The Workshop on Joint Strategies for EU-LAC Cooperation in ICT R&I was celebrated in Buenos Aires on 11th September 2013

The Workshop on joint strategies for future cooperation initiatives between Europe and Latin America was organized by the AMERICAS project, with the support of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation of Argentina (MINCyT) through the National Directorate of International Relations, and the European Commission.

During the workshop, the findings of the “Feasibility Study on joint strategies for future cooperation initiatives between Europe and Latin America” carried out by the AMERICAS project were presented. The focus of the discussions was the existing conditions to set-up new strategies for cooperation between both regions in the field of ICT, in particular four key topics:

• Financing mechanisms for ICT R&D in Latin America 
• Thematic priorities for the implementation of bilateral coordinated calls & other joint strategies 
• New International Cooperation schemes in Horizon 2020 
• Bi-regional Capacity Building for EU-LAC cooperation 

The event brought together funding agencies from Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Colombia, EC representatives, R&D policy makers, leading Universities and ICT stakeholders from Latin America and Europe.

For more information download the agenda in English and Spanish and download the presentations of the workshop (in Spanish).

1. Towardsnew International Cooperation schemes in Horizon 2020 (Jean-Yves Roger, DG CONNECT,European Commission)
2. Feasibility Study on jointstrategies for future EU-LAC cooperation initiatives (Yolanda Ursa, INMARK)
3. Financing mechanisms for ICT R&D cooperation in Latin America (Ivar Vargas, CONICYT and Margareta Mazura, EMF)
4. Thematicpriorities for the implementation of bilateral coordinated calls & otherjoint strategies (Miguel Gonzalez, Tecnologico de Monterrey)
5. Bi-regionalCapacity Building for EU-LAC cooperation (Monica Silenzi, MINCyT)
6. e-Infrastructures for academic and scientificuse in Argentina (Dr. Sergio Matheos, Sub secretary of InstitutionalCoordination, MINCyT)

Horizon 2020, the new EU programme for research and innovation

The European Commission published yesterday its Communication on Horizon 2020, the new R&I Framework Programme. It is fully in line with the EU's policy strategies like the Innovation Union or the Digital Agenda. A SME focus is one of the most important new elements. With regard to International Cooperation, the Communication emphasises the promotion of internationall mobility of researchers and innovation staff. The focus of international cooperation in Horizon 2020 will be on cooperation with three major country groupings:

(1) industrialised and emerging economies;
(2) enlargement and neighbourhood countries; and
(3) developing countries.

Horizon 2020 will continue with the principle of general openness, while encouraging reciprocal access to third country programmes.

For more information:
Read the Communication
Visit the website

Workshop on International cooperation projects in Support to Research and Innovation Policies and Competence Building: Conclusions for LA

The Workshop on International cooperation projects in support to Research and Innovation Policies and Competence Building was held the 16 and 17 of June in Brussels. The event was organized by the European Commission's DG Research's Directorate for International Cooperation (INCO) and it targeted four regions: The Mediterranean Region, Sub-Sahara Africa, South-East Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean Region.

The LA-Caribbean session counted with the participation of different initiatives were Pro-Ideal and Pro-Ideal plus project were also mentioned as collaboration partners. (See the Eularinet presentation by M.A. Macías García)

The main messages that came out from the LA and Caribbean session focused on Target achievement (NCPs, SICAs), Impacts on policy dialogue and at institutional level, the importance of the regional dimension to facilitate the internationalisation of activities and create leverage/critical mass, Grant schemes activated through open calls to ensure motivation, fairness and leverage, and a structured framework for synergies and collaborations .

Some of the outcomes and recommendations were to Increase networking effectiveness and reinforce intra-regional cooperation (BTSF, EUCARINET), to promote intersectoral education/training activities to nurture a new generation of multidisciplinary researchers (EDULINK) and to provide better (more systematic and comprehensive) information.

More information