EU-Argentina cooperation
ABEST I and II were EU-funded projects intended to foster Argentinian bilateral cooperation with the EU in science, technology and innovation. The ventures also aimed to sustain the promotional activities the programme had previously created. The EU-funded ABEST III (Argentinian bureau for enhancing cooperation with the European Union in the science, technology and innovation area. Phase III) project was the third in this series. The new project was again involved in supporting a liaison between Argentina and the EU, mainly through awareness raising and training workshops. As a result, the liaison office and Horizon 2020 gained more visibility in Argentina. Team members organised more than 77 meetings, workshops and information sessions. A total of 1 950 researchers, laboratory representatives and entrepreneurs attended the events. A further 11 events were coordinated by videoconferencing with the EU liaison offices of other Latin American countries. ABEST III established support for Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) promotion via a refreshed website(opens in new window). The number of registered users increased to 450 during the project's second year. The liaison office helped additional countries, such as Peru, conduct training workshops targeting their national institutions. Researchers also identified stakeholders having previously participated in FP projects. Such work analysed participation and evaluated experiences, concluding that National Contact Points and the ABEST-NET network have been crucial. ABEST III offered 37 grants for building strategic partnerships, 12 more than ABEST II. The project established linkages and encouraged synergies with various other projects and networks. The team developed initiatives that helped identify associated organisations with mutual interests, and where cooperation would be beneficial. The ABEST III project catalysed numerous EU-Argentina cooperation processes. Results include improved and ongoing research collaboration.