ASO Ljubljana and Sofia

Between March 2004 and 2010, the ZSI was the coordinating office of the Austrian Science and Research Liaison Offices in Ljubljana / Slovenia and Sofia / Bulgaria.
The Austrian Liaison Offices for Science and Research (ASOs) were set up on behalf of the then Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture to promote research cooperation between Austria and the respective host countries.

Activities of the ASO's:

1. Support for Austrian, Slovenian and Bulgarian researchers by:

• ongoing advice from the ASO network in Ljubljana, Sofia and Vienna
• support in project partner search, workshop organization, PR activities etc.
• annual calls for proposals on priority themes to promote scientific cooperation with the countries of South-Eastern Europe
• organization of scientific events such as conferences, workshops, guest lectures by scientists
• assistance in the preparation of research projects
• promotion of publications in focus
• active networking with regional or European initiatives and programs

2. Focus on annual thematic priorities set by the Heads of the ASO Ljubljana and ASO Sofia and the ZSI Coordination Unit, in coordination with the Ministry as the contracting authority

3. Policy Advisory Service for the Ministry of Science with regard to the host countries and with regard to the scientific cooperation of the Ministry with the countries in South-Eastern Europe

4. Supporting the Ministry in its Science Initiative in South-Eastern Europe, which aims to strengthen the accession of the countries Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Serbia and the EU candidate countries Macedonia (FYRoM) and Croatia into the European Research Area

The Liaison Offices have been closed after the progressive integration into the European Research Area, but regional initiatives with the Western Balkans have continued under the European initiatives (WBC-INCO.NET, Danube-INCO.NET) and have also been continued bilaterally by analysis and communication initiatives (WBC-RTI.INFO).

Team:

• Magª. Andrea Christiane Mayr (project leader)
• Magª. Johanna Scheck (project leader)
• DI Martin Felix Gajdusek
• Dr. Miroslav Polzer
• Mag. Dr. Klaus Schuch
• M.A. Gorazd A. Weiss

Section: Research Policy & Development

Funding institutions and customers:

• Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Forschung
• Bundesministerium für Wissenschaft und Forschung (BMWF)

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Tags: research cooperation, Southeast Europe