SAFEFOODERA WORKSHOP Food Safety Research Ideas Forum 30 th October 2006 Increasing the Impact of National Research Programmes through Transnational Cooperation.

SAFEFOODERA WORKSHOPFood Safety Research Ideas Forum

30th October 2006

Increasing the Impact of National Research Programmes through Transnational Cooperation and

Opening

Angus HunterManaging Director, Optimat [email protected]

My experience

ERA Policy Study AuthorDG Research study on the Design of National Research ProgrammesGood Practice Guide on Increasing the Impact of National Programmes through Transnational Cooperation and Opening

‘eTranet’ Project ManagerERA-NET on ‘ICT for Traditional Manufacturing Industries’ (2003-2007)

Veteran of ERA WorkshopsDG Research (ERA-NET) DG INFSO (CISTRANA)TAFTIEUK ERA-NET Participants

Overview of the study

ObjectivesFactors that encourage or inhibit transnational openingRationale for the barriersCase studies of programmes that encourage TN cooperationPractical suggestions for national programme designers

ScopeAll 34 countries of European Research AreaChina, Japan, USABasic, applied/industrial, SME, mobility programmes

InputsDesk research, CREST interviews, national consultationsEmpirical programme survey (>300 invited, 127 responses)Expert workshopsManchester Conference (21/10/05) – coordination of national programmes

OuputsPolicy report for DG Research and CRESTGood Practice Guide for national programme designers and managers

Inequity across ERA

Variable geometry

Limited openness

Benefits of internationalisation

3/21 Prevalence of barriers

Important barriers

5/23 Prevalence of enablers

Important enablers

Strategies based on ‘Objectives’

Development of knowledge-based industries• Corint Programme (Romania) • Industrial PhD (Denmark)• Research and Technology Innovation Fund (Hungary)

Internationalisation (of industry and researchers)• Aide à l’innovation Programme (France) • CIR-CE Programme (Austria)• FinNano Programme (Finland)• ProInno II Programme (Germany) • Torch Programme (China)

Increasing scientific competitiveness• IWT Programmes (Belgium) • NWO Programmes (Netherlands) • RPT Programme (Cyprus)

Addressing societal or environmental challenges• Food Standards Agency (UK)

Conclusions

Design of national programmes• Complex, dynamic landscape• More coordination in basic research• More ‘variable geometry’ in applied/industrial research• Limited sign of landscape alignment

Barriers to international cooperation• Major barriers to opening of national programmes• Policy barriers appear to be most important• Variation between countries and cultures

Strategies to address the barriers• Dependent on the objectives of the programme • Mobility and basic research programmes have more enablers• Interesting differences in enablers across ERA

Stakeholder Issues

Other Issues

Perception of legal barriersLack of empirical evidence of the benefitsEnablers need to be embedded in designLack of opportunity for ERA networking• ERA-NET is helping but many not involved

Limited transnational design creativity• Most ERA-NETs are taking a simple approach based

on Joint Calls for international R&D projects

SAFEFOODERA WP4

Joint ActivitiesInvestigate the feasibility of establishing a food safety research ideas forumFor public fundersTo facilitate opportunities for joint activities

ETRANET Research Ideas Enablers

WP1 Networking1.2 Programme benchmarking1.3 Best practice exchange visits1.6 Twinning activities with other countries

WP2 Strategic Activities2.1 Synthesis of strategic studies

• Forward looking2.2 Sectoral observatory

• MANUFUTURE, eBusinessW@tch, etc

WP3 Joint Activities3.2 Analysis of programme synergies

• Backward looking3.3 European database of experts/facilities

• Prerequisite for VUN3.4 Virtual users network (VUN)

WP4 Transnational Research4.1 National events with users4.4 Joint programme demonstrator pilots4.5 EU Conference for domain experts

• Launch of 1st Joint Call (pilot) in June 20064.6 Parallel/synchronised Call system

• Linked to future national programme synergies

Virtual Networking

Other ERA-NET’s

Most are using the virtual common potSome national agencies are involved in multiple ERA-NETs• Mainly TAFTIE members• Promoting the need for harmonised Joint Call

systems, etc• Worried about proliferation and fragmentation

Most (all) have some kind of virtual networking system• Are they effective ????

More ERA creativity needed

Critical Left Brain“I agree that we could

benefit from transnational cooperation and involving foreign researchers but it’s

just too difficult”

Creative Right Brain“How can we

collaborate with similar programmes in other

countries to our mutual advantage”