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Programme

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International partnership building in low and middle income countries

 

a. Innovations Actions

Actions will address the requirements of end-user communities in developing countries. This may include technological improvements and adaptations as well as innovative service creation based on existing technologies.

Proposals could include specific technological targets such as co-design, adaptation, demonstration and validation (e.g. pilots) of ICT related research and innovation in relevant thematic areas addressed by Horizon 2020 including Content Technologies and Societal Challenges. Proposals are expected to address take up and scalability of the proposed solutions.

Activities under this topic should be led by a clearly defined user need/market opportunity for the technology being adapted; they should in particular include requirements of developing countries (at national and local level), and where possible, have the potential for wider impact by involving a number of countries from the same region. Proposals should feature an explicit element exploring technology adoption, through understanding and evaluating behavioural responses to the introduction of new technologies in different regional settings. Societal and gender issues will be taken into account. Proposals should be submitted by a partnership complementing each other with a particular focus on the participation of relevant developing country innovation stakeholders and end-user community representatives (e.g. relevant public, private, education and research, and societal sector organisations, Innovation Hubs or Living Labs).

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU between EUR 1 and 2 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

b. Coordination and Support Actions for Africa

One CSA to foster research coordination and support collaborative activities between Europe and Africa, through the organisation of events – if possible synchronised with relevant either policy or research meetings - and monitoring ICT-related activities in targeted countries in Africa providing input on common R&D priorities and future cooperation opportunities; strengthening cooperative research links; supporting greater awareness of research cooperation opportunities and dissemination of results from ICT39-2015 and other relevant developments. Actions should build upon the achievements of similar past or ongoing Support Actions for Africa.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of around EUR 0.8 million would allow this area to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts. No more than one action will be funded.

To reinforce cooperation and strategic partnership with selected countries and regions in areas of mutual interest.

Targeted countries: Low and middle income countries[[See World Bank country classification.]] in sub-Saharan Africa and ASEAN countries

  • Development of relevant technology responding to specific needs and conditions of the target country;
  • Sustainable uptake of results within the targeted countries, beyond the project completion date;
  • Reinforced international dimension of the ICT and Innovation aspects of Horizon 2020 and a higher level of international cooperation with low and middle income countries in ICT R&D and Innovation, focusing on areas that are beneficial to the target countries/region;
  • Reinforcement of strategic partnerships with selected countries and regions in areas of mutual interest and added value in jointly addressing important issues.