FAME will assemble, structure, integrate and expand a world class-team exhibiting a critical mass of researchers in multifunctional Hybrids and Ceramics remaining at the forefront of this emerging and strategically important family of materials technologies for tomorrow. Today the hybrids and ceramics communities are too fragmented to face up to the international competition.
Breakthroughs for smart and novel functions in these new materials will be developed leading to miniaturisation of devices, reduced use of raw materials, lower weight and less energy demand for operation. FAME will be used as a tool to create a virtual European Multifunctional Materials Institute having a legal organisational and financial structure. This goal will be achieved through:
A) a Joint Programme of Integration leading to the implementation of the Institute.
B) a Joint Programme of Research consisting of planning and execution Research Projects offering multidisciplinary interaction between chemists, physicists, biologists, theoreticians, materials scientists and engineers.
C) a Joint Programme of Spreading of Excellence involving a new European Master Programme in Multifunctional Materials including distance-learning. Raising Public Participation and Awareness will be strongly taken into account.
D) FAME, which assembles 18 partners, will be based on a strong management structure under a Governing Council and through operational boards: Durable Integration, Science & Research Processes, Spreading of Excellence, Management and Coordination Team.

The University of Bordeaux 1 will be the financial and administrative coordinator. About 190 researchers and 60 PhD students in 7 countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, UK, Portugal, Israel) are involved in FAME. Provision is made for a few more research partners later. So far, 30 industrial companies have manifested their interest to participate to the FAME research and educational actions.