Eight BILAT projects join forces

23 October 2013

On 30 October 2013 eight BILAT projects will meet for the first time in an expert workshop in Bonn at the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

Having joined forces the working group comprises the following eight BILAT projects: ABEST (targeting Argentina), B.BICE+ (Brasil), Dragon Star (China), EU-MEX INNOVA (Mexico) FRIENZ (New Zealand), BILAT RUS Advanced (Russia), ESASTAP PLUS (South Africa) and BILAT-USA 2.0 (USA). Their goal is to jointly undertake a survey examining the operational feasibility of establishing joint STI liaison offices of European research organisations in Argentina, Brazil, China, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa and the USA. In the expert workshop the working group will elaborate the survey questionnaire giving European research institutions the possibility to express their opinion whether joint STI liaison offices of European research organisations in Third Countries are needed and which services they should offer.

Coordinated by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) the working group was initiated in order to benefit from synergies and efficient use of resources and to provide the European Commission with a strategic report including potential comparable results and recommendations in favour of or against feasibility studies for STI Joint European Liaison Offices (STI JELOs) in the above named Third Countries.