EU-Caribbean Cooperation Opportunities and Stakeholders
Authors: MENON Networks
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Copyright notice: Copyright Š APRE. EUCARINET (Strengthening sustainable scientific cooperation between Europe and the Caribbean) is a project co-funded by the European Commission in its 7th Framework Programme under the Grant Agreement no 244510 running from 1st April. 2010 to 30th March 2014. The information contained in this document reflects only the author's views and the Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................................. 4 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................... 5 2. The Caribbean in the Framework Programmes ................................................................................................. 5 3. Supporting schemes for Caribbean participation in EU research ............................................................. 10 3.1 FP7 SUPPORT MECHANISMS ......................................................................................................................... 10 3.2 Other EC supporting schemes open to the Caribbean ............................................................................ 15 3.3 Other cooperation initiatives............................................................................................................................ 20 4. Useful links and other directions to find support ........................................................................................... 22 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................................................................... 23
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Cooperation within the EU has been historically important in order to help move forward the strategy of a competitive knowledge‐based Europe. However, in order to maintain a competitive status and play a leading role globally, the European Union needs a strong and coherent international Science and Technology (S&T) international strategy, on which collaboration with third countries has to play an important and somewhat significant role. The present document aims to provide an overview of the existing cooperation opportunities for EU‐Caribbean cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation, together with an overview of the main platforms and networks that work to support EU‐Caribbean cooperation in the field. This Report is mainly targeted to Caribbean researchers and research managers within public and private universities and research centers, and wishes to be a sort of Vademecum to understand the many opportunities for participation in research in collaboration with European counterparts offered by the European Union and by other actors. The first part of the Report presents a quick review of the Caribbean participation in the EU Framework Programmes, followed by a list of the main support schemes for EU – Caribbean cooperation in the field of Science, Technology and Innovation. The second part presents additional information on research networks that support Caribbean research groups in their internationalization activities, with a specific focus on the ones with a EU‐Caribbean relevance. Some conclusions are presented at the end of the document in the light of future possibilities and recommended actions to Caribbean researchers.
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1. Introduction The present document aims to provide an overview of the existing cooperation opportunities for EU‐Caribbean cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation, together with an overview of the main platforms and networks that work to support EU‐Caribbean cooperation in the field. The first part presents a quick review of the Caribbean participation in the EU Framework Programs, followed by a list of the main support schemes for EU – Caribbean cooperation in the field of Science, Technology and Innovation. The section lists some FP7 broad platforms as well as some FP7 research projects with Caribbean partners. Furthermore, some other ECfunded Programs with relevance for the Caribbean region are presented. These Programs, even if they do not focus exclusively on R&D, do provide some mobility and cooperation support for researchers on issues that are relevant for the Central American area. A list of presently running projects is also provided, to be used as examples of actual cooperation activities taking place. The second part presents additional information on research networks that support Caribbean research groups in their internationalization activities, with a specific focus on the ones with an EU‐Caribbean relevance. Some conclusions are presented at the end of the document in the light of future possibilities and recommended actions to Caribbean researchers. This Report is targeted to Caribbean researchers and research managers within public and private universities and research centers, and wishes to be a sort of Vademecum to understand the many opportunities for participation in research in collaboration with European counterparts offered by the European Union and by other actors. 2. The Caribbean in the Framework Programmes Cooperation within the EU has been historically important in order to help move forward the strategy of a competitive Europe. As stated by the European Commission “The international competitiveness of modern economies is linked increasingly to their ability to generate, adapt and use new knowledge. Science and Technology (S&T) are considered to be key factors contributing to achieving sustainable development, prosperity and economic growth. S&T has also proved instrumental to enhancing and enriching many other policy areas with an impact on external relations: trade, development, environment, energy, telecommunications, etc1. This has been especially true for the past 25 years. However, in order to maintain a competitive status and play globally a leading role, the European Union has needed a strong and coherent international Science and Technology (S&T) strategy on which third countries have played an important and somewhat significant role. Unfortunately, the tendency has been the absence of a common strategy for international science and technology cooperation on a European level leading to project duplications in this field, with a resulting waste of resources and a reduced impact. It is why, a more coordinated approach benefiting Europe and the 3rd country partners have been established in 2008 under the name of the European Commission on International S&T cooperation framework.
1
European Commsision CORDIS http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/capacities/international-cooperation_en.html
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The EC's Communication framework on International S&T cooperation was created with the main aim to identify general principles and specific orientations for action. The specific objectives are: • to strengthen the international dimension of the European Research Area (ERA) • to improve the framework conditions for international S&T cooperation • to promote European technologies in the world. Moreover, the European Community addressed on its main international cooperation policy, to tackle specific problems that third countries face, or that have a global character, on the basis of mutual interest and thus provide mutual benefit problem solving. It is under this basis that cooperation with third countries has been integrated within the Framework Programmes. Budget for this initiatives have steadily increased on the last editions of Framework Programmes achieving a total of € 180 million for funding these activities over the duration of the current Framework Programme (FP7). When looking at the official data from the European Commission, the Caribbean participation in the recent Framework Programmes has been rather atypical compared to other third‐country regions as well as very small only comparable with the Pacific. The Caribbean as a region has been included many times as part of ACP countries or as part of Latin America which might explain the low participation as an entity apart.
Figure 1 Cooperation/ total 13674 third country applications (in proposal submitted) In the last three editions of the Framework Programme, the Caribbean behavior although low has shown interesting trends in FP5, FP6 and FP7. This is worth looking in detail in order to understand the specificities of the region with regards to cooperation with the EU and its eventual evolution throughout the years.
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Figure 2 Regional Participation Evolution from the last 3 framework programs Source: European Commission - Research and Innovation Directorate General, September 2010
Despite this atypical behavior, the comparative participation of the Caribbean in FP7 with regards to their previous editions is rather on average. Yet it is important to highlight that the Caribbean’s participation evolution rate (32.61%) has almost grown similarly to the one in Latin America (31.67%) or even very close to Asia (33.92%). This can mean that the Caribbean as a region has started to consolidate itself with developing cooperation initiatives with Europe thus reinforcing the EU idea of better coordinated cooperation initiatives towards third countries. (Fig. 3) However, it will be important to understand to which extent these cooperative initiatives include also intraregional strategies within the projects, as this has not been necessarily the case for many past and current projects. In fact, the tendency has been to include a specific country of the Caribbean on the targeted project for a specific interest (in S&T expertise or as target country for applications and/or experiment test). Intraregional participation has been scattered although today it has become a target objective for future EU funding. This is clearly illustrated with several projects described in the following chapters.
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Figure 4 FP7 participation versus FP6, FP5 Interesting to highlight as well, is the increased participation of Caribbean countries and the development of common EU‐Caribbean S&T sectors during the last three editions of the Framework Programme, positioning the region with key roles on the S&T arena. This has been especially the case for themes related to Health (infectious diseases), Environment (coastal management), Knowledge‐Based Bio‐Economy (food safety measures for islands) or Information & Communication Technologies (Caribbean infrastructures and platforms). With the exception of Cuba, which in FP5 received a significant support (see figure 4), the Caribbean countries have acquired some notoriety from FP6 on. Countries like Guyana and Haiti have joined FP7 projects, which was not the case before. In addition, examples like Jamaica evidence the important growth of cooperation projects with the EU since 2008, thus highlighting an EU initiative prone to a more coordinated cooperative scheme.
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Figure 5 Third countries EC contribution in signed FP5, FP7 and FP7 contracts (Caribbean Region) The following chapters describe the list of existent and available cooperation opportunities for Caribbean researchers in Europe. EUCARINET has included the most relevant ones as a way to illustrate the type of initiatives running today and the potential that is at hand for the Caribbean.
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3. Supporting schemes for Caribbean participation in EU research
This section lists the main supporting schemes for Caribbean participation in European research that are made available in the frame of FP7. The CORDIS website, through the Participant Portal, is the authoritative point of access to FP7 calls for proposals. Researchers and Institutes can access all calls (open / closed / forthcoming) here.
3.1 FP7 SUPPORT MECHANISMS
The funding instrument for scientific research sponsored by the European Union is called the Framework Programme (FP). The current Framework Programme, running from 2007 through 2013, is the seventh (FP7). The approach regarding international cooperation under the 7th Framework Programme is significantly different from the approach under the 6th Framework Programme. This new approach aims to integrate international S&T collaboration throughout the Framework Programme and to enable both geographical and thematic targeting. FP7 allows participation of legal entities established in third countries, provided that the minimum requirement for European participants is met. Short guidelines are available on proposal submission and negotiation focusing on third country participants. Third country participants can be granted funding if at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: 1. A provision is made to that effect in the relevant specific programme or work programme; 2. The funding is essential for carrying out the project and 3. Such funding is provided for in a bilateral scientific and technological agreement. To maximize impact, funding for international research activities is spread throughout the 7th Framework Programme, in particular in the thematic priorities of the Cooperation Programme.
To maximize impact, funding for international research activities is spread throughout the 7th Framework Programme, in particular in the thematic priorities of the Cooperation Programme2.
2
http://ec.europa.eu/research/iscp/index.cfm?pg=fp7
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List of Programmes including the Caribbean Region Program Description
Project Acronym
Project Title
Project description
Activities of EUCARINET International Cooperation
FOSTERING EUROPEAN UNION CARIBBEAN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION NETWORKS
The EUCARINET project is a 4 year Coordination Action whose main dimaggio@apre.it goal is to strengthen bi-regional sustainable policy dialogue on S&T between EU Member States (MS), Associated States (AS) and in the Caribbean Region, the Caribbean ACP States, the overseas Departments and Collectivities, the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs).
Environment (including Climate Change)
FORCE
Future of Reefs in a Changing Environment (FORCE): An ecosystem approach to managing Caribbean coral reefs in the face of climate change
The Future of Reefs in a Changing Environment (FORCE) Project e.clarke@exeter.ac.uk partners a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from Europe and the Caribbean to enhance the scientific basis for managing coral reefs in an era of rapid climate change and unprecedented human pressure on coastal resources
Environment (including Climate Change)
GMOS
Global Mercury The overall goal of the proposed project is to develop a coordinated pirrone@iia.cnr.it global observation system for mercury able to provide temporal Observation System and spatial distributions of mercury concentrations in ambient air and precipitation over land and over surface waters at different altitudes and latitudes around the world.
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Contact
Program Description
Project Acronym
Health
EURONEUT
ICT
EUROAFRICA- Connecting the EU and The development of SandT cooperation on ICT is today of strategic julie.dufour@sigmasub-Saharan Africa for ICT and mutual interest to the EU and to Africa. A couple of projects consultants.fr ICT supporting this cooperation have been funded these last years by partnerships the EC, including the START SSA, the last one launched under FP6 and upon which the EuroAfriCa-ICT project will build.
ICT
PRO-IDEAL PLUS
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Project Title
Project description
Contact
EUROpean consortium on There is now an increasingly solid body of scientific evidence which delphine.jullien@sanofi NEUTralising antibodies demonstrates that the binding of small molecular weight pasteur.com compounds, peptides and antibodies (Abs) to fusion-intermediate using gp41 conformations of gp41 leads to an inhibition of HIV cell entry. The principal aim of this project is to exploit this information by establishing a platform where gp41-derived vaccine candidates will be designed to elicit neutralising Abs. Several families of immunogens which mimic gp41 in its fusion intermediate conformations are already available and others will be designed using modelisation approaches and testing it in third world countries (Haiti)
PROmotion of an Ict Dialogue between Europe and America Latina – extension towards Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, Costa Rica
PRO-IDEAL PLUS – PROmotion of an ICT Dialogue between Europe yus@inmark.es and America Latina – extension towards Mexico, Colombia, Cuba and Costa Rica aims to strengthen the research dimension of Information Society policy dialogues in the target region, establishing a sustainable ICT research community and developing synergies
Program Description
Project Acronym
ICT
WINDSCARIBE
Project Title
Project description
Contact
Widening IST Networking The WINDS-Caribe project aims at contributing to the building a fabio.nascimbeni@men Development Support - cohesive Information Society in the Caribbean region by deepening on.org strategic cooperation between Europe and the Caribbean in ICT Caribe RandD issued; it will help to involve Caribbean actors in a multinational community that will involve all the relevant stakeholders (researchers, policy makers, users) that deal with ICT and that will define the key issues on which cooperation should focus through an open consultation process.
Research EELA-2 Infrastructure s
E-SCIENCE GRID FACILITY EELA-2 aims to build, on the current EELA e-Infrastructure, a high marechal@if.ufrj.br FOR EUROPE AND LATIN capacity, production-quality, scalable Grid Facility providing roundthe-clock, worldwide access to distributed computing, storage and AMERICA network resources for a wide spectrum of applications from European and Latin American scientific communities.
Research GISELA Infrastructure s
GRID INITIATIVES FOR ESCIENCE VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES IN EUROPE AND LATIN AMERICA
The GISELA objective is to guarantee the long-term sustainability of ana.collados@ciemat.e the European – Latin American e-Infrastructure and thus ensure the s continuity and thus ensure the continuity and enhancement of the Virtual Research Communities (VRC) using it
SocioEURESCL economic sciences and Humanities
Slave Trade Slavery Abolitions and their Legacies in European Histories and Identities
Ce projet a pour objet de replacer la traite et l’esclavage dans nathalie.collain@dr1.cn l’histoire de l’Europe : histoire globale à construire ; histoires rs.fr nationales à mettre en relation entre elles et, dans le cas de la traite et de l’esclavage transatlantique, avec leurs colonies ou leurs zones d’influence extra-européennes. A l’intérieur de cet ensemble, elle a plus spécifiquement pour objectif de faire une étude sur les généalogies multiples de la question « noire », des« afrodescendants », de la « diaspora noire » en Europe pour aborder la
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Program Description
Project Acronym
Project Title
Project description définition de l’identité européenne.
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Contact
The proposal of the European Commission (EC) for the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020 will be the base for establishing the budgetary background of the next Framework Programme. Simultaneously the EC will prepare an orientation paper on the future of research funding and start a broad consultation before tabling its proposal for the next Framework Programme. "Horizon 2020 - The Framework Programme for Research and Innovation" is the name for the new, integrated funding system that will cover all research and innovation funding currently provided through the Framework Programme for Research and Technical Development, the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). These different types of funding will be brought together in a coherent and flexible manner. Research and Innovation funding will focus clearly on addressing global challenges. Needless red tape will be cut out and access to programs and participation will be made easier and simpler. Under the lead of DG Research, a Framework Programme steering group is being set up to facilitate the consultations and discussions among the Directorate-Generals (DGs) involved in research funding (Research, Information Society and Media, Mobility and Transport, Education and Culture, Enterprise and Industry, Energy) and other policy DGs (Budget, etc.). The aim of this group will be to integrate the priorities of the Horizon 2020 strategy within the last years of FP7 and coordinate the exchanges within the EC. Horizon 2020 will enter into force on 1 January 2014, after the end of FP7 on 31 Dec 2013.
3.2 Other EC supporting schemes open to the Caribbean
ERASMUS MUNDUS Erasmus Mundus (EM) is a cooperation and mobility programme in the field of higher education that aims to enhance the quality of European higher education and to promote dialogue and understanding between people and cultures through cooperation. Specific partnerships with Third-Country institutions is considered as one of the key actions of the programme as it contributes to the development of human resources and the international cooperation capacity of Higher education institutions in Third Countries by increasing mobility between the European Union and these countries. The objectives of Erasmus Mundus are not to support directly research activities in Europe, but the programme is open to any public or private research organisation that may contribute to its objectives, particularly that of enhancing the quality of higher education and complementarities between higher education, research and development activities. Applications are invited through regular calls for proposals. The calls for proposals specify the activities, application criteria and budgetary allocations relevant to each call. The programme offers financial support for institutions and scholarships for individuals. Funding is available through THREE PROGRAMME "ACTIONS" 
Action 1 - Joint programmes of outstanding quality at masters and doctoral levels, including scholarships/fellowships to participate in these programmes.
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Action 2 - Partnerships between European and "third-country" higher education institutions, including scholarships and fellowships for mobility at all academic levels. Action 3 - Promotion of European higher education through projects to enhance the attractiveness of Europe as an educational destination and a center of excellence at world level.
Since 2009 ERASMUS Mundus is focusing not only on higher education, but also on research, since it gives the possibility to non-European researchers to enrol in a PhD course under the Erasmus Mundus Programme. Erasmus Mundus Web-page here. Some examples of running projects are: Title of project: CaribErasmus Webpage: http://www.cariberasmus.eu/ Description: The CaribErasmus project aims to contribute to increase the awareness on European higher education opportunities and to enhance the attractiveness, the profile and the visibility of European higher education institutions towards Caribbean partner universities, students and researchers in a collaboration perspective that means not through one-way promotion activities but rather through partnership building (the slogan of CaribErasmus is “promote and improve by sharing”). The project is built on the successful experiences of the VALUE (2007-2008) and ACCESS (2009-2010) projects, two Erasmus Mundus Promotional Actions focussed respectively on Latin America and on South East Asia Partners: MENON Network, Belgium (Co-ordinator) European Association of Institutions in Higher Education, Belgium, AlmaLaurea Interuniversity Consortium, Italy, StudyPortals B.V., The Netherlands, Coordinating Centre for the Qualification and Development of Human Resources, Cuba, Universidad Iberoamericana, Dominican Republic , Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network, Grenada Date beginning date end: 2007/2008-2009/2010 Contact person Cristina Brecciaroli, CBrecciaroli@scienter.org
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Title of project: ENHSA-LATIN AMERICA – Towards Competences Based Architectural Curricula for Transparency, Quality and Mobility Webpage ENHSA: http://www.enhsa.net/ Description: The European Network of Heads of Schools of Architecture is an initiative of Heads and academic program coordinators of 85 European Schools of Architecture to contribute to the defining, shaping and establishing of the European Higher Architectural Education Area (EHAEA). Its ambition is to contribute to the enhancement of the quality of architectural studies in Europe and to ensure a more attractive architectural education environment. The aim of this project is to bring non-European partners closer to European Schools of Architecture and to enhance the links, information flow, communication, mutual understanding, exchange and mobility with their institutions. In the strong internationalisation dynamics of our era, architecture, as the spatial manifestation of our lives, is experiencing a radical worldwide transformation and redefinition of its referential values, principles and conceptions. A commonly accepted profile of the contemporary architect no longer exists and its re-definition constitutes a central issue in the international academic debate. The European Higher (Architectural) Education Area cannot be an introverted environment but a dynamic field of energy interacting with its broader international milieu. Date beginning date end: 2007/2008-2009/2010
INTERREG
The INTERREG IV "Caribbean" was approved by the European Commission on 27 th March 2008, for the benefit of the regions such as Guadeloupe, French Guyana, Martinique and new communities overseas (COM) from Saint-Barts and Saint –Marteen, in partnership with regional organizations (ACS, CARICOM/CARIFORUM and OECS). This program is a part of the political cohesion of the European Union and falls within the "European territorial cooperation 2007/2013”, which aims to: a) Enhance cooperation across borders through joint local and regional initiatives, b) Enhance transnational cooperation through actions conducive to integrated territorial development in conjunction with the Community’s priorities, c) Strengthen interregional cooperation and exchange of experience at the appropriate local level.
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Here below some currently running initiatives. Title of project: New university campus for Guyana Country: Guyana Webpage:http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/projects/stories/details_new.cfm?pay=FR&the=82&sto=2025&lan=7&re gion=617&obj=ALL&per=2&defL=en Program: Operational Programme 'Caribbean' (ERDF Program) Description: An expected surge in demand has led to the creation of the Pôle Universitaire Guyanais. Catering for the rising student population - from 2500 in 2009 to a forecasted 4500 in 2015 – this new development is seen as a sound investment in Guyana’s knowledge economy. Draft date : 14/10/2010 CONTACT: olivier.huisman@guyane.univ-ag.fr Title of project: French Guyana takes first step on information superhighway Webpage:http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/projects/stories/details_new.cfm?pay=FR&the=45&sto=1676&lan=7&re gion=617&obj=ALL&per=2&defL=en Country: Guyana Program: Operational programme 'French Guyana' (ERDF for the 2000-2006 period and for the 2007-2013 period) Description: An overseas department of France located on the northern coast of South America is being ushered into the digital age thanks to the installation of high-speed broadband connections covering the whole of the region. Over 85 km of optic fibre have been laid linking the capital Cayenne to Kourou, where the greatest concentration of the region’s 221 500 inhabitants reside.. Draft date : 14/12/2009 Contact: E-Mail: sylvia.bergot@cr-guyane.fr
Title of project: World-class recycling center Country: Guadaloupe Webpage:http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/projects/stories/details_new.cfm?pay=FR&the=45&sto=2027&lan=7&re gion=616&obj=ALL&per=2&defL=EN Program: Operational programme 'French Guyana' (ERDF for the 2000-2006 period and for the 2007-2013 period) Description:The safe disposal of waste is a growing problem for every country, but one of particular concern on islands with limited landfill space. Guadeloupe’s latest solution is a state-of-the-art recycling unit for plastics and tyres, adjoining a waste-recycling centre near the town of Pointe-à-Pitre. Final approval date : 2007-11-29 Contact: lfiers@ecodec.fr, E-Mail: alain.mallart@energipole.be
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Title of project: High-tech help for brain trauma patients Country: Martinique Webpage:http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/projects/stories/details_new.cfm?pay=FR&the=45&sto=2026&lan=7&reg ion=653&obj=ALL&per=2&defL=en Program: Operational Programme 'Martinique' Description: A unique e-health research system is being successfully tested in an intensive care unit on the Caribbean island of Martinique. Developed with support from EU funds, it calls on sophisticated information technology (IT) to improve the quality of care for brain-injured patients. Draft date 14/12/2010 Contact E-Mail: hossein.mehdaoui@isis-research.net Title of project: World-class maternal medical centre Country: Martinique Webpage:http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/projects/stories/details_new.cfm?pay=FR&the=79&sto=1836&lan=7&re gion=653&obj=ALL&per=2&defL=en Program: ERDF Description: A state-of-the-art mother and child care centre is now up and running in the capital of Martinique. The new facilities bring the Caribbean island up to 21st-century European standards for maternal care and have already helped deliver more than 4 000 babies. Draft date 25/05/2010 Web page: http://www.chu-fortdefrance.fr
EXTERNAL COOPERATION PROGRAMMES – EUROPEAID Programmes funded by Europeaid do not deal directly with research, but in some cases have important research components or tackle issues that can influence research. Some of these programmes that deal with the Caribbean either transversally or thematically are listed below. Link to the EUROPAID website
THE DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION INSTRUMENT (DCECI) The aim of the Community's Development Cooperation and Economic Cooperation instrument is to support development cooperation, economic cooperation, financial cooperation, scientific and technical cooperation and any other form of cooperation with the partner countries and regions. The overall objective is to help developing countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and consequently, reduce poverty. For more information on cooperation possibilities the following website is available: http://www.20072013.eu/by_scope_dceci.php
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LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN GRID INITIATIVE - IGALC It is an entity devoted to the development and dissemination of grid technologies through the region. Supporting different middlewares (gLite, OurGrid and possibly others), it aims to integrate the existing grids in LAC, becoming a common interface between initiatives such as EGI, EGEE, OSG, TeraGrid. Furthermore, another goal is to foster an everincreasing overall quality of the infrastructure. The federation of resources gives the communities access to more computational power than what isolated departments are able to provide. For more information on cooperation possibilities the following website is available here ACP SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMME The ACP Science and Technology Programme (ACP S&T) is an ACP-EU co-operation programme in the field of science and technology. It is funded by the European Union (from the 9th European Development Fund and the European Union’s General Budget BL 21.031700) and implemented by the ACP Secretariat. The ACP S&T programme developed against the background of the 2002 “Cape Town ACP Ministerial Forum on Research”, the Johannesburg “World Summit on Sustainable Development” and the “EC’s Strategy for Sustainable Development”. For more information on cooperation possibilities the following website is available: http://acp-st.eu/ 3.3 Other cooperation initiatives A number of research and higher education networks have members from central America and do provide support opportunities to Caribbean researchers, both in terms of direct funding (such as CYTED) and of general research support.
C@ribnet - research and education network in the Caribbean C@ribNET is conceptualised as a research and education network linking Caribbean tertiary level institutions (TLIs), research institutes and sundry civil institutions engaged in knowledge formation. It is envisioned as a vehicle that allows citizens, communities, governments, public officials, entrepreneurs and students to communicate, collaborate, form partnerships and harmonise activities across the region. It will provide all people of the region with access to information about our social, cultural and environmental conditions creating the opportunity for this knowledge to be converted into imaginative decisions about our collective future. The C@ribNET initiative will benefint 20 countries including Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montseratt, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos and the Dominican Republic. Web-page: www.ckln.org/home/
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CYTED - Programa Iberoamericano de Ciencia y Tecnología para el Desarrollo
The CYTED Programme is an intergovernmental multilateral Science and Technology cooperation programme involving leading government institutions in Science and Technology in Latin America, which aims to combine different perspectives and visions to promote cooperation in Research and Innovation for the development of the Latin America region. CYTED’s main goal is to contribute to the harmonious development in the Latin America region by setting up mechanisms for cooperation between research groups of universities, R+D centers and innovative companies in Latin American countries, targeting scientific and technological breakthroughs that are transferable to systems of production and social policies. Web-page: http://www.cyted.org
The Network on Science and Technology Indicators – Ibero-American and Inter-American – (RICYT) RICYT was created after a proposal arisen from the First Ibero-American Workshop on Science and Technology Indicators carried out in Argentina. It counts with the participation of all the American countries, Spain and Portugal. Researchers can download, compare and cross analyse indicators and systems in science and technology as well as being informed on future and past workshops in the field of research of S&T Web-page: http://www.ricyt.org
The Inter-American Organization for Higher Education
The organization is made up of about 400 university institutions and national university associations, which constitute a unique network of partners, are found in 26 countries that are divided into nine regions of the American continent: Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, Brazil, the Andean Countries, Colombia and the Southern Cone. It is a forum for reflection on the academic and social role, organization, and management of institutes of higher education in the Americas. Consisting of Human Resource training through inter-university cooperation; it enables doctoral students to develop a field of research within a local context that is based on global vision and international support. Web-page: http://www.oui-iohe.org/ 21 | P a g e
4. Useful links and other directions to find support Project /Programme Acronym
Type of Action
Website
EULARINET
INCO Platform
http://www.s2lat.eu/eular inet
EUCARINET
INCO Platform
http://www.s2lat.eu/eula nest
PRO-IDEAL PLUS
Support Action
http://www.pro-ideal.eu/
SALA +
Support Action
http://www.salamas.eu/
DEVCOCAST
Support Action
http:// www.vgt4africa.org/
EURESCL
FP7 project
http://www.eurescl.eu/
FUNCITREE
FP7 project
http://funcitree.nina.no/
NECOBELAC
FP7 project
http://www.necobelac.eu
PREGVAX
FP7 project
http://www.pregvax.net/
LIVEDIVERSE
FP7 project
http://www.livediverse.eu /
Erasmus Mundus
DG Education and Culture
http://ec.europa.eu/eras mus-mundus
EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATIONS
DG RELEX
http://ec.europa.eu/exter nal_relations/delegations/ web_en.htm
Eurosocial
EuropeAid
http://www.programaeur osocial.eu/
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Conclusions
Cooperation opportunities with the EU are very diverse. It is important for Caribbean researchers to learn how to target the programme and theme accordingly in order to obtain successful funding results. Although recent data from the last FP7 programme is still not available (I.e, the division of Caribbean projects per theme), the trend for S&T current and future cooperation projects are on themes such as: Environment, KBBE, Energy and Health. It will be important to have a review of current and past projects which have started in order to deepen these thematic expertises. Future trends will include more intraregional initiatives meeting both European and common Caribbean priorities Third countries agendas are encouraged to align its present and future activities to the ones stated in the guidelines of the bi-regional Senior Officials Meetings (SOM) working groups as expressed in the last EU senior meeting held in Brussels in March 2011
This implies:
synergies between the Latin America & Caribbean INCO-NETs, and the SOM process of implementing the Joint Initiative Research & Innovation A strong coordination in the planning of workshops; possibility of Joint workshops or back-to-back meetings; Participation of the SOM working-group members in the workshops organized by INCO-NETS, when appropriate; Organization of SOM working-group meetings following INCONET workshops (and with some time overlap, if appropriate), to pick up the ideas and recommendations of the workshops immediately in order to include them into the work plans and implementation.
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Glossary of terms ACRONYM ACP ACP S&T ACP-EU ACS
MEANING African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States ACP Science & Technology programme ACP European Union Association of Caribbean States
C@ribnet CARICOM/CARIFORUM
Research and education network in the Caribbean Caribbean Community
CIP CKLN COM
EELA EHAEA
Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network Communities Overseas Programa Iberoamericano de Ciencia y Tecnología para el Desarrollo Development Cooperation and Economic Cooperation Instrument Développement d’applications GEONETCast par et pour les pays en développement Directorate-General for External Relations Directorate-Generals European Commission E-SCIENCE GRID FACILITY FOR EUROPE AND LATIN AMERICA European Higher Architectural Education Area
EIT EM
European Institute of Innovation and Technology Erasmus Mundus
ENHSA ERA ERDF EU
European Network of Heads of Schools of Architecture European Research Area European Regional Development Fund European Union EUROPEAN UNION - CARIBBEAN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION NETWORKS European Union - Latin American Research and Innovation NETworks Slave trade, slavery, abolitions and their legacies in European histories and identies Slave Trade Slavery Abolitions and their Legacies in European Histories and Identities
CYTED DCECI DEVCOCAST DG RELEX DGs EC
EUCARINET EULARINET EURESCL
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EUROAFRICA-ICT EURONEUT FORCE FP FUNCITREE
GISELA GMOS ICPC ICPC-ACP IGALC INCO-NETs INTERREG IV IT KBBE LIVEDIVERSE NECOBELAC OECS OUI-IOHE PREGVAX
RICYT S&T SOM TLIs
The Inter-American Organization for Higher Education Plasmodium vivax Malaria in Pregnancy PROmotion of an ICT Dialogue between Europe and America Latina The Network on Science and Technology Indicators – Ibero-American and Inter-American Science and Technology Senior Officials Meetings Tertiary level institutions
WINDS-CARIBE
Widening IST Networking Development Support - Caribe
PRO-IDEAL PLUS
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Europe Africa- Information tecnhology comunication EUROpean consortium on NEUTralising antibodies using gp41 Future of Reefs in a Changing Environment Framework Programme An ecological framework for sustainable and adaptable agro-forestry systems in landscapes of semi-arid and arid ecoregions GRID INITIATIVES FOR E-SCIENCE VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES IN EUROPE AND LATIN AMERICA Global Mercury Observation System International Classification of Primary Care International Classification of Primary Care-African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States Latin American and Caribbean Grid Initiative International Cooperation Networks Inter Regional porgramme (programme européen de coopération transfrontalière) Information Technology Knowledge Based Bio-Economy Sustainable Livelihoods and Biodiversity in Developing Countries Network of Collaboration Between Europe & Latin American-Caribbean countries Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States