Description
SCUBE-ICT was an innovative EU funded initiative aiming to upgrade the cooperation in research and technological development in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) between EU, Belarus and Ukraine in key areas of mutual interest in order to create substantial socio-economic benefits in all three regions. A wide range of diversified activities were implemented at two levels:
- At research / industrial level the partners
- Analysed the Belarusian and Ukrainian research and industrial ICT Landscape,
- Created a ‘pool’ of the most competent research and industrial ICT actors from Belarus and Ukraine to promote collaboration in research (e.g. within FP7-ICT) with their EU counterparts.
- Provided advise and capacity building services to the most competent and highly motivated ICT research and industrial actors from the two regions to developed increased collaboration and participation under FP7-ICT research activities.
- At policy level the partners
- Analysed existing and future commonalities and differences in ICT research policies between EU and the targeted countries.
- Supported the states’ operational structures (e.g. NCPs, dedicated secretaries of ministries, National Academies of Sciences, etc) that facilitate the participation in EU RTD programmes.
The project achieved its overall aims via a range of support activities:
- Assessing the ICT collaboration potential for the three regions. This involved the production of a “White Paper on ICT R&D in Belarus and Ukraine”; mapping the Belarusian and Ukrainian ICT RTD actors; reporting on opportunities for Bel/Ukr ICT RTD actors in the EU; and reporting on opportunities for EU ICT RTD actors in Bel/Ukr;
- Organising awareness-raising, capacity building / training and networking / partnership events about the EU research programmes (e.g. FP7) for Bel/Ukr ICT actors;
- Providing advanced support / capacity building services to a selected number of most competent Bel/Ukr ICT research actors to build close relationships with key EU RTD actors.
Enhancing policy dialogue in ICT research between policy makers and stakeholders from EU and Bel/Ukr ICT communities. Joint ICT R&D Policy Working Groups establishment.
Q-PLAN responsibilities
- EU-funded technical assistance and institutional capacity building
- Analysis of the ICT sector in both countries and identification of key research actors
- Mapping the research competencies and priorities in EU and Bel/Ukr to identify and assess the collaboration potential among the research and industrial communities from both regions
- Support to the strengthening of the operational structures (e.g. NCPs, dedicated secretaries of ministries, National Academies of Sciences, etc) that facilitate, support and develop activities related to the successful participation in all EU RTD (research and technological development) programmes
- Support to institutions (e.g. Directorates of National Academies of Sciences and Key National Research Institutes) that are relevant in the field of international scientific cooperation in general
- Design and overall responsible for the implementation of an EU wide publicity and campaign
- Organisation of 2 major European Networking Events to facilitate networking with EU key actors and participation to EU research programmes with more than 200 participants from all over Europe
- Assistance in proposal preparation for various EU and EU RTD programmes (> 30 proposals prepared)
- Elaboration of recommendations as a set of “indicative courses of action to enhance EU-WBC R&D collaboration in the field of ICT”