CORDIS EXPRESS

The future of European research came under the microscope again this week when the Commission published two communications in rapid succession giving further indications about the direction in which it intends to head.

Commission responds to recommendations on FP6 instruments

The European Commission has responded to the recommendations of the high level panel of experts, led by Ramon Marimon, on the new instruments of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). In a communication and working document, the Commission reacts to each individual recommendation, often underlining that it is aware of problems and has taken moves to tackle them. The paper also outlines corrective measures planned for the future.

Commission outlines next steps for security research

The European Commission has outlined the next steps that it intends to take towards establishing an EU programme for security research in a communication to the other EU institutions. The four steps involve consultation and cooperation with stakeholders, the establishment of an European Security Research Programme, the development of an effective institutional setting and the building of a governance structure responding to the urgency and nature of this subject.

Bush and Kerry go head to head on science

In the run up to the US presidential election, the science journal Nature has put 15 questions on current science debates to both candidates. The responses by current President and Republican George Bush, and by Democrat John Kerry reveal differences of opinion on a range of policies, from stem cell research and climate change to nuclear weapons technology.

Building an innovative society: a challenge for Latvia

CORDIS News attended the Baltic Dynamics conerence in Riga, Latvia, on 10 and 11 September, where innovation experts from Europe and beyond outlined the challenges to building an innovative society. At a time when policy makers and experts in even the EU's most developed economies are wrestling with the challenge of making their societies more innovative, the task facing the new Member States of the former Soviet Union is a particularly daunting one, as highlighted by the managing director of the Latvian Technology Centre, Janis Stabulnieks. CORDIS News also featured interviews with a Commission Head of Unit and a US innovation expert this week on other aspects of innovation.

Moving towards a computer that describes what it sees - the CogViSys project

'Until now, people have communicated by speech or signs, but the conversion has been done in the human brain. Now we want to do it in a machine.' This is how the coordinator of the CogViSys project, Hans-Hellmut Nagel, describes his work to develop a 'virtual commentator' capable of translating visual information into a textual description

Piemonte region presents recent biotechnology initiatives

Three new press releases have been added to the CORDIS Regional Service for Piemonte. The releases introduce a project aimed at creating new companies in the biotechnologies and life sciences field, an agreement between the Grenoble and Turin areas on joining resources to enhance their competitiveness in biotechnologies and life sciences, and a collaboration agreement on novel therapeutic protein between Nautilus Biotech and Creabilis Therapeutics

Conference on research, innovation and economic performance

To mark the launch of the Oxford Handbook of Innovation, the European Commission, the University of Oslo and Oxford University Press are jointly organising a conference entitled 'Research, innovation and economic performance - what do we know and where are we heading?', to take place on 8 October in Brussels, Belgium. The handbook is the result of the TEARI (towards a European Area for research and innovation) project, funded by the Commission to synthesise and valorise projects carried out within its socio-economic research initiatives.

Kaleidoscope symposium on collaborative learning

A seminar on computer-supported collaborative learning, organised by the EU funded Network of Excellence Kaleidoscope, will take place in Lausanne, Switzerland, from 7 to 9 October. One of the goals of Kaleidoscope is to structure research in the field of computer-supported collaborative learning throughout the European Research Area (ERA) and to ensure sustainability. The symposium is described as the first step towards this goal.

Commission publishes Marie Curie calls for proposals

The European Commission has published three calls for proposals under the Marie Curie activity of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). The calls relate to the following areas: Marie Curie host fellowships for early stage training; Marie Curie research training networks 'interdisciplinary' and 'intersectoral'; Researchers in Europe initiative.

Hungarian company seeks partners for development of wind energy technologies

During 2004, the local government of Gyula city in Hungary is establishing an energy research and development centre. The main goal of the centre will be to increase the efficiency of wind energy by introducing new, innovative technologies. In order to realise this objective, Eurowind Ltd is looking for partners in several categories: EU communities who have started similar initiatives and would like to take part in an R&D technology transfer programme, entrepreneurs with a background in renewable energies, energy agencies and utilities.

Entrepreneurs from ethnic minorities and their quality of life

The FP5 ETHNOGENERATION project, coordianted by the Institute of Social Research in Germany, is investigating the quality of life of people from ethnic minorities who found businesses, as well as the likelihood of their children accumulating the educational and cultural resources necessary for integrating successfully into society. After completing the research, the project team will forumlate proposals aimed at minimising the transfer of inequality to the next generation.

Knowledge management application for the construction industry

This week’s offer on the CORDIS Technology Marketplace is published by the Information Systems Institute at the University of Salford in the UK, and relates to their middleware solution for the construction industry. Developed during the course of an EU funded IST project, e-CKMI is a web-based knowledge management solution composed of four main components: a user portal/management application, an API request support service, a registered and unregistered knowledge management service, and an extractor service. The Institute’s offer targets support for further research or development, information exchange, training, venture capital funding, or the provision of consultancy services

A dummy's guide to stopping snoring

Scientists in Germany say they have developed a cure for snoring that has so far proved effective in 70 per cent of patients - a specially adapted baby’s dummy...