The potential for exploiting funding synergies between EU Research programmes and ESIF are well known. Those ELIXIR Nodes eligible for ESIF are therefore presented with a real opportunity for local funding of their Node, particularly in light of the proposed focus on ESIF and ESFRI that many Member States are making within their national plans to the Junker Investment Plan. However, understanding the local priorities for funding, rules, and application procedures presents is complex and time consuming and securing ESIF for operational costs of life science infrastructures is a real challenge. For ELIXIR Nodes to access ESIF in any meaningful way, support needs to be targeted at the local level, allowing scientists to build up an understanding of their local Smart Specialisation Strategy, which dictates the funding opportunities for that region, and then develop a strong business case that can be used for subsequent funding applications.
ELIXIR EXCELERATE structural funds workshop is part of wider activities of ELIXIR-EXLERERATE project activities as part of WP10 - ELIXIR Node Capacity Building and Communities of Practice. The main aim of this activity is to implement a programme of organisational capacity building in newly formed ELIXIR Nodes, including sharing of best practice between partners in accessing EU Structural Funds (ESIF) for operating infrastructure.
Aims of the workshop:
- Present an overview of current situation with using structural funds for ELIXIR nodes and research infrastructures in general
- Getting practical tips for successful project applications to structural funds
- Planning of next work of the ESIF task force of ELIXIR
Participants:
- Max 30 people
- Representatives of ELIXIR national Nodes that are interested in or have experience of accessing Structural Funds for the construction and/or operation of their activities
Suggested topics:
- Basic rules of structural funds and comparison to H2020 funding
- Finding Operational Programme and Managing Authority to fund your ELIXIR node activities
- Synergies between structural funds H2020 and other research support instruments
- Presenting a business case and socio-economic impacts of research infrastructures
- Czech case studies:
- Funding of research infrastructures from structural funds in the Czech Republic
- Role of Smart Specialisation Strategies
- CEITEC – Central European Institute of Technology – challenges and opportunities of funding research from structural funds
- European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), http://ec.europa.eu/priorities/jobs-growth-investment/plan/index_en.htm
Suggested speakers
- Katja Reppel, Competence centre for smart and sustainable growth, DG Regio
- Dimitri Corpakis, Olivier Brunet, DG Research, Unit for Regional aspects of research and innovation
- Antonella Calvia, European Investment Bank (former Chair of High level expert group on Assessing the projects on the ESFRI roadmap)
- David Uhlíř / Petr Chládek, South Moravian Innovation Centre
- Jan Radoš / Petra Baťková, Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Managing Authority for structural funds for research in the Czech Republic
- Jaroslav Koča, Chairman of ELIXIR CZ Board, CEITEC – Central European Institute of Technology
- Ondřej Hradil, Senior Analyst, CEITEC – Central European Institute of Technology
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Representatives of ELIXIR Nodes:
- Jaak Vilo, Estonia
- Tommi Nyronen, Finland
- Brane Leskosek, Slovenia
- Babis Savakis, Greece
ELIXIR-EXCELERATE is funded by the European Commission within the Research Infrastructures programme of Horizon 2020, grant agreement number 676559.
