China

BILAT-SILKBilateral Support for the InternationalLinkage with Kina (China)1 st INCO Conference “supporting Researchintegration”Session 3: “Learning by Doing”Athens10 th of June 2010Nondas Christofilopoulosepaminondas@help-forward.grhttp://www.help-forward.gr

ContentChinaBILAT-SILK in briefBest practicesProblems communicating FP7 – response to thelocal research communityCooperation with other stakeholdersMain outcome - ideasIntroduction

CHINA

CHINA•Full name: People's Republic of China•Population: 1.34 billion (UN, 2008)•Capital: Beijing•Largest city: Shanghai•Area: 9.6 million sq km (3.7 million sq miles)•Major language: Mandarin Chinese•Major religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Taoism•Life expectancy: 71 years (men), 75 years (women) (UN)•Monetary unit: 1 Renminbi (yuan) (Y) = 10 jiao = 100 fen;•Main exports: Manufactured goods, including textiles, garments,electronics, arms•GNI per capita: US $2,360 (World Bank, 2007)

CHINAScience & Technology

CHINAScience & Technology

BILAT-SILKin briefIncrease Chinese participation in FP7 through Awareness Raising &Capacity Building: infodays, website, FP7 promotion materialIdentification of Join Research Priorities through the use of expertsfrom the EU and ChinaRaising the Capacities of the Chinese NCP organisation (CECO):help-desk, trainings, staff exchanges, Chinese partners database, etc.AndPromotion of China-EU collaboration in S&T policy advisory

Impact to local communityThe answer in unclear in terms of quantityThere are definitely more researchers that are aware ofFP7 and the relevant opportunities, but the overall impactis just not countableThe project resources are extremely narrow - the budgetof all the BILAT activities was similar, regardless thecountry’s size and research capacityThere is for sure a large portion with no knowledge of theopportunities to join global research activities through FP7.However, the feedback and the interest was impressivein all the local events around China.The research community do want to cooperate in aglobal level

FP7communication problemsviceFP7 is not an easy messageLearning curve in the very beginninglimited existing links with EU researchersFP7 myth: difficult to be funded, big competition, toocomplicated, etcStill missing an effective way to communicate FP7 andpass the right message to the researchers.What is FP7 for a non European researcher?

FP7Other problems and obstaclesMany uncoordinated EU activities delivering differentmessages.Competition, by national or other internationalprogrammes.Cultural (openness, communication), languageCountry size – difficult to spread all over the Country

Cooperation with otherstakeholdersLocal & EU Thematic NCPsLocal & EU stakeholdersAgain the various initiatives sometime deliver contradictorymessagesIt is unclear with who or whom to cooperate – witheverybody

BILAT-SILKBest practicesAudit of the current situation and of the NCP activitiesInvest on personal contacts – trustworthy relationshipJoint events with other projectsInvest on the direct linkage of the researchersRespect local hierarchy and cooperate with the national (NCP)organization

Other issuesThe EC to have a more rational approach instead of supportingmultiple activities in one region and better coordination with theother FP7 programmes.Logical and fair to provide funding according to the country’ssize.Still missing an effective way to pass the “FP7” messageFurther support researcher exchange schemes on specific calls“Invent” a new set of tangible deliverables with specificobjectives, for creating an FP7 “friendly” environment.Move from a catholic “BILAT” approach to tailor-madeapproaches for different countries (developed, large, sensitive, etc)

Thank you !