FET-Open Coordination and Support Actions

Proposals should address only one of the following subtopics:

1. FET Communication [2016]: raising the visibility and impact of FET through novel and creative approaches for reaching out to various stakeholders and well beyond the research communities. This may include, for example, collecting, aggregating and disseminating information from the entire range of FET projects and activities, and using an appropriate mix of channels and formats to engage with the target audiences, including scientists, students, media, policy makers, the business community and the general public. This subtopic should include public engagement processes as discussed in the introduction of this FET Work Programme.
2. FET Exchange [2016]: actions for structuring and strengthening an emerging FET-relevant science and technology research and innovation topic and the interdisciplinary communities involved in this topic. This may include, for example, research roadmapping, stimulating (formal and informal) learning and exchange, expanding the range of disciplines (including the life sciences and humanities where relevant), involving new actors such as young researchers, entrepreneurs and high-tech SMEs, and broadening stakeholder engagement (multi-actor or citizen). One specific theme that may be addressed is the area of alternative metrics (so-called ""altmetrics"") to assess research outputs and researchers.
3. FET Conference [2016]: supporting the organisation of the third European Future and Emerging Technologies Conference and Exhibition (see for example http://www.fet11.eu/ ). The conference shall showcase progress and results from FET research, attract high-tech SMEs, investors and entrepreneurs that might take FET results forward, seed new ideas across disciplines, foster a dialogue between science, policy and society on future and emerging technologies (through public engagement), explore new ways of combining research and innovation and involve high-potential actors that will make the difference. Proposals will address pre-conference communication activities, the local organisation, participant assistance and post-conference follow-up. The event shall take place in early 2018.
4. FET Innovation Greenhouse [2016]: actions for establishing a Europe-wide capacity for innovation, exploitation and entrepreneurship stemming from the visionary, high-risk interdisciplinary science and technology research supported by FET. Greenhouse provides innovation support services to help bridging the gap between FET research and its application in industry and for society. The focus should be on enabling the earlier creative and learning stages of innovation from FET research, for which the classical path of business plans and investors is still premature, many options are still open and a more exploratory, risk-friendly and tailored support is needed. A wide technological scope, a strong specificity to FET and complementarity with existing greenhouse initiatives and innovation services are of prime importance. This subtopic also welcomes support to the actions funded under the FET Innovation Launchpad (FETOPEN-04-2016-2017) and for networking and exchange among them.

For each of the scope items a) and c) at most one action will be funded.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 0.3 and 0.5 million for scope items a), b) and d), and up to EUR 1 million for the scope item c), would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

The challenge is to make Europe the best place in the world for collaborative research and innovation on future and emerging technologies that will secure and renew the basis for future European competitiveness and growth, and that will make a difference for society in the decades to come.

• Strengthening globally recognised European leadership in the early exploration of visionary, new and emerging technologies, beyond academic excellence and with a strong engagement of scientists, citizens, innovators and policy makers.
• Improved long-term innovation potential in Europe both from the abundance of novel ideas and the range of actors ready to take them forward.
• Improved understanding of the range of possible impact mechanisms for long-term science and technology research.
• Improved readiness across Europe to engage in silo-breaking research collaboration and to take up new research and innovation practices.