Industry gets access to high-level know-how

Company participation in the Marie Curie Fellowships in the area of biomedical engineering and rehabilitation technologies

FELLOWS FOR INDUSTRY, an initiative co-financed by the European Commission, facilitates the access of highly qualified scientific personnel (doctoral, post-doctoral and experienced level) to European companies, particularly small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the sectors of Biomedical Engineering & Rehabilitation Technology.,Therefore, the motto of the FELLOWS FOR INDUSTRY initiative is creating "win-win" situations both for companies acquiring scientific expertise and for scientists expanding their level of experience. Scientists were offered training opportunities in high-tech enterprises at the forefront of technological development.
After 2 years, the awareness campaign including the organisation of some 130 information & training days amongst companies and research institutions was concluded. As a result, a considerable number of proposers used the opportunities provided by the Marie Curie Fellowship scheme and submitted more than 50 Individual Marie Curie Fellowship proposals. Additionally, some 40 Marie Curie Host Fellowship proposals were prepared. Further activities also included tailor-made information material, an internet platform & portal (www.bit.ac.at/fellows_for_industry.htm) summaries of successful examples and the organisation of an international brokerage event.
Biomedical engineering & rehabilitation technologies represent important sectors in today's industry. These sectors particularly depend on top-level research to be channelled into applications, thus requiring extensive co-operation and exchange between research centres & universities on the one side and enterprises on the other side.
FELLOWS FOR INDUSTRY, co-ordinated by the BIT, the Austrian Bureau for International Research and Technology Co-operation, consists of a network of experts from 17 participating countries, including five partners from candidate countries. The management structure of the initiative makes it a perfect example of co-ordinated activities between national and trans-national organisations - precisely one objective of the European Research Area, which is currently implemented by the European Commission together with the Member States.
The FELLOWS FOR INDUSTRY initiative provides an integrated service for enterprises and scientists interested in participating successfully in the European Marie-Curie fellowship programme. Services include raising the awareness amongst scientists and companies, offering information on the fellowship scheme, and providing targeted assistance and coaching in the entire process of EU proposal preparation including finding the best possible fellowship partners. This service devoted to researchers and companies is absolutely free of charge.
For further information please contact:,Sabine Herlitschka ([e-mail]) or Rita Litauszky ([e-mail]),BIT Bureau for International Research and Technology Cooperation, Austria,

Countries

Austria