Stronger Caribbean and European S&T cooperation An EU initiative has helped foster scientific collaboration and exchange between the Caribbean and EU Member States. Food and Natural Resources Health © Stasys Eidiejus, Thinkstock The EU-funded EUCARINET (Fostering European Union - Caribbean research and innovation networks) project set out to strengthen dialogue on science and technology (S&T) between nations in the two regions. The project undertook a study on research and development activities in the Caribbean. Partners then produced reports on EU programmes relevant to the Caribbean and on Caribbean S&T stakeholders and their cooperative agreements. This led to a database of Caribbean research institutions and outstanding researchers interested in collaborating with Europe. Five Policy & Experts Dialogue workshops mainly identified common priorities and defined research lines that lead to new cooperation opportunities. The discussions among the thematic Caribbean and EU experts and the output of the workshops were presented in five thematic reports. A 'Policy dialogue strategy paper and sustainability plan' was also published that recommends pathways leading to Horizon 2020. Another workshop brought about the report 'Private sector position paper on EU-Caribbean S&T cooperation priorities'. The project established networks of research officers and National Contact Points (NCPs) to promote Horizon 2020 opportunities to regional research communities and boost their participation level. Both took part in training activities, staff exchanges and information days, and a handbook provided them with guidance on available funding prospects. Thanks to 2 calls, more than 40 researchers, policymakers and NCPs were funded to attend thematic brokerage events, training sessions and conferences through a travel grant scheme. To join European consortia, 10 funded Caribbean researchers attended major Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and scientific conferences and events. In addition, the project advanced interregional EU-Caribbean dialogue, as well as intra-regional dialogue that brought together science, policymaking, the private sector and civil society. It promoted public-private partnerships, bringing the Caribbean region closer to neighbouring Latin America and to the EU than ever before. Importantly, this involved enhancing the participation of the Caribbean in the FP7/Horizon 2020 programmes. Numerous events, publications, travel grant schemes and staff exchanges emerged from the project. By encouraging and strengthening S&T policy dialogue between the Caribbean and the EU, EUCARINET delivered sound knowledge exchange and helped identify common gaps, needs and future outlooks for research themes. Keywords Caribbean, S&T cooperation, EUCARINET, policy dialogue, knowledge exchange
