Romanian research and innovation on the rise
Creating a strong base for research, technological development and innovation (RTDI) in Romania has been a priority for the EU. One initiative contributing to this goal was the EU-funded project 'Romanian research and innovation days' (RODI), which strongly encouraged Romanian businesses to participate in EU research activities. The project's goal was also to foster innovation in the country and integrate it more effectively into the European Research Area (ERA). With this in mind, RODI organised a conference on research, technology and innovation in Bucharest, Romania. The event brought businesses and relevant industry players closer to EU projects under the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), focusing on key areas such as biotechnology and information society technologies (IST). The project conducted several workshops in the form of innovation days across various regions of the country to address specific priority areas for each region. The workshops helped interested parties and stakeholders embark on EU-funded projects under FP6, prepare project proposals and find partners. They also helped foster exchanges in complimentary fields among scientists on local and global levels. With these workshops and exchanges, Romania's path towards the ERA will be accelerated, while research and innovation in the country will be strengthened. Improved competitiveness, industry and trade in high-tech fields are likely to ensue.