Better research collaboration helps economy
Enhancing research excellence, competitiveness and growth is crucial for Europe's economic recovery and sustainability. The EU-funded project 'European research infrastructures network of national contact points' (EURORIS-NET) worked on this goal by fostering collaboration among the RIs NCPs network and improving their effectiveness. Specifically, the project conducted training for less-experienced NCPs, supported by twinning activities, best practices, software tools and knowledge exchange. It established a virtual helpdesk under the project website and supported newcomers to RIs NCPs with respect to open calls for EU-funded projects. Progress in this respect also involved building links with other NCP networks and RI stakeholders, disseminating information through a series of tools such as e-newsletters and networking events. The project team effectively increased the visibility of RIs to science communities, including the private sector and industry. Against this backdrop, the EURORIS-NET network has helped identify and map national and regional EU-funded initiatives through an interactive knowledge environment. The twinning activities between NCPs and the myriad of networking events, including conferences and seminars, have particularly helped create a more collaborative environment, overcoming duplication of efforts and lack of synergies. EURORIS-NET has already led to an improvement in services to customers and interested parties across Europe. Through a streamlined network of RIs NCPs, Europe's research, development and economic growth will prevail.
Keywords
Research infrastructure, competiveness, national contact points, best practices, twinning, industry