Poles launch FP7 in style
Representatives of the Polish government and the European Commission encouraged the Polish research and development community to participate fully in the Seventh Framework Programme at the country's FP7 launch conference in Warsaw on 16 November. 'Polish science has to take advantage of the chances and potential offered by participation in FP7,' said Polish Minister of Science and Higher Research Professor Michal Sewerynski, speaking during the opening session of the event. 'The participation of Poland in FP7 will be favourable to Poland and the EU at large.' He said he hoped FP7 would bring about enhanced cooperation between industry and scientists, increased mobility of researchers, simpler bureaucracy and good projects, particularly in social sciences and humanities field. Polish participation in the framework programmes has been increasing steadily over the years and the Polish government is keen to see this trend continue into FP7. 'We have ambitious plans with regard to the Seventh Framework Programme,' added Professor Krzysztof Jan Kurzydlowski, Undersecretary of State at Poland's Ministry of Science and Education. The Ministry is setting up a number of initiatives to encourage greater participation in FP7. In particular Prof Kurzydlowski wants to see more Polish research groups coordinating European projects, and to this end financial support will be available for Polish groups preparing proposals for projects they will coordinate. 'This is something new,' he told CORDIS News. 'So far we've been awarding those who either successfully or unsuccessfully participated in proposals disregarding whether they were supposed to be coordinators or participants. Now it's going to be more substantial support but for more ambitious projects with Polish coordination.' The event was also attended by the Director General of the Commission's Research Directorate-General, José Manuel Silva Rodriguez. 'If there is one thing European leaders can agree about it is the need to invest more in education and research,' he told participants, adding that the Member States also had to do their bit to increase Europe's spending on research and development. 'Efforts have to be taken at European, national and regional level,' he commented. 'As the largest country in the region, Poland is expected to lead the way in national and regional cooperation.' 'Poland is a traditional land who very strongly appreciates science, the production of knowledge,' said Christian Patermann, Director of the Biotechnology, Agriculture and Food Research Directorate at the Commission, during a press conference. 'Poland has very much stepped up its efforts and it's very encouraging to hear there is progress in funding.' Mr Patermann went on to praise the good organisation of the event, saying it was 'one of the best we have registered up to now.' Over 1,300 people attended the event, including over 300 from outside Poland, prompting Mr Patermann to describe it as 'a true European event.'
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