ICT cooperation in the Western Balkans

WINS-ICT aimed at strengthening S&T cooperation between the EU and the Western Balkan countries by deepening the bi-regional strategic relations in the field of ICT and promoting the participation of WB ICT research actors in FP7.

The specific objectives of the WINS-ICT project were to:

• Provide comprehensive understanding of the framework of EU-WBC ICT RTD policies and RTD collaboration
• Optimize the policy framework and establish strategic partnerships with other projects, such as WBC-INCO.NET
• Support the building of sustainable networks between innovative WBC ICT researchers and their EU counterparts
• Enhance the capacities and capabilities of WBC researchers to successfully participate in the FP7 ICT research activities

The WINS-ICT project thus contributed to the Commission’s priority to extend future EU-Western Balkan RTD co-operation by promoting WBC involvement in the ICT programme at multiple levels: comprising support to the regional and bi-regional dialogues, capacity building at the regional and national levels, and targeted dissemination strategies.

The political dimension was closely intertwined with the WBC-INCO.NET project, and further entailed regional dialogue and regular information exchange with ICTC (Information and Communications Technology Council) members and other EC Directorates General. The ultimate goal was to fully integrate researchers from the region into networks of FP-active EU organizations and enable their related research organisations to submit their own project proposals as coordinating institutions.

The main output of the project was an improved policy dialogue in the field of ICT, reflecting the WBCs needs and priorities in future ICT Work Programmes and thus providing the ground for enhanced participation from the target region.

The project consortium included 15 partners from the EU Member States, Accession Candidate Countries and the Western Balkan region.

Team:

• Magª. Désirée Pecarz (project leader)
• Magª. Elke Dall
• Ingmar Karner
• Michael Le Gohebel
• Mag. Ines Marinkovic
• Mag. Dr. Klaus Schuch
• Dipl-Übers. Carmen Siller

Section: Research Policy & Development

Partners:

• Belgrade Open School
• Central European Initiative - Executive Secretariat
• Croatian Chamber of Economy
• Europe for Business
• EXIT Consulting Ltd.
• Greek Research & Technology Network
• Information and Communication Technologies Chamber of Commerce Skopje
• Ministry of Education and Science of Montenegro
• Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Society of the Republic of Serbia
• SC IPA SA
• Technical Support for European Organisations
• Trenkwalder Civet 2000 SHPK
• TUBITAK Scientific and Technologcial Research Council of Turkey
• Zentrum für Innovation und Technik in NRW

Related Articles:

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• Project: Western Balkan countries INCO-NET Unterstützung im Bereich IKT
• News: ZSI concluded the coordination of WINS-ICT
• News: ZSI is organising a series of ICT training workshops...
• News: Kooperation mit Südosteuropa – es bleibt spannend!
• Publication: Financial, legal and administrative management of INCO-NET projects. Difficulties, solutions and recommendations for the future
• Project: R&I POLICY making, implementation ANd Support in the WEsteRn BalkanS

Tags: Balkan, European Research Area, internationalisation, research cooperation, Southeast Europe