A new boost to EU-LA cooperation in Networked Media

The FP7 SALA3D project enhancing European and Latin American Strategic Cooperation on 3D Internet R&D has successfully started.

The SALA3D project, coordinated by AETIC - the Spanish association of ICT industries, and participated by CINTEL - the centre for telecommunication research of Colombia, CIU - the industry chamber of Uruguay, and TESEO - Brussels based consultancy on EU-funded RTD, has officially started with its kick-off meeting held on 16-17 March in Madrid.

The meeting was opened by European Commission representative Mr. Francisco Medeiros, who stressed the crucial role of cooperation between research organisations in the EU and Colombia and Uruguay in the Networked Media Technology fields. Forthcoming Framework Programme 7 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Calls 7 and 8 will offer new opportunities for the incorporation of excellent organisations from these countries (including industries and SME’s, Universities and Research centres) to cooperate with European peer partners.

Building on the results of previous successful EU-LA initiatives like SALA+, SALA3D will develop clear roadmaps for cooperative research between Colombians, Uruguayans and Europeans.

CINTEL, through its Executive Director Manuel Martinez, emphasised indeed “the enormous commitment already existing from Colombia to further cooperate with Europe in the technology fields targeted by SALA3D action.”
In addition, CIU noted that “the currently situation in Uruguay, with the recent development of a national strategic plan for Science & Technology and the growing interest in the ICT sector, specifically in the Networked Media field, allows to state that Uruguay is now in the best position to cooperate with Europe.”

SALA3D project will identify priorities in the European Networked Media Challenge, including content-aware networks, network-aware applications, 3D Media Internet, digital media delivery, immersive media, advanced 3D interfaces and media search technologies. To this end, preliminary contacts have been established with Colombian, Uruguayan and European experts to actively take part in the series of workshops and conferences organised by SALA3D in the two years ahead.

AETIC stressed that “the growing importance of audiovisual and broadcasting is coming in association with an enhanced expertise in the networked media research field unveiling a huge potential to cooperate with Colombian and Uruguayan partners.”

TESEO remarked its commitment in “contributing to such a cooperative endeavor in the Networked Media fields by means of its know-how in sustaining the EU-LA policy dialogue and involving research organisations in EU programmes.”

The Madrid meeting already produced key inputs to EU-LA cooperation as the SALA3D consortium issued specific proposals for the delineation of future EU-Colombia and EU-Uruguay cooperative research, which are being submitted to National Contact Points and European Commission in order to be included in the elaboration of ICT Work Programmes for 2011-2013.

Contacts:

Julián Seseña, AETIC, [e-mail], Tel. [phone]
Antonio Amador, AETIC, [e-mail], Tel. [phone]
Mauro Bianchi, TESEO, [e-mail], Tel. [phone]
Milena Patuelli, TESEO, [e-mail], Tel. [phone]
Fernando Alarcón, CINTEL, [e-mail], Tel [phone]
Carola Saavedra, CIU, [e-mail], Tel. [phone]

Countries

Colombia, Uruguay