1. The Steering Platform on Research, WBC-INCO.NET, SEE-ERA.NET … and related activities Klaus Schuch, Elke Dall Zentrum für Soziale Innovation Alpbach, 22.08.2008

2. Context Steering Platform on Research for the Western Balkan countries established in June 2006 (Austrian Presidency & EC DG Research) FP6 supports SEE-science.EU, the Information Office of the Steering Platform (till April 2008) FP6 supports SEE-ERA.NET (development of a pilot joint call for research project proposals -> joint programme) FP6/FP7 support Coordination and Specific Support Actions in different fields (ERA WESTBALKAN+, SCORE, Balkan Agro Food Network, SMEs go Health, EPISTEP,...) FP7 supports Follow-up Activities and Extentions (WBC-INCO.NET, SEE-ERA.NET PLUS, etc.)

3. Context Western Balkan countries are becoming Associated Countries to the Framework Programme (already associated are: Albania, Croatia, FYR of Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia) Specific International Cooperation Activities are therefore not possible, specific targeted calls etc. not to be expected (or only in exceptional cases) Perceived need in EU and WBC to coordinate efforts and to prioritize

4. Steering Platform on Research Regular meetings conveyed by –European Commission –Council Presidency –Western Balkan countries Current co-chairs are EC, France, Serbia Members: EU27 + AC + EC (Ministries responsible for Science) Vienna (AT), Berlin (DE), Thessaloniki (GR), Ljubljana (SI) Paris (FR), December 19, 2008 Liblice (CZ), May 28, 2009 Supported by WBC-INCO.NET (logistically, administrative)

5. WBC-INCO.NET Objectives Structuring and supporting S&T bi-regional dialogue, Developing concrete research priorities of mutual interest (with a special focus on FP7 priority fields), Supporting and transferring know-how to research community and NCPs, Enhancing production and use of knowledge based indicators, Creating a base for the further preparation of participation in multilateral RTD activities, Inclusion in FP7, brokerage, training, Increasing competitiveness and networking, etc.

6. Partners in WBC-INCO.NET 1. ZSI (Austria)- Coordinator2. MOES (Albania)3. MZOS (Croatia) 4. MON-MK (FYR of Macedonia) 5. MPIN (Montenegro)6. MSCI (Serbia) 7. SUS BiH (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 8. MPI (Serbia)9. Ivo Pilar (Croatia) 10. KEC (Kosovo/UNMIK)11. CIVET (Albania)12. SBRA (Slovenia) 13. SEERC (Greece)14. UNU-MERIT (Netherlands)15. JRC (Belgium/Spain) 16. PT-DLR (Germany)17. FFG (Austria)18. TÜBITAK (Turkey) 19. GSRT (Greece)20. MHEST (Slovenia)21. BMWF (Austria) 22. BMBF (Germany)23. MES-CRA (Bulgaria)24. TURBO (Belgium/Turkey) 25. APRE (Italy)26. MCA (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

7. Partners in WBC-INCO.NET 1. ZSI (Austria)- Coordinator2. MOES (Albania)3. MZOS (Croatia) 4. MON-MK (FYR of Macedonia) 5. MPIN (Montenegro)6. MSCI (Serbia) 7. SUS BiH (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 8. MPI (Serbia)9. Ivo Pilar (Croatia) 10. KEC (Kosovo/UNMIK)11. CIVET (Albania)12. SBRA (Slovenia) 13. SEERC (Greece)14. UNU-MERIT (Netherlands)15. JRC (Belgium/Spain) 16. PT-DLR (Germany)17. FFG (Austria)18. TÜBITAK (Turkey) 19. GSRT (Greece)20. MHEST (Slovenia)21. BMWF (Austria) 22. BMBF (Germany)23. MES-CRA (Bulgaria)24. TURBO (Belgium/Turkey) 25. APRE (Italy)26. MCA (Bosnia and Herzegovina) WBC-Ministries

8. Partners in WBC-INCO.NET 1. ZSI (Austria)- Coordinator2. MOES (Albania)3. MZOS (Croatia) 4. MON-MK (FYR of Macedonia) 5. MPIN (Montenegro)6. MSCI (Serbia) 7. SUS BiH (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 8. MPI (Serbia)9. Ivo Pilar (Croatia) 10. KEC (Kosovo/UNMIK)11. CIVET (Albania)12. SBRA (Slovenia) 13. SEERC (Greece)14. UNU-MERIT (Netherlands)15. JRC (Belgium/Spain) 16. PT-DLR (Germany)17. FFG (Austria)18. TÜBITAK (Turkey) 19. GSRT (Greece)20. MHEST (Slovenia)21. BMWF (Austria) 22. BMBF (Germany)23. MES-CRA (Bulgaria)24. TURBO (Belgium/Turkey) 25. APRE (Italy)26. MCA (Bosnia and Herzegovina) WBC-MinistriesEU-MS/AC-Ministries

9. Partners in WBC-INCO.NET 1. ZSI (Austria)- Coordinator2. MOES (Albania)3. MZOS (Croatia) 4. MON-MK (FYR of Macedonia) 5. MPIN (Montenegro)6. MSCI (Serbia) 7. SUS BiH (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 8. MPI (Serbia)9. Ivo Pilar (Croatia) 10. KEC (Kosovo/UNMIK)11. CIVET (Albania)12. SBRA (Slovenia) 13. SEERC (Greece)14. UNU-MERIT (Netherlands)15. JRC (Belgium/Spain) 16. PT-DLR (Germany)17. FFG (Austria)18. TÜBITAK (Turkey) 19. GSRT (Greece)20. MHEST (Slovenia)21. BMWF (Austria) 22. BMBF (Germany)23. MES-CRA (Bulgaria)24. TURBO (Belgium/Turkey) 25. APRE (Italy)26. MCA (Bosnia and Herzegovina) WBC-MinistriesWBC- Support InstitutesEU-MS/AC-Ministries

10. Partners in WBC-INCO.NET 1. ZSI (Austria)- Coordinator2. MOES (Albania)3. MZOS (Croatia) 4. MON-MK (FYR of Macedonia) 5. MPIN (Montenegro)6. MSCI (Serbia) 7. SUS BiH (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 8. MPI (Serbia)9. Ivo Pilar (Croatia) 10. KEC (Kosovo/UNMIK)11. CIVET (Albania)12. SBRA (Slovenia) 13. SEERC (Greece)14. UNU-MERIT (Netherlands)15. JRC (Belgium/Spain) 16. PT-DLR (Germany)17. FFG (Austria)18. TÜBITAK (Turkey) 19. GSRT (Greece)20. MHEST (Slovenia)21. BMWF (Austria) 22. BMBF (Germany)23. MES-CRA (Bulgaria)24. TURBO (Belgium/Turkey) 25. APRE (Italy)26. MCA (Bosnia and Herzegovina) WBC-MinistriesWBC- Support InstitutesEU-MS/AC Support Inst.EU-MS/AC-Ministries

11. SEE-ERA.NET – South-East European ERA-NET ERA-NET project funded in FP6 October 2004 – September 2009 Objectives: adding value to existing bilateral S&T agreements integrating Southeast Europe into the European Research Area and improving interregional research cooperation contributing to the EU-Balkan countries Action Plan in S&T, adopted at EU Ministerial Conference in Thessaloniki in 2003 Pilot Joint Call for Proposals (2007) White Paper and Joint Action Plan (2007)

12. Partners in SEE-ERA.NET ZSI (Austria)- CoordinatorMOES (Albania)MZOS (Croatia) MON-MK (FYR of Macedonia)MPIN (Montenegro)MSCI (Serbia) GSRT (Greece)MHEST (Slovenia)BMWF (Austria) BMBF (Germany)PT-DLR (Germany)MES-CRA (Bulgaria) NKTH (Hungary)MVP (BiH)ANCS (Romania) CNRS (France)MAE (France)

13. Progress of the Action Plan Implementation

14. Regional Programme for Cooperation with South-East Europe (ReP-SEE) 1.Joint Calls for European research projects 1.Collaborative Research Projects 2.Docking Grants 3.Preparatory Grants Status: Pilot Joint Call (2007) in SEE-ERA.NET (FP6) SEE-ERA.NET PLUS (FP7, under negotiations) Call for collaborative research projects foreseen 2009; budget 3 mio. EUR – 1/3 top-up from EC; Funded projects (appox. 150.000 EUR, min. 2 years)

15. Regional Programme for Cooperation with South-East Europe (ReP-SEE) 2.Accompanying Measures 1.Evaluation and Benchmarking 2.Training Programme for Science Managers Status: Pilot Joint Call Accompanying Measures (2007, 2008) Benchmarking Workshop in Ohrid (2008) Training in INCO-NET (2008/09)

16. Regional Programme for Cooperation with South-East Europe (ReP-SEE) 3. Young Scientist / Mobility Programme outward mobility: regional Marie Curie Network (short-term) outward mobility: longterm with return ticket inward mobilty Status: planning and discussion phase Meetings in 2008

17. Regional Programme for Cooperation with South-East Europe (ReP-SEE) 4. Innovation Programme linking innovation structures in WBC to EU networks / clusters funding for partnering, exploratory activities Status: studies and conferences Project proposal submitted (no funding decision yet)

18. Initatives towards Infrastructure Development Inventory on existing S&T infrastructures in WBC status: ESFRI Regional Table initiatives to include WBC INCO-NET questionnaire Regional ESFRI-like mechanism status: integration in ESFRI, no regional discussion forum Inventory of S&T infrastructure in EU-MS & accessability by WBC status: INCO-NET questionnaire Transfer of used laboratory equipment status: Hermann Potocnik Noordung initiative Development of e-strategies status: only on project level (CSA – e.g. SCORE, WINS-ICT) Access to GEANT status: only on project level (SEEREN, SEE-Grid, etc.)

19. Initatives towards Institution Building Evaluation and Benchmarking status: see above ReP-SEE National Contact Points status: ERA-WESTBALKAN+, WBC-INCO.NET benchmarking and support, liaison offices in Brussels discussed Relationships between knowledge producers – users status: Enterprise Europe network extended, SEE- SCIENCE.EU mapping, SEE-ERA.NET on Innovation

20. Initatives towards Human Potential Development Science Management Training status: see above ReP-SEE Diaspora Task Force status: workshops, national initiatives Visa issue status: EU directive implementation

21. Dissemination of Information Information Office of the Steering Platform status: WBC-INCO.NET (till 2011) follow-up to SEE-SCIENCE.EU Liaison with DGs and ERA-NETs status: WBC-INCO.NET Press activities status: own publication of WBC-INCO.NET, press activities for call(s)

22. ZSI actors in South East Europe Department Research Policy and Development Jana Machacova Miro Polzer Klaus Schuch Peter Mayr Florian Gruber Johanna Scheck Felix Gajdusek Josef Hochgerner Carmen Siller Elke Dall Desiree Pecarz

23. Thank you for your attention! Klaus Schuch & Elke Dall Centre for Social Innovation Linke Wienzeile 246 A-1150 Wien schuch@zsi.atschuch@zsi.at / dall@zsi.atdall@zsi.at +43-1-4950442 With input from Florian Gruber, Peter Mayr, Jana Machacova, Miro Polzer, Felix Gajdusek and our international partners

24. SEE-ERA.NET PLUS ERA-NET project currently under negotiations in FP7 Start autumn / winter 2008 Objective is to launch and implement one joint call for trans- national research proposals (JERPs) Call budget 3.5 million Planned to fund approx. 23 transnational research projects Selected through an independent peer review process

25. Partners in SEE-ERA.NET plus ZSI (Austria)- CoordinatorMOES (Albania)*MZOS (Croatia) MON-MK (FYR of Macedonia)MPIN (Montenegro)MSCI (Serbia) GSRT (Greece)MHEST (Slovenia)BMWF (Austria) BMBF (Germany)PT-DLR (Germany)MES-CRA (Bulgaria) TUBITAK (Turkey)MVP (BiH)ANCS (Romania) MESR (France)MAE (France)