RI2INTEGRATE: EMBEDDEDNESS OF HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES IN THE DANUBE REGION 

Dear reader,

Welcome to the second edition of the RI2integrate project newsletter. RI2integrate is project implemented by the INTERREG Danube Transnational programme co-financed by European Union funds. The main objective of the project is to exploit the economic development potential and to better the integration of the operation of the EU’s excellent R&D Infrastructure in Danube Region.

Ri2integrate project has started on first of January 2017. Our newsletters will inform you at least twice a year about the progress of the project. We welcome your contributions and inputs. Stay with us and enjoy reading!

Yours sincerely,

Ri2integrate team

RI2INTEGRATE PROJECT

The main objective of RI2integrate project is to exploit the economic development potential and to better the integration of the operation of the EU’s excellent R&D Infrastructure (RI) investment projects through devising and implementing innovative tools for policy learning on macro-regional embeddedness in the Danube Region.

The main novelty of RI2integrate is two-fold. It's methodology foresees the combination of the Smart Specialization approach (from the expert side) and the Quadruple Helix model (from the stakeholder perspective). Additionally, as a policy driven novelty, the project creates synergies between different EU and territorial funding instruments.

The main result is the improved transfer of scientific results into the economy in the Danube Region, in line with the different needs of the participating countries by the improvement of cross-linkages among the R&D, SMEs, community and government.

Project duration: 1.1.2017 - 30.6.2019

Budget: 1.899.430 EUR 
ERDF contribution: 1.474.669,35 EUR
IPA contribution: 139.846,12 EUR

Priority: Innovative and socially responsible Danube region

Specific objective: Improve framework conditions for innovation

http://dtp.interreg-danube.eu/approved-projects/ri2integrate

PROJECT PARTNERS

The RI2integrate partnership consist of 17 project partners (9 ERDF partners, 1 IPA partner and 7 Associated partners) and covers 7 Danube countries. 

RI2integrate project partners from HU, CZ, AT, RO, SRB, SLO, HR represent regional and national research institutions, universities, governmental bodies, decision makers, and intermediaries. Each partner stands for a particular type of organisation involved in the utilization of excellent research infrastructures.

Consortium consist of following organizaction:

Lead partner:
ELI-HU Nonprofit Ltd. 

ERDF partners:
Central Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency Nonprofit Ltd. 
Horia Hulubei National Institute of R&D for Physics and Nuclear Engineering
Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
FH JOANNEUM Gesellschaft mbH
Institution for development of competence, innovation and specialization of Zadar County
University of Maribor
Magurele High Tech Cluster 
Central Bohemia Innovation Centre 

IPA partner:
Development Agency of Serbia 

Associated partners:
Ministry for National Economy 
Ilfov County Council 
Central Bohemia Region 
Steirische Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft mbH 
Zadar County 
Technical University of Kosice
Municipality of Ruše

ELI-NP AT EXPO ASTANA 2017

From June 10th to September 10th 2017, Romania participated at the International World Fair Astana, in Kazahstan. The core of the Romanian pavilion was represented by the Extreme Light Infrastructure – Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP), that is rated among the top five most interesting exhibits at EXPO Astana 2017.

The ELI-NP pan-European project is implemented by the RI2Integrate Romanian partner „Horia Hulubei” National Institute of R&D for Physics and Nuclear Engineering. On the occasion of the official ceremony of Romania’s National Day at Astana, the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affaires stated that: “The Extreme Light Infrastructure (Nuclear Physics) project at Magurele will be the most advanced research facility in the world focused on the study of photonuclear physics and its applications. This unique experimental combination of ELI-NP will allow the undertaking of a broad range of research topics in fundamental physics, nuclear and astrophysical physics and applied research to materials’ science, nuclear material management and life sciences. I am confident that the ‘Future Energy’ Astana EXPO 2017 will be the starting point for a new level of quality within the framework of our global economic cooperation in terms of diversifying and bringing together a larger variety of economic actors, including small and medium-sized enterprises”.

For more information, please visit: http://www.eli-np.ro/astana2017.php

FIRST NATIONAL GROUP OF EXPERTS MEETING IN ROMANIA

On August 31st in Magurele, Ilfov County, Romania took place the first meeting of the National Group of Experts (NEG) for the project RI2Integrate - Embeddedness of high quality research infrastructures in the Danube Region. The meeting was organized both by IFIN HH and MHTC partners in the project.

The aim of the meeting was to present the project and its objectives to the group of experts and to establish a working methodology.

PhD Ioan Ursu, project manager on behalf of IFIN HH presented the RI2Integrate Project’s objectives, main activities, deliverables and responsibilities of Romanian partners, actual status, achievements, project team and its responsibilities. It was underlined that RI2Integrate is not a research project but rather a science management project.

RI2INTEGRATE AT THE INTERREG DAY IN HUNGARY

The RI2integrate project was participating on the INTERREG day organized by the Ministry for National Economy in HU.

We are working with the HU partners from other projects to accelerate the policy integration of the results.

RI2INTEGRATE AT 6TH ANNUAL FORUM OF THE EUSDR

On the 2nd day, October 19th 2017, of 6th Annual Forum of the EUSDR event we had to opportunity to present the RI2integrate project as a member of Thematic Pole 2 – RDI Framework support. The pole's other two projects (D-STIR, ResInfra@DR) took part on the workshop too. The main objective of the workshop was to get the 3 projects insight into each other’s work and to start a kind of common work.

Mr. Dávid Bereczkei gave a short overview about the RI2integrate project; later, Mr. Tamás Gyulai talked about the importance of the good initiatives of the South Great Plan Region.

For more information about the event, please visit: http://www.danube-forum-budapest.eu/

RI2INTEGRATE PROJECT PARTNERS MET IN ROMANIA

The second partners meeting & Steering Committee for RI2integrate – embeddedness of high quality research infrastructures in the Danube Region project took place on October, 26-27, 2017 in Magurele, Ilfov County and Bucharest Romania and it was organized by PP7 – Magurele High Tech Cluster (MHTC). The meeting had two main items: conclusions at the end of the first implementation period, first report and the schedule for the second period of implementation. 

A number of 14 partners, IPA partners and ASP attended the meeting. Total number of participants was of 23 persons.

NATIONAL GROUP OF EXPERTS MEETING IN BELGRADE 

Within the framework of the Embeddedness of high quality research infrastructure in the Danube Region (RI2integrate) project, on November 17, 2017, Development Agency of Serbia (RAS) hosted a meeting of the National Expert Group.

The National Expert Group (NEG) gathered representatives of the state universities, government, scientific, and R&D institutions, as well as professional organizations and associations. After the presentation of the RI2integrate project, a discussion was held with focus on the current state of the R&D infrastructure, cooperation with the SMEs, and the possibilities for further improvement. Members of the NEG recognized the need for cooperation, welcomed the initiative, and defined further NEG steps.

More information in national language is available on following link http://www.ras.gov.rs/saradnja-na-unapredenju-istrazivacko-razvojne-infrastrukture