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RESEARCH POTENTIAL

Budget: €340 million (2007 - 2013)

© Sami Sarkis (PhotoAlto)

Europe needs to exploit its research potential, particularly in the less advanced regions that are remotely situated from the European core of research and industrial development. A strategy of inclusiveness can potentially benefit the social fabric as well as the research community and the industry, locally and at the level of the European Research Area.

What's the benefit for citizens:

Taking advantage of the knowledge and experience existing in other regions of Europe, this action seeks to upgrade research potential where needed by providing support in the form of investment, staff, networking or advice. The effort is directed at researchers and institutions of these regions in the public or private sector.

What's the benefit for researchers:

The research community in the convergence and outermost regions will be supported as follows:

• Transnational two-way exchanges of research staff between selected organisations in the convergence regions, and one or more partner organisations; support to selected centres of existing or emerging excellence for the recruitment of incoming experienced researchers from other European countries.
• Acquisition and development of research equipment and the development of a material environment enabling the exploitation of the intellectual potential to be found in the selected centres of existing or emerging excellence in the convergence regions.
• Organisation of workshops and conferences to facilitate knowledge transfer; promotional activities as well as initiatives aiming at disseminating and transferring research results in other countries and international markets.
• "Evaluation facilities" through which any research centre in the convergence regions can obtain an international independent expert evaluation of the level of their overall research quality and infrastructures.

What's the benefit for industry and SMEs:

To fully realise the European Research Area in the enlarged Union, all regions must take part and must be supported if necessary. This strategy directly benefits SMEs and industrial organisations in the convergence regions.
Strong synergies will be sought with the Community regional policy. Actions under this heading will identify needs and opportunities for reinforcing the research capacities of emerging and existing centres of excellence in convergence regions which may be met by Structural and Cohesion funds.
Synergies will also be sought with the Competitiveness and Innovation programme in order to promote the regional commercialisation of research and development in collaboration with industry.