continents, reflecting the growing interest in the field. Rudolf Strohmeier, Deputy Director-General of DG Research and Innovation opened the Congress. The event concluded with a round table on the future of international Microbiome research which presented views from funding agencies and industry, and addressed ethical and social issues.

For further information, please contact

Anders Colver and Dirk Hadrich DG RTD EU-Israel Cooperation: Chief Scientist' Annual Conference for Research and Development DG Research and Innovation was invited to participate at Israel's Chief Scientist's Annual Conference for Research and Development, held on 3 May in Tel Aviv, Israel. Around 1,000 participants, mainly from industry, took part in this annual event which was opened by President Shimon Peres and the Israeli Minister for Industry, Trade and Labour. During the high level panel on international cooperation, Laurent Bochereau, Head of Unit for Policy Coordination at DG RTD International Cooperation Directorate,

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highlighted Israel's successful participation in FP7, and presented the current state of play on Horizon 2020.

For further information, please contact

Alexandra Meir, EU Delegation in Tel Aviv JRC and NOAA Reinforce Research Cooperation on Climate, Weather, Oceans and Coastal Zones On 31 May DG JRC Director General Dominique Ristori and Jane Lubchenco, Administrator of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), signed an Implementing Arrangement under the EU-US S&T Cooperation Agreement. The Arrangement paves the way for reinforced cooperation on research into the Earth's climate, weather, oceans and coastal zones. The signing ceremony took place in Brussels, attended by the US Ambassador to the EU. Activities under the Agreement are expected to start this year in the fields of climate research (coordination of data records), tsunami modelling and technologies to combat illegal fishing.

For further information, please contact

Ole Ostermann, JRC, Errol Levy, DG RTD

"The Future We Want": A Key Role for Research and Innovation at Rio+20. The UN Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Rio+20, will take place on 20-22 June in Rio de Janeiro. World leaders will gather to renew their political commitment to sustainable development, and discuss ways to accelerate the transition towards a green economy as a means to achieve sustainability and eradicate poverty. Research and Innovation are expected to constitute a key element of the Rio+20 outcomes, negotiated under the heading "The Future We Want". DG Research and Innovation will actively participate in the negotiations, as part of a 150-strong Commission delegation. In addition to interventions in parallel forums and sessions, DG RTD will be present in the European Union stand at Rio+20 Expo, and organise four side events showcasing EU research policies and successful FP projects, with the support of the EU Delegation in Brazil. DG JRC will also unveil a plan for Prevention of Natural Catastrophes, jointly developed with the Brazilian Ministry for Science, Technology and Innovation.

For further information, please contact

Luisa Prista DG RTD, Angel Landabaso EU Delegation in Brasilia

COMMUNICATION

European and Egyptian Researchers Team up to Build a "Photovoltaic Oasis" The second in this series of success stories in International Cooperation projects featured on the European news channel 'Euronews' takes us to Wadi Al Natroon, in the harsh, isolated, semi-desert region north of Cairo. There, EU and Egyptian researchers from the EU-funded NACIR Project (New Applications for Photovoltaic Concentrators) are looking at the sun for answers to the problem of energy supply, and testing the use of renewable energies to pump water and to provide irrigation in semi-desert regions.

EU and Egyptian researchers work with local farmers to build a

"photovoltaic oasis" in the Egyptian desert. They use a brand new generation of photovoltaic cells built in Germany and tested in reallife conditions with the help of Egyptian researchers and Egyptian farmers. Using new "concentrated photovoltaic technologies", researchers from the EU-funded NACIR project have found ways to focus sunlight on tiny solar cells which are twice as efficient as classic solar cells. In this "photovoltaic oasis" energy is transformed and stored in a complex system set up by German engineers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems. The electricity generated is then used to pump water from a depth of 40 metre, desalinate it, and irrigate nearby 150 hectares of experimental wheat fields, supervised by Egyptian fellow researchers. The project regularly invites farmers from the region to come and see these experimental crops and learn about the technology used. Fuad Ahmed Abdulfotuh, from the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI), explains: "This wheat field teaches farmers better than a thousand speeches and conferences on renewable energies. People see with their own eyes, and learn how useful this technology can be in their daily lives.” A true example of successful international research cooperation, with critically important input from local researchers and users, NACIR tackles a global energy problem through a local approach. The project has already had a direct impact on the region's economy, as Prof. Gabriel Sala coordinator of the NACIR Project notes: "Only the concentrated photovoltaic cells are imported. All other materials used in the plant - glass, mirrors, metals, iron - are obtained locally, fostering local business and creating local jobs". Such cooperative research has the potential not only to improve farmers’ living conditions in Egypt, but for other people living in isolated regions.

NACIR Project: www.ies.upm.es/nacir NACIR on Euronews:

www.euronews.com/2011/02/23/a-photovoltaic-oasis/

For additional information on please contact Patrick Vittet-Philippe, DG RTD

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FORTHCOMING MEETINGS (JUNE – AUGUST 2012)

Joint Committee Meetings

6 June Egypt Brussels

11 June Faroe Islands Torshavn

6 July Russia Moscow

Other Meetings

11 June SFIC Brussels

12 June WBC Platform Tirana

14 June Eastern Partnership Brussels

21-22 June MOCO/UfM Brussels

CONTACTS For additional information on this Newsletter, to subscribe, and to submit contributions, please contact: Patrick Vittet-Philippe (editor) Policy Officer, Japan and Russia Desks International Cooperation Directorate Directorate General for Research and Innovation European Commission patrick.vittet-philippe@ec.europa.eu Tel + 32 2 296 9056 Teodora Savova International Cooperation Directorate Directorate General for Research and Innovation European Commission teodora.savova@ec.europa.eu Tel + 32 2 2953636