CALL FOR PROPOSALS — DG EAC 26/07

Pilot projects for cooperation between European Institutes of Technology

(2007/C 143/07)

1.   Introduction/Background

In Europe there are many kinds of collaboration between the actors operating in the knowledge triangle of education, research, and innovation. Usually these take the form of a network in which partners share information and coordinate their activities on an equal basis. While these initiatives have helped create a context in which European organisations and institutes of technology (such as universities, research centres, enterprises and public bodies dealing with innovation) can collaborate more easily, Europe still falls short in turning R&D results into commercial opportunities. To this end, there is growing demand to take these types of collaboration a step further, for example, by creating common governance structures or by sharing resources more effectively. Furthermore, these partnerships are increasingly being requested to focus on knowledge and technology transfer activities, in order to maximise their social and economic impact and their capacity to produce innovation. In this context, the European Parliament has established a budget line (Article 15 02 29) for a pilot project for ‘cooperation between European Institutes of Technology’ (1). On this basis, this call for proposals aims at addressing the demand to increase Europe's technology transfer capacity by means of closer integration of the knowledge triangle.

In particular, this will be achieved by establishing pilot networks that will design, implement and test new models of integrated partnerships between the actors involved in technological innovation and transfer (such as universities, research organisations, small, medium-sized and large companies, innovation centres, etc.). The knowledge and experience therefore produced should not just support these networks in taking their integration a step further, but also provide good practices and support both for existing networks operating in the knowledge triangle and for policy-makers who are designing new instruments and initiatives to support integration.

2.   Objectives and Description

The strategic objective of these pilot projects is to design, implement and test new models of cooperation in the knowledge triangle which aim to become integrated partnerships. The final goal is to facilitate knowledge-sharing and technology transfer by building up the capacity of European networks in strategic interdisciplinary fields to bring their collaboration to a new, more integrated form of partnership. Outputs would include designs for new models of governance for integrated partnerships to overcome the barriers to closer collaboration between the leading players in the knowledge triangle, implementation and testing of some of the critical components identified, plus a set of recommendations and good practices to disseminate and further exploit the results of projects. Each proposed partnership should address the above-mentioned goals with a specific focus on one strategic interdisciplinary field that will be used as a case study to test the applicability of the results. Proposals should give reasons for the strategic field which the applicants have chosen to cover in view of its economic and social impact.

3.   Eligibility criteria

Applications which comply with the following criteria will be subjected to an in-depth evaluation.

3.1.   Eligible establishments/bodies/types of beneficiary

To be eligible for a grant, a body must satisfy the following requirements:

The partnerships must:

3.2.   Eligible countries

Only applications from legal entities established in one of the EU Member States are eligible.

4.   Award criteria

Eligible applications/projects will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria (in parentheses the weight that is given to each criterion):

5.   Budget

The total budget earmarked for the cofinancing of projects amounts to EUR 5 million. Financial assistance from the Commission cannot exceed 75 % of the total eligible costs. Each grant will amount to between EUR 0,5 and 1,5 million. The maximum grant will be EUR 1,5 million.

Given the budget of EUR 5 million, it is estimated that three to five partnerships could be financed.

6.   Timetable

Applications must reach the Commission no later than 15 August 2007.

Activities must start before 30 December 2007 and end before 31 December 2009. The maximum duration of projects is 24 months. No applications will be accepted for projects scheduled to run for a longer period than that specified in this call for proposals. No extensions to the eligibility period beyond the maximum duration will be granted. The intention is to inform applicants of the outcome of the selection procedure no later than October 2007.

It is planned that beneficiaries will receive their agreements for signing by November 2007. The period of eligibility of costs will start on the day the contract is signed by the last of the parties. If a beneficiary can demonstrate the need to start the action before the agreement is signed, expenditure may be authorised before the agreement is signed. Under no circumstances can the eligibility period start before the date of submission of the application for a grant.

7.   Further information

The full text of the call for proposals and the application forms are available on the following website:

http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/calls/grants_en.html

Applications must comply with the requirements set out in the full text and be submitted using the form provided.

(1)  Pilot project, as defined by Article 49(2) of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1).