Presentation by Giorgio Rosso Cicogna Special Advisor to CEI Secretary General

1. Presentation by Giorgio RossoCicognaSpecial Advisor to CEI Secretary General CEI-PRAISE Framework Programme to Promote Research, Technology Transfer and Innovation through Excellence in Science Western Balkan Steering Platform on Science and TechnologyTrieste, 24 September 2014 Regional Cooperation for European Integration - A Bridge between Macroregions

2. CEI-PRAISE Framework Programme: Contents 1) Background 2) Objectives 3) Players and partnership 4) CEI Science and Technology Network 5) Scientific projects 6) Activities for each project 7) Variable geometry of funding and pilot activities 8) Governance 9) Conclusion Regional Cooperation for European Integration - A Bridge between Macroregions

3. 1) Background of CEI-PRAISE Framework Programme At last year CEI Ministerial Meeting for Science and Technology the Secretariat described the concepts for three regional programmes with the same objectives of CEI-PRAISE. The Ministers and/or their Delegates, with a large consensus, endorsed objectives and envisaged measures, but recommended to merge them into one comprehensive Framework Programmewhich would cover all the 18 CEI Member Countries of the CEI. They also mandated the Secretariat to establish a strong cooperation with the EC in order to ensure the most effective synergy with EU Strategies in this field, with similar on-going regional initiatives as well as with other efforts by CEI Member Countries. The Secretariat has now finalized such Framework Programme, CEI-PRAISE to Promote Research, Technology Transfer and Innovation in all CEI Member Countries, through centres of excellence and advanced research groups expressing the best potential of their communities. Regional Cooperation for European Integration - A Bridge between Macroregions

4. 2) Objectives of CEI-PRAISE Framework Programme CEI-PRAISE is built upon linking to other initiatives in the European dimension: it will complement on-going efforts, also through regional strategies, with specific purposes: • to increase and develop the stock of science and technology human capital through a cooperation targeted at excellence in research and smart specialization strategies; • to implement actions also according to guidelinesendorsed by other regional initiatives; • to offer short/medium term opportunities to involve scientific communities in state of the art research, to facilitate their early participation to Horizon 2020; • pilot activities will already pursue the objective of creating a regional clusters of laboratories or advanced research groups for each scientific project within CEI-PRAISE. Regional Cooperation for European Integration - A Bridge between Macroregions

5. 3) Players and Partnership within CEI-PRAISE • • CEI-PRAISE is based on recognized strengths of the institutions belonging to the CEI Science and Technology Network, which are either international by statute, or Italian by statute and international by vocation. All of them have decades of experience in international cooperation in the fields of physics, mathematics, geophysics, chemistry, biology, biotechnology, molecular medicine and other related fields/disciplines. • • The CEI Network represents a unique interdisciplinary hub whose most advanced/state of the art infrastructures are traditionally open for collaboration with outside scientists. • • CERIC Consortium based at ElettraSincrotrone, established according to a new EU legislation, has already nine signatories among CEI Member Countries. • More ERIC Consortia in other fields could be established in the future… • • CEI-PRAISE partnership as on 19 September 2014: • 63 confirmed partners to CEI-PRAISE in all CEI Member Countries • 11 more potential partners (manifestation of interest) • Over 200 additional qualified contacts with experience in FP7 in all CEI Member Countries Regional Cooperation for European Integration - A Bridge between Macroregions

6. 4) Institutions of the CEI S&T Network: their participation to FP7 The cooperation in the Framework of CEI-PRAISE, in view of the experience of the CEI S&T Network is meant to facilitate the participation of CEI-PRAISE partners to H2020 projects. Regional Cooperation for European Integration - A Bridge between Macroregions

7. 5) Interdisciplinary spectrum of projects in the framework of CEI-PRAISE Regional Cooperation for European Integration - A Bridge between Macroregions

8. 6) Activities for each of the 15 scientific CEI-PRAISE Projects • Activities to be carried out for each of 15 projects implemented in the framework of CEI-PRAISE Programme: these are traditional activities for international cooperation in Science and Technology, but nonetheless they are all necessary in order to develop the stock of existing human capital, also according to the guidance endorsed by other regional initiatives, and in line with specific actions by the EC within Horizon 2020: • fellowships for graduate and post-graduate (doctoral) promising young talents in laboratories of the CEI S&T Network, of JRC in other countries; • grants to group leaders or other promising scientists to remain in (or return to) their home laboratories, in order to implement a specific research project in the framework of CEI-PRAISE; • grants for the organization of high level scientific events or aimed at supporting scientific travel to the such events, as well as to other occasions of scientific exchanges; • support to the consistent purchase of consumables,software,literatureto encourage the return from diaspora; • support to e-learning, e-conferencing, e-tutoring, scientific podcasting, e-laboratory, etc. Regional Cooperation for European Integration - A Bridge between Macroregions

9. 7) Variable Geometry of CEI-PRAISE Funding and pilot activities • • Various funding instruments, mostly –but not only- from EU sources, must be efficiently combined in view of the implementation of a unity of objectives, taking into account CEI own consolidated experience in project management of EU funded activities; • • Various funding instruments of the EC may be utilized through a variable geometry, according to the respective eligibility of CEI Member Countries, the latter depending on their status vis-à-vis the EU: i.e. Horizon 2020, EU Structural Funds, IPA II (Instrument for Pre-accession), ENI (European Neighbourhood), others; • • Overall cost for seven years (same duration of H2020) estimated in Euro 45 million: only an order of magnitude referred to the full potential of PRAISE, which has been drafted with a modular flexibility in order to be implemented also with limited resources; • • Examples of on-going fundraising to support pilot activities: • CERES BIS fellowships managed by CEI within Marie Skłodowska-Curie Programme; • Twinningof Centres in CEI Member Countries with institutions of CEI S&T Network and JRC; • Cooperation Agreement promoted with DG Enlargand RDI to be implemented with JRC; • Structural Funds (in cooperation with FVG Regional Government). Regional Cooperation for European Integration - A Bridge between Macroregions

10. 8) Governance • • Project Committee coordinated by a Project Leader belonging to the lead institution(s) of the CEI S&T Network, with the participation of centers/groups involved in CEI Member Countries will define and coordinate the scientific activities of each project, meeting at least twice a year (distance conferencing as often as necessary): in other words, scientific management is delegated to a large extent to participating scientists. • • Advisory Committee will support the overall implementation of CEI-PRAISE Programme: meeting once a year, chaired by CEI Secretary General or his/her Delegate: • CEI National Focal Points for Science and Technology; • representatives of CEI Science and Technology Network; • a few independent experts nominated by CEI upon proposals from the scientific community. • • Executive Committee, with a maximum of 7 members nominated for two years from the Advisory Committee ensuring the support to the actual management; • • CEI Secretariat is responsible for overall management, fundraising and reporting. Regional Cooperation for European Integration - A Bridge between Macroregions

11. 9) Conclusion CEI-PRAISE is a Framework Programme with a long term perspective, which will be managed by scientists to upgrade the performance of the CEI scientific communities and their participation to Horizon 2020. The CEI Secretariat and the CEI Science and Technology Network are ready to start its implementation, in partnership with sixty partners in all CEI Member Countries. But for us your convinced support is essential to start on the right track, specifically in terms of fundraising: we have already started the promotion of CEI-PRAISE with the European Commission. MANY THANKS FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION Giorgio RossoCicogna Special Advisor to CEI Secretary General Regional Cooperation for European Integration - A Bridge between Macroregions