Research merger for EU and Japan
The EU-funded project CONCERT-JAPAN (Connecting and coordinating European research and technology development with Japan) promoted collaboration in S&T between European countries and Japan. A major project goal was to map common priorities and areas of interest for both Europe and Japan, eventually conducting calls for projects with shared funding. Partners worked to harmonised issues regarding intellectual property rights and to develop a unified strategy to promote joint cooperation programmes. In 2011 and2012, the project team conducted an inventory of Japanese S&T projects, outlining funding policy and building a database of joint European-Japanese cooperation programmes. It produced a useful report that covers future preferences and priorities regarding S&T cooperation. Moreover, the project outlined its strategy for future joint cooperation in fields such as healthy ageing, disaster management and energy management for a low-carbon society. Articulation of this strategy involved workshops and events in France, Germany and Turkey, which brought together relevant stakeholders and experts. A pilot joint call was implemented in 2012, attracting 15 funding organisations from 12 countries. The joint call concentrated on two areas: resilience against disasters and efficient energy storage and distribution. Three Funding Organization Forum Meetings took place throughout 2012 and 2013 to prepare, manage and evaluate the call. Preparations for a second joint call, on the topic of photonic manufacturing, started in 2013 and the call was launched in February 2014. Steps also began in 2013 on a strategy for developing a sustainable programmatic ground for the future of Europe-Japan cooperation. This included lessons from the first Pilot Joint Call and organisation of the Workshop on Future Perspectives for Europe-Japan Research and Innovation Cooperation. The valuable reports, databases and analyses that have resulted helped to upgrade cooperation between Europe and Japan. The international collaboration of CONCERT-JAPAN will bring scientific, technological and social benefits to the citizens of all nations involved.
Keywords
EU-Japan collaboration, science and technology, S&T, research and technology development, joint cooperation
