GUIDE TO THE SUCCESSFUL USE & DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH RESULT

This Guide is intended to provide Small and Medium Sized Enterprises, as well as Universities, Institutes and other Research Technology Development organizations (RTDs) with practical, useful and easy to follow advice on how to maximize the impact of Research and Development projects involving SMEs by ensuring that the results are effectively used and disseminated.

More info:
http://www.useanddiffuse.eu

ETHICS HELP DESK FOR ALL FP7 PROJECTS

The Ethics Help Desk for FP7 projects provides information on issues and offers consultation regarding the ethical aspects of research that is funded under the 7th Framework Programme. The goal of the Help-Desk is to support scientists that are research participants in FP7 funded projects, to meet the EU and international ethical standards related to the issues outlined in the "Ethics check list"

Via this service, scientists can receive advice from the Ethics Review Sector of DG research and by experts in the ethics field concerned, in order to reach their research objectives and meet the ethical requirements of their work.

The advice is offered on the basis of the FP7 ethics framework as outlined in the FP7 legal basis documents and the legal documents for implementation.

All questions should be addressed to the Ethics Help Desk Contact person, Isidoros Karatzas.

More info:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/get-support_en.html#ethics

FIRST EUROPEAN INNOVATION SUMMIT

On 13 and 14 October the first European Innovation Summit (EIS) took place at the European Parliament, bringing together some 600 stakeholders of the European Innovation Ecosystem, including representatives from the European Institutions, 33 exhibiting organizations and more than 120 speakers with complementary expertise and backgrounds from the public, private and academic sectors. The event, organized by Knowledge4innovation platform, aimed at discussing priorities and developed recommendations for a new European innovation agenda.

More info:
http://www.knowledge4innovation.eu/k4i/default.aspx

MIND MAP OF THE EU RTDI FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORT SERVICES

This is a tool that enables visualizing opportunities and support services available to SMEs and RTD Performers. The brainstorming dynamic emerging from a mind map also encourages a holistic approach that can help decision-makers to identify potential synergies between different types of funding schemes.

It is important to note that this mind map is meant to be a companion tool to the "Practical Guide to EU funding opportunities for research and innovation"

THE 2009 EU INDUSTRIAL R&D INVESTMENT SCOREBOARD

The 2009 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard, released in November 2009, presents information on 2000 companies from around the world reporting major investments in R&D. The set of companies it covers comprises the top 1000 R&D investors whose registered offices are in the EU and the top 1000 registered elsewhere.

The figures derived from the latest available companies' accounts, i.e. the fiscal year 2008, and indicate the R&D invested by companies' own funds, independently of the location of the R&D activity.

The Scoreboard includes R&D figures along with other economic and financial data from the last four financial years.

More info:
http://iri.jrc.ec.europa.eu/research/scoreboard_2009.htm

4TH EUROSTARS CUT-OFF

EUREKA's Eurostars Programme, the first European funding and support Programme specifically dedicated to R&D performing SMEs, opens the 4th Eurostars Cut-Off. This Programme can address any technological area, but must have a civilian purpose and be aimed at the development of a new product, process or service.

Application submission deadline: 25th February 2010.

More info:
http://www.eurostars-eureka.eu/

EUROPEAN EXPERTS COUNCIL ON RESEARCH AND INNOVATION BY SMEs

The European Commission, through its SME Unit within the DG Research, is setting up a specialized group of experts to assist on future policies and actions towards supporting and increasing the Research and Innovation activities by European SMEs (The European Research SME Council).

The European SME Research Council will be a influential international body, working towards European innovation policies specifically focused to assist and support SMEs. It will have at least 27 members from EU Member States.

The SME Research Council's work will result on recommendations, charters and conventions to facilitate cooperation between European countries and EC Directorates-General. It will also provide recommendations for innovation measures, support services and networks.

The Council members will come from entities with influence to the innovation policies for RTD such as EC DGs, Associations, Specialized think-tanks, Academia; Research Centres; Innovation Clusters; Technology Parks; plus key experts from other European projects and on-going initiatives.

Rose Visión, MAPEER SME Project Coordinator, will run a permanent Secretariat for the European Research SME Council.

9TH JOINT CORNET CALL FOR TRANS-NATIONAL COLLECTIVE RESEARCH PROJECT PROPOSALS

Project consortia of associations, federations, trade associations or groupings of industrial enterprises from at least 2 different CORNET countries have the opportunity to submit a proposal for a joint collective research project.

The following countries and regions have already confirmed their participation in the 9th call:
Austria, Belgium – Flanders, Belgium – Wallonia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Spain Valencia, The Netherlands, Turkey

Launch date: November 23, 2009
Submission closure: March 31, 2010 (12 am)

Partner Search Website: http://www.cornet-era.net/partnersearch_9th_call.html

SME WEEK 2010: PARTICIPATION OF NETWORK PARTNERS IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED!

The next European SME Week will take place from 25 May to 1 June 2010 both in Brussels and in the Member States. It will be coordinated again by DG Enterprise and Industry, whereas most of the events and activities will be organized by business associations, support providers, regional and local authorities, and others in the participating countries. At national level, SME week coordinators will validate the events and be in touch with the event
organizers’.

The goals of the SME week remain the same:

• inform existing entrepreneurs about support available to them at different levels
• and promote entrepreneurship by encouraging more people to become entrepreneurs.

At the beginning of 2010 an online form will be available on the SME week 2010 official website where Network Partners, as well as other stakeholders, can register their events. The choice of the type of event to perform is free like in 2009. The registration will close allegedly between end of April / beginning of May. Please note that events under the SME week 2010 umbrella should take place during that week and / or the following two or three weeks and not throughout the year as it was the case in 2009.

Network partners are invited to start planning their SME Week events and to register them as soon as the SME week 2010 official webpage is launched. Promotional material will be also available.

KNOWLEDGE FOR DEVELOPMENT - INNOVATE WITH THE BEST PEOPLE

Companies active in Research and Development and in need of specific expertise are always looking for the best people.

EURAXESS - European Service centers network can help you find the best candidates!
Find the right person for the right job – use the free EURAXESS research vacancies tool.

SEARCH more than 14 000 CVs
ADVERTISE your jobs for FREE!

EURAXESS http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess

Furthermore, you can get practical information and support concerning the logistics of getting the researcher settled in your company.

FORTHCOMMING EVENTS:

14.01.2010, Győr, Hungary
CORNET Project Partnering Event
Further information: www.cornet-era.net

19.01.2009, Warsaw, Poland
EBI Workshop
Further information: www.kpk.gov.pl

20.01.2010, Maastricht, The Netherlands
A partnering event to establish partnerships for the 9th CORNET call and 7th EraSME call
Further information: http://www.cornet-era.net/partnering_event_maastricht.html

22-26.03.2010, Brussels, Belgium
Sustainable Energy Week
Further information: http://www.eusew.eu/