International Cooperation Network for Central Asian and South Caucasus countries

Period: 01/04/2010 to 31/03/2013

Total cost: EUR 3.727.552

Budget from EC: EUR 3.199.720

Funding scheme: CSA

DESCRIPTION

The following are the main activities of the project.

•         Policy dialogue: organisation of missions in every targeted country in order to contact policymakers and other stakeholders, to identify mutual interests and to pave the way for enhanced participation in the European research area and FP7 as well as the organization of two stakeholders’ conferences to formulate proposals for enhanced cooperation, to promote mutual learning among policymakers, to identify barriers, etc. In parallel, specific attention will be given to other EU policies such as the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) and the Development and Cooperation Instrument (DCI), for their better coordination with the S&T policy.

•         Support for information multipliers: for example, training sessions for NCP/NIP structures and the scientific community; info days in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan; grants for the participation of scientists in brokerage events in the EU.

•         Studies on innovation policies and structures in CA/SC: successful participations in FP6 and FP7 will be considered in order to identify critical factors, as well as the extension of studies implemented under the IncoNet EECA, which include, inter alia, mapping of key institutes, monitoring and review of cooperation patterns, S&T indicators and ways to improve them, etc. The aim of these studies is to feed the policy dialogue.

•         Communication and dissemination activities: in addition to the creation of a web-site and a communication platform (http:// www.inco-casc.net), particular effort will be devoted to the strengthening of the coverage of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan through the already established Central Information Office and its network of regional and local correspondents in order to further increase the volume and quality of the information on the incrEAST web portal (http://www.increast.eu).

    The activities included in the IncoNet CA/SC project have a direct positive impact on cooperation with the targeted countries, at both policymaking and operational/ implementation levels. More specifically, at the policymaking level, the IncoNet CA/SC is expected to:

•         increase knowledge of the S&T landscape and the S&T policies in the target regions and Moldova;

•         raise awareness and support for the bioregional policy dialogue process in the targeted countries;

•         have a significant impact on the development of synergies among different EU policies.

      At the operational/implementation level, IncoNet CA/SC is expected to increase participation in FP7 through specific horizontal (e.g. training of NCPs) and thematic activities (e.g. information days) that will enhance information dissemination and assistance and create awareness of the opportunities for enhanced cooperation among researchers.

PARTNERS: