CAASTNet Stakeholders Meeting, Dakar - Senegal 25th April 2012 - Zeinab El-Sadr

Zeinab El-Sadr
           Ministry of Scientific Research, Egypt
                     zelsadr@rdi.eg.net

CAASTNet Stakeholders Meeting, Dakar – Senegal
                  25th April 2012

MIRA AIMS AT…
Developing a scientific and technological partnership between the
European Union (EU) and the Mediterranean Partner Countries
(MPC), by the use of dialogue platforms, identifying topics of
common    scientific   interest,   promoting   the   creation   of   an
Observatory of EU-MPC scientific cooperation, and promoting the
development of the Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Space and
other join initiatives with a research component such as the
Horizon2020 Program of de-contamination of the Mediterranean.

MIRA Major Results
   Capacity building and training seminars for MPC:
      IPR issues

      Legal and Finance

      Valorization/commercialization of research (EIB)

   Organization of 6 Thematic Workshops

   MIRA Technological Transfer Seminar

   EMIS Workgroup launch, 2009

   EMIS Water Forum and Casablanca Road Map, 2011

   Research Driven Clusters Initiative (Water, Energy ……)

   Horizon 2020 Initiative – MIRA collaboration, 2009 onwards

MIRA Major Results
   Synergies …….
     Other INCONETS:
         CAASTNet: 2 workshops (London, Marseille), MIRA-RDI SSH
        Thematic Workshop
         INCO GCC: steering committee
         EULARINET, WBC: common workshops

     FP7 BILATs for MPC: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia

     ERAWIDE for MPC (Water)

     RDI Programme in Egypt
        3 MIRA-RDI Thematic workshops: Energy, Environemnt and
       Social Sciences and Humanities.
        Follow up activities on MIRA Health Thematic Workshop:
       consortium building workshop, El-Gouna Egypt, 2009
        The Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Marketplace. Cairo
       (Egypt). 26 - 28 January, 2010.

MIRA Concrete Results
    The Euro-
  Mediterranean
Innovation Space
     “EMIS”
                                EMIS Architecture

                          Research and Innovation Areas

                                       Environment                              New Topics
     Energy            Health             (water                               (e.g. Transport, …)

                                                 
                                                                  ICT
                                       management,
                                           ….)
   Building         Sharing
                                     Cross cutting aspects     Fostering          Monitoring
                    Knowledge         Focusing Innovation     Partnerships          RDI
   Capacities

    EMIS Fora                 EMIS Management and tools                 Strategic Information
                Skills development                                            (Webpage)
   EU-MPC-Clustering                 EU-MPC-Technology transfer

The Euro-Mediterranean Innovation
              Space “EMIS”
• EMIS at a glance: Create networks of research
  institutions and technological transfer services
  from both sides of the Mediterranean, to provide
  a reference element for the development of the
  Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Space.

• Objective of EMIS: The mobilization of
  innovation stakeholders in common framework
  and mutually beneficial partnership to develop a
  more intelligent and competitive Euro-Med
  space

The Euro-Mediterranean Innovation
            Space “EMIS”
• EMIS Discussion Platform: Opening a
  dialogue process among EU-MED
  innovation stakeholders is key to
  identifying collaboration opportunities
  understanding the needs of different
  partners and figuring out the best ways
  to satisfy them within EMIS”

The Euro-Mediterranean Innovation
             Space “EMIS”

• Database composed of both the EU’s and
  MPC’s technological platforms data
• Networks of laboratories (Metrology Labs)
• EMIS Water forum and Casablanca
  roadmap
• Research Driven Clusters Initiative
• EMIS Energy Forum, June 2012, Tunisia

Technology Transfer network

In 2009 a questionnaire‐based survey was launched
among MIRA partners to identify key TT concepts, tools
and methods of priority interest for the partners.
In February 2010, MIRA launched a pilot action which
focused on developing an overview of the national TT
structures, policies and strategies in Euro‐Med
countries to identify good practices and effective TT
processes and mechanisms.

Main insights from TT event

Diagnosis: Key technology transfer barriers for Public
Research bodies:
Lack of clear policy orientation
Lack of resources
Lack of early stage finance as well as absence of risk
taking culture
Lack of information on market needs and
opportunities
Necessity of Intermediate players linking research and
business communities
Need for demand driven policies
 Need to explore/develop mechanism for capacity
building             and            internationalization,
valorization/commercialization of research

Research Driven Cluster Initiative

Why clusters?
• Empirical evaluations proof that clusters are able to
  develop competitiveness, enhance innovation and
  contribute to productivity and job creation. Thus, Clusters
  and Cluster Initiatives received an importance in
  economic activities as well as in innovation and research
  policies within the last 20 years.

• The European Cluster Memorandum defines clusters as
  regional concentrations of specialised companies
  and institutions linked through multiple linkages and
  spill-overs, which provide an environment conducive
  to innovation.

EMIS Fora and the Research Driven Cluster
        on (Waste) Water Management
Key Considerations
• Clusters can not be created top‐down
• History in economic development
• Vested interested of involved parties
• Define a common denominator
• Involvement of the „triple helix“ actors is crucial (science,
  industry, administration)

Demand driven thematic focus:
• Water management and waste water management (it is
  relevant, innovative by its character, competencies in the
  project – link to WP 7)

EMIS and the Research Driven Cluster

What do we understand as a research driven cluster initiative
  within EMIS?
• Within our EMIS activities we aim at the promotion of a
  Research Driven Cluster Initiative (RDCI) to enhance growth
  and competitiveness in the field of Water and Waste Water
  Management at transnational scale in the Mediterranean
  region.

Mediterranean Laboratories Network

• Network focused in the area of metrology, analysis and
  tests.
• Members: laboratories belonging to different public
  institutions, accredited or not in their specific domains.
• In every MPC one laboratory will play the role of node of
  the network, providing linkage support for the rest of labs
• The network will have international scope, with
  membership from all the MPC.

Objectives
•   Support the laboratories’ staff qualification as well as the
    upgrading of the labs capabilities
•   Improve the laboratories management systems with adoption
    of international quality standards
•   Support the development of new services to comply with the
    demand from both internal (Administration, University, etc.)
    and external customers.
•   Disseminate the scientific and technical potential of the Lab
    Network members
•   Prepare a catalogue of members, services, available skills and
    infrastructures
•   Training workshops in line with the objectives and the
    members’ needs.
•   Interchange of good practices, collaboration actions…
•   Creation of a common web page and dissemination actions for
    potential users
•   Establish a coordination unit

MIRA – CAASTNet
                   The Road Ahead
 MIRA-CAASTNet workshop, Egypt, November 2012 ?
    Sharing of best practices in support of research and innovation

    Recommendations for H2020 (a comprehensive approach of the African
      continent)

 Capacity building activities

 SPRING MED – CAASTNet-Plus

Thank You for Your Attention

http://www.miraproject.eu

zs@sti.sci.eg