News, Events & Funding

PACE-Net Plus: a bridge over europe and the pacific region for science, technology and innovation

PACE-Net Plus webmaster — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 08:02:49 +0000

Friday, 23 December 2016

The opportunities for European and Pacific researchers to collaborate are many and diverse. The European Union (EU) policies and scientific strategies aim at reinforcing these collaboration opportunities, notably through Horizon 2020, the European framework programme dedicated to research and innovation. Strengthening the Europe-Pacific bi-regional dialogue in science, technology and innovation (ST&I) is a key step in achieving increased collaboration towards the societal challenges identi ed in Horizon 2020.

This compendium presents the outcomes of PACE-NET Plus, a project funded by the European Commission (EC) under the 7^th Framework Programme, which united 16 partners in the Pacific and the EU, coordinated by the French Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), to strengthen ST&I cooperation between the Pacific island countries and Europe. This partnership involved a comprehensive collection of Pacific and European ST&I actors, including institutions from the two largest Pacific players, Australia and New Zealand, the French overseas countries and territories (New Caledonia and French Polynesia), European countries, Pacific island countries (Samoa, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea), international multilateral institutions and Pacific regional bodies.

This project promoted the integration of the Pacific region and its interests into a number of EC roadmaps and actions. One of the core missions of PACE- NET Plus was to raise the visibility of the Pacific within the EU. In particular, this included the EC Directorates-General for Research and Innovation and for International Cooperation and Development, through illuminating the role of ST&I for development aid and better governance. Also included was the European Exterior Action Service, through “science diplomacy”. Conversely, PACE-NET Plus also aimed at assisting greater integration of EU activities into the research and development policies of the Pacific countries. The project was also a signi cant contributor to a bi-regional dialogue between the two regions.

PACE-NET Plus analysis of the research priorities of mutual interests for Europe and the Pacific highlighted three major societal challenges:

Health, demographic change and wellbeing
Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy
Climate action, environment, resource e ciency and raw materials.

ST&I approaches play an important role in assisting Pacific nations to address these challenges which, compounded by geographic and socio-economic issues unique to the region, are also key developmental priorities.

Actions taken by PACE-NET Plus in the perspective of these multiple expectations are presented in this document. Also presented are major policy recommendations of the project, in collaboration with in uential Pacific regional bodies, such as the need to institutionalize the dialogue for ST&I between the Europe and Pacific. We also suggest the launch of two concrete support actions: the rst one dedicated to a multidisciplinary call for research (based on the PACE-Net Plus seed funding scheme) in order to stimulate cooperation between the PICTs, and with the European and Pacific larger countries (this call is endorsed by the ACP Secretary); the second action is dedicated to climate science through an interdisciplinary “observatory system of climate change and its impacts in the Pacific” (a pilot project on this topic was presented to the European Parliament and we are hopeful that it will be initiated during 2017).

On behalf of IRD, the coordinator of this project, we would like to wholeheartedly thank our partners as well as the three members of our External Advisory Board (Dr Raghunath Ghodake, APAARI; Dr Geo roy Lamarche, NIWA; and Dr Christophe Yvetot, UNIDO) for their deep and fruitful involvement in PACE-Net Plus, which has allowed us all to carry out this project successfully, and to surpass our goals. We would also like to sincerely thank the European Commission, particularly Mr. Armand Beuf, our scientific offcer for his e cient and benevolent support for PACE-NET Plus.

On behalf of the 16 partners of the PACE-NET Plus Consortium, we would also like to thank all those who took part in this network and dialogue and supported us in one way or another. We very much hope that the growing research community that we have mobilized together during the 3 last years in the region and in Europe, will remain ready to continue this regional and bi-regional cooperation and dialogue, while contributing to the well-being of Pacific and EU citizens.

Further information:

http://plus.pacenet.eu/system/files/documents/PNP_Compendium.pdf

Groups audience:

WP1 Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing

WP2 Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine and Maritime and Inland Water Research, and the Bioeconomy

WP3 Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials

WP4 Cooperation on Innovation Issues to Tackle the Societal Challenges

WP5 Strengthening Pacific-EU Research Cooperation Partnerships

WP6 Bi-regional Policy Dialogue in ST&I

Research at the forefront of the global race for sustainable development, says UNESCO report

PACE-Net Plus webmaster — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 02:34:13 +0000

Tuesday, 10 November 2015

Most countries, regardless of their level of income, now see research and innovation as key to fostering sustainable economic growth and furthering their development. This is one of the conclusions of the UNESCO Science Report: towards 2030.

“In the wake of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals to 2030 by the United Nations General Assembly, the UNESCO Science Report clearly shows that research is both a motor for economic development and a cornerstone in the construction of societies that are more sustainable and more respectful of the planet,” said the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova.

The Report’s first lesson is that, despite the economic crisis that hit industrialized countries in 2008, gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD) increased globally by 31% between 2007 and 2013, rising from USD 1,132 billion in 2007 to USD 1,478 billion in 2013. This increase was more rapid than that of global gross domestic product (GDP) during the same period (20%).

The USA still leads, with 28% of global investment in R&D, followed by China (20%) – now ahead of the European Union (19%) – and Japan (10%). The rest of the world represents 67% of the global population but just 23% of global investment in R&D. Nevertheless, research investment by countries such as Brazil, India and Turkey is increasing rapidly.

The increase in R&D spending owes a great deal to the private sector, which has compensated for frozen or reduced public spending in a number of industrialized countries, such as Italy, the United Kingdom and France. This trend is particularly apparent in Canada (whose world share of R&D spending dropped from 2.1% in 2007 to 1.5% in 2013) and Australia, where significant cuts were made to research funding and applied sciences were prioritized to the detriment of basic research.

Moreover, say the authors of the report, basic research does not only generate new knowledge; it also contributes to the quality of higher education. In the long term, the balance of funding between applied and basic research can also affect the pace at which knowledge spreads. The Green Revolution, which enabled a significant increase in global agricultural output starting in the 1950s, drew almost entirely on research by public sector laboratories and universities. The picture is very different today, with advances in genetics and biotechnology largely coming out of private companies that are much more protective of their knowledge.

If global spending on R&D has increased despite the economic crisis, it is largely because it has been identified as a key factor in promoting economic growth and development. As a result, a great many countries, regardless of the size of their income, now see research and innovation as a way to keep up in a highly competitive world or find their place in it.

This is the case in Africa, where there is growing recognition that the development of modern infrastructure, such as hospitals, roads, railways, etc., and a more diversified economy require investment in science and technology, as well as the constitution of a skilled workforce. Kenya, for example, devoted 0.79% of its GDP to R&D in 2010 compared to just 0.36% in 2007. R&D spending is also increasing in Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique and Uganda.

In the context of increased R&D investment, technologies fostering sustainable development are an emerging priority for a number of countries, which fits with the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in September 2015. This is especially the case in Latin America where 19 countries have adopted policies in favour of renewable energy. Uruguay intends to generate 90% of its electricity from renewable sources by the end of 2015. Chile and Mexico have significantly increased their wind and solar energy production capacity.

Similar projects are being undertaken in the Arab States. Morocco, for example, inaugurated Africa’s largest wind farm in 2014 and is developing what could turn out to be Africa’s biggest solar farm. In 2015, Saudi Arabia announced a programme to develop solar energy.

The investment in research also translates into an increase in the number of scientists, estimated at 7.8 million worldwide, which is up by more than 20% since 2007. The European Union has the most (22% of the world share), followed by China (19%) and USA (16.7%).

There has also been a parallel explosion in the number of scientific publications, which have increased by 23% since 2008. In 2014 there were around 1.27 million per month. Europe also leads in this field (34% of world share), followed by the USA (25%), although their respective shares have seen a slight decrease. The number of publications coming out of China has almost doubled in five years, achieving nearly 20% of the world total, compared to 5% ten years ago. This demonstrates the maturity of the Chinese research system in terms of investments, number of researchers and publications.

As well as being more numerous, scientists are also more mobile. Despite the development of the Internet and the multiplication of online networks, doctoral-level researchers still feel the need to travel. The increasing mobility of PhD students in turn influences the mobility of researchers. “This is perhaps one of the most important trends of recent times,” say the authors of the Report.

Students from the Arab States, Central Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Western Europe are the most likely to study abroad. Europe and North America are still the preferred destinations for students. The USA alone receives almost half (49%) of international students enrolled in doctoral science or engineering courses. The United Kingdom comes second (9%), followed by France (7%) and Australia (4.6%).

Since the economic crisis of 2008, Europe and North America have lost some of their attraction. Meanwhile, students who wish to study abroad now have a wider choice. South Africa hosted about 60,000 international students in 2009. Cuba is one of the most popular destinations for students from Latin America, attracting 17,000 from the continent, compared to 5,000 who study in Brazil and 2000 in Chile. Another example is Malaysia, which expects to become the sixth most popular destination for international students by 2020. From 2007 to 2012, the number of international students in Malaysia almost doubled to 56,000.

Even countries suffering from brain drain are now attracting researchers. Sudan, for example, lost 3,000 researchers who went to neighbouring countries where conditions are better, notably Ethiopia, between 2002 and 2014. But Sudan also became a host country for students from the Arab world and Africa.

While, globally, women have achieved parity at Master’s level, their share diminishes at PhD level to 43% of all doctoral graduates. The gap continues to widen after this, as women only represent 28.4% of the world’s researchers. They also have more limited access to funding than men and are less well represented in prestigious universities. They remain a minority in senior positions, whether on faculty boards or at the higher levels of decision-making in universities.

The regions with the greatest number of women researchers are Southeast Europe (49%), the Caribbean, Central Asia and Latin America (44%). Interestingly, in the Arab States 37% of researchers are women, which is a higher proportion than in the European Union (33%).

A number of countries have put in place policies to reverse this trend. In 2013 Germany, for example, introduced a 30% quota for women on corporate boards of directors. Japan’s selection criteria for large university grants also seek to increase the representation of women among teaching staff and researchers.

“Formulating a successful national science and innovation policy remains a very difficult task”, conclude the authors of the report. This will require simultaneous action on several fronts, whether it is education, basic research, technological development or indeed private investment in R&D. The 2008 economic crisis, which made many industrialized countries tighten their budgets, has rendered this task even more difficult.

While most R&D takes place in high-income countries, innovation is now occurring in a large number of countries, whatever their income level. Some innovation is occurring without any R&D activity at all. The authors of the report therefore encourage policy makers not to focus exclusively on designing corporate incentives for R&D, but also to target innovation, in the form of technology transfer and the acquisition of machinery, equipment and software, which are all key elements in the innovation process.

While most science policies advocate stronger links between the private sector, universities and public research institutions, these commitments often come to nothing, the report observes, quoting a 2013 survey carried out by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics in 65 countries. The report encourages policy makers to draft strategies to try to reverse this trend.

The UNESCO Science Report also emphasises the importance of good governance for innovation-driven development. Corruption in the university system is an obstacle to the education of qualified graduates. It is also a disincentive for the private sector. Companies will have little interest in investing in R&D if they cannot rely on the justice system to defend their intellectual property.

The UNESCO Science Report is prepared by a team of international experts. It presents a picture of the trends in global research and development, based on a wealth of qualitative and quantitative data. The report is divided into chapters focusing on different regions (including the Pacific, and included references to PACE-Net Plus), presenting new insights into some countries and essays on specific themes, such as the role of indigenous knowledge. The UNESCO Science Report is published every five years.

Further information:

http://en.unesco.org/unesco_science_report/

Groups audience:

WP1 Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing

WP2 Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine and Maritime and Inland Water Research, and the Bioeconomy

WP3 Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials

WP5 Strengthening Pacific-EU Research Cooperation Partnerships

The Pacific region is a perfect example of science diplomacy in action

PACE-Net Plus webmaster — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 11:06:10 +0000

Tuesday, 22 November 2016

The Pacific region can serve as an exemplar of how science diplomacy could work, according to Professor Jean-François Marini, coordinator of the EU-funded PACE-Net Plus project and former adviser to the French government on science diplomacy.

PACE-Net Plus united 16 partners in the Pacific and the EU to strengthen research cooperation between the two regions. How did you go about achieving this?

‘In order to reach this objective of a better, stronger cooperation in science, technology and innovation, the philosophy was to increase research capacity, management and dialogue, to allow the appropriation of science by the countries of the region. One of the ideas was to make information available to the Pacific states to help them to form opinions, founded on scientific evidence, and for Europe to better know the opportunities in Pacific research. At PACE-Net Plus, we have sent our recommendations to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) asking the leaders of the member countries of the region to recognise the importance of science for development, and to raise its visibility among the leaders of the Pacific region.

‘One of the outcomes that emerged is the idea that an observatory of climate change in the Pacific region would be a good tool to help ensure that scientific knowledge serves local governance. We also think, and this is important, that each country in the region should have a scientific coordinator, or a chief scientist, a function that is often still lacking.’

What can Europe learn by working with the Pacific states?: ‘With climate change, emerging diseases affect more people in the Pacific and could easily become a concern in Europe. Pacific countries are also starting to think about environmental migration as the water level rise forces some islands to evacuate. There are also a number of issues that concern this region which will become global in the future, such as deep sea mining and blue growth (sustainable exploitation of ocean resources), to name just a few.’
You were working alongside the European External Action Service, Europe’s diplomatic corps. What was the reason for this?: ‘In the framework of our bi-regional platforms, we worked closely with the European External Action Service because, over and above science, scientific projects such as PACE-Net Plus are also a tool of diplomatic relations between the two regions.’
How does capacity building in science help form diplomatic relations?: ‘In big international fora, for example, the Pacific islands are more our partners than opponents. They take part, for example, in open discussions to agree on 1, 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius as a tolerance threshold of temperature rise for all countries in the future. This relationship with the countries of the region based on science facilitates the discussion on these global issues.’
How did you go about building this relationship during the PACE-Net Plus project?: ‘In the field of climate change, for example, our thematic think tanks allowed country representatives to look at science as a development tool, to ensure that the decisions around climate are based on rigorous facts. As many of these countries deal with the reality of rising sea levels, science gives them concrete information that serves as a basis for their policymaking. This is also the case for resource management and other topics of importance such as the policies for innovation. Each year, PACE-Net also organised a large Pacific-Europe bi-regional platform dedicated to policy dialogue on science, technology and innovation cooperation.’
How will this connection between science and diplomacy evolve in the future?: ‘From a European point of view, I think the next steps will consist of consolidating a coordinated approach between scientific cooperation and development aid. In other words, between DG RTD (the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation) and DG DEVCO (the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development).’
Do you think that the seeds of this enhanced cooperation are already there?: ‘Yes, everything is there in the Pacific region. Everything is there for it to happen. We only need a few more actions and time to further implement it.’
So the Pacific is an environment where development science and aid can work effectively together?: ‘Exactly. In the Pacific countries, we played that role by chance, by having with PACE-Net direct relationships with (government) organisations that didn’t know each other well. There was science on the one hand and development aid on the other hand. I will conclude by saying that the Pacific region in relation to Europe is prototypic. We can develop or find cooperation tools, and we can coordinate between different DGs and services from the European Commission over actions dedicated to the Pacific region, where things can be done on a human scale.’

Further information:

http://plus.pacenet.eu/

Groups audience:

WP1 Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing

WP2 Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine and Maritime and Inland Water Research, and the Bioeconomy

WP3 Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials

WP4 Cooperation on Innovation Issues to Tackle the Societal Challenges

WP5 Strengthening Pacific-EU Research Cooperation Partnerships

WP6 Bi-regional Policy Dialogue in ST&I

PhD & postdoc positions at ZMT in ecology, microbiology and sociology

PACE-Net Plus webmaster — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 01:29:01 +0000

The Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT) currently has a number of openings for early career researchers. Here are a few of them:

Website:

http://www.leibniz-zmt.de/en/Vacancies.html

Groups audience:

WP2 Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine and Maritime and Inland Water Research, and the Bioeconomy

PACE-Net Plus bi-regional dialogue platform: media release

PACE-Net Plus webmaster — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 01:16:52 +0000

Tuesday, 12 July 2016

Within the context of small fragile economies, vast oceans and extreme vulnerability, the Pacific-Europe Network for Science, Technology and Innovation (PACE-Net Plus) bi-regional dialogue platform recognises that regional cooperation amongst Small Island States of the Pacific is the only way forward to a sustainable future.

These were the comments by the Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga, Honourable Siaosi Sovaleni, who officiated as the Chief Guest at the opening of the PACE-Net Plus bi-regional dialogue platform on 30 June 2016 at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi, with a focus on innovation in the Pacific.

The PACE-Net Plus bi-regional dialogue platform was hosted by The University of the South Pacific’s (USP) Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment (FSTE) with the theme “Moving towards a high-level policy dialogue in Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I): Pathways to innovation in the Pacific region.”

Coordinated by the Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), PACE-Net Plus is the second project funded by the European Commission to further support the institutional bi-regional policy dialogue in ST&I between the Pacific region and the European Union. One of the aims of the project is to strengthen the bi-regional cooperation in ST&I, notably through Horizon 2020, which is the European Union’s framework programme dedicated to research and innovation.

Honourable Sovaleni said within this dialogue platform, ST&I become increasingly important especially in regards to the global challenges faced by the South Pacific region. “Challenges such as energy and food security, transportation, and climate change are reasons for the Pacific to take advantage of ST&I,” he said. He also highlighted that the principal of regional and bi-regional cooperation, while respecting sovereignty and national priorities, is also reinforced and reflected by PACE-Net Plus.

Honourable Sovaleni added that in the context of the Kingdom of Tonga, the process of initiating the development of a ST&I policy framework financed by the European Commission through the PACE-Net Plus project has allowed Tonga to reassess challenges and opportunities. “It has allowed us to identify, the means of developing a more coordinated system of ST&I for Tonga, and to articulate a draft ST&I framework with strategies to improve our ST&I and legal framework; good governance; knowledge sharing; research infrastructure; advanced education and training; and entrepreneurship, innovation potential of our country,” he said. Honourable Sovaleni encouraged other Small Pacific Islands Developing States to be inspired and follow processes such as the one taken by Tonga under this project.

USP Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and International, Professor Derrick Armstrong said there is a dire need for innovations to yield specific solutions to the unique problems faced by the Pacific region. “It is also important to pilot and test innovations. In this regard, PACE-Net Plus has taken leadership and is moving in the right direction,” Professor Armstrong said.

Amongst many others, the major outcomes of PACE-Net Plus include:

A strategic Roadmap for STI regional frameworks for a better collaboration between the European Union and the Pacific;
The establishment of Pacific Islands University Research Network (PIURN);
An overview of innovation niches and strategies in the region;
Recent successful seed-funding scheme, enhancing regional and bi-regional partnerships;
PACE-Net Plus also supports the strengthening and the coordination of observatory systems of climate change in the region.

Professor Armstrong added that USP stands poised to make significant breakthroughs in areas of immediate importance to the region, specifically in Marine Science, Agriculture, and Climate Change among other sciences. He said that with the ongoing success of PACE-Net Plus project, all contributions made by consortium members during this dialogue platform will be a significant step forward in the years to come.

While thanking the EU Delegation for the PACE-Net Plus platform’s initiative and IRD as the co-organisers of the bi-regional dialogue platform, French Ambassador, His Excellency Michael Djokovic said that French research, through research institutes and universities, has been serving Europe and the Pacific for a long time.

Further information:

https://youtu.be/CCVx6S_-NoI

Groups audience:

WP1 Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing

WP2 Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine and Maritime and Inland Water Research, and the Bioeconomy

WP3 Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials

WP4 Cooperation on Innovation Issues to Tackle the Societal Challenges

WP5 Strengthening Pacific-EU Research Cooperation Partnerships

WP6 Bi-regional Policy Dialogue in ST&I

Innovation and Agriculture: with a focus on Papua New Guinea

PACE-Net Plus webmaster — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:26:54 +0000

Organisers

Institute of Research for Development (IRD), New Caledonia
Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), The Netherlands
Landcare Research (LCR), New Zealand
University of Technology Papua New Guinea (UNITECH), Papua New Guinea

Background

The EU funded PACE-Net Plus project aims to improve the Pacific-EU science, technology and innovation (STI) collaboration and the uptake of research outputs for addressing societal challenges; food and nutrition security (FNS), climate change and health. It also aims to enhance the science & innovation policy dialogue, build innovation competencies, identify innovation niches and strengthen research partnerships including with farmers and the private sector. The objectives are in line with the PNG Vision 2050, which places science and technology at the core of the nation’s sustainable development agenda and also contribute to the PNG Research, Science and Technology Strategic Plan 2016-2020 which focuses on research prioritization and the generation and application of knowledge to address the societal challenges.

The PACE-Net Plus consortium has analyzed past EU-Pacific STI collaboration in the domain area “food security, sustainable agriculture, marine and maritime science and the bio-economy”, through consultations such as the 2014 Bremen Think Tank, desk research, surveys and semi-structured interviews and has identified FNS innovation niches. The results confirmed that while agriculture in many Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) is based on the activities of a large proportion of subsistence farmers; in the larger countries e.g. Australia and New Zealand, the agriculture sector and related spin-off activities are far more advanced and so too, the scientific capability and STI cooperation with Europe. These issues have implications for future bi-regional as well as intra-Pacific STI cooperation on FNS and sustainable agriculture and taking advantage of innovation niches.

An enabling environment is needed if innovation is to be sustained. PACE-Net Plus project partners; UPNG and UNIDO with the support of UNITECH led an extensive survey to assess the innovation capacity in the PICTs. Private sector involvement was central to the survey and results highlighted the technical and societal issues that affect business development and innovation uptake in the Pacific. Limited private sector investment is a bottleneck to research collaboration and companies rely mainly on the public sector for STI solutions. In general, there is a lack of incentives for attracting private investment in research and innovation. Intellectual property rights are generally underestimated and misunderstood.

This workshop will build on the results of the PACE-Net Plus state of the art STI reports and innovation surveyand focus on the key issues that need to be addressed:

Village food production system and linking traditional and scientific knowledge.
Innovation, income generation, value addition and private sector engagement.
Agriculture, nutrition and health.
Food insecurity and biosecurity.
Research and innovation capacities, funding and government policies.

The aim is to co-develop an approach for strengthening STI cooperation (Pacific-EU and Pacific-Pacific) that is oriented towards taking advantage of the innovation niches for sustainably improving food and nutrition security, agriculture, incomes and economic performanceand putting the issues high on the Pacific and EU policy agenda for attracting more public and private sector funding.

Objectives

To contribute to strengthening bi-regional EU-Pacific and intra-Pacific research partnerships and research/academia-industry-policy linkages as well as enhance innovation processes in the Pacific region, specifically PNG, for improving agricultural (including fisheries and food processing) and economic performance and achieving food and nutrition security.

Target group

Representatives from research, science and academic organizations, government agencies (agriculture, trade, health, science and education), the private sector (agri-food producers, entrepreneurs and industry leaders) and local communities.

Activities

The workshop will include presentations from EU and Pacific experts, policy-makers and the private sector and working group activities to develop consensus positions.

Workshop overview

Welcome address – UNITECH Vice Chancellor
Keynotes – PNG Minister of Agriculture or Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology
PNG Vision 2050 & Strategic Plan for Research and Knowledge creation – PNG S&T Council
State of the art on agriculture and nutrition in PNG – CTA Consultant (PNG)
State of the art on Pacific-EU ST&I Cooperation - CTA
State of the art on Innovation Capacity in PICTS – UNIDO, UNITECH & UNPG
Private sector round table on partnering with research/academia (PNG rice, poultry, fresh produce)
University / research institute round table on capacities and gaps for addressing FNSSA (PNG universities and NARI)
Biosecurity and Quarantine Issues – PHAMA
Funding/Collaboration/ Research Opportunities in Horizon 2020 – Montroix
Regional technical cooperation – NC Camber of Agriculture
IPR – PNG Intellectual Property Office

Key outputs

A joint EU-Pacific public-private sector research and innovation agenda to address FNSSA.
Establishment of a permanent working group around the FNSSA innovation niches.
Recommendations on financing and IPR for FNSSA in the Pacific with special focus on PNG.

ACP Summit, Port Moresby, 1^st July 2016

The results of the Lae workshop will be presented during a PACE-Net Plus Side Event at the 8^th Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government.

Registration and further information

Contacts
Ms Judith Francis Senior Programme Coordinator for S&T Policy Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA) 6700 AJ Wageningen (The Netherlands) Phone: +31 317 467190 e-mail: francis@cta.int	Mr Albert Schram Vice-Chancellor / CEO Papua New Guinea University of Technology (UNITECH) Phone: +675 473 4200 Mobile: +675 7322 5815 e-mail: albertschram@gmail.com

Groups audience:

WP2 Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine and Maritime and Inland Water Research, and the Bioeconomy

- Private group -

Photos:

https://eudevdays.eu/

PACE-Net Plus webmaster — Thu, 05 May 2016 04:07:13 +0000

The European Development Days (EDD) are Europe’s leading forum on development and international cooperation. Organised by the European Commission, the forum brings the development community together each year to share ideas and experiences in ways that inspire new partnerships and innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.

Groups audience:

WP1 Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing

WP2 Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine and Maritime and Inland Water Research, and the Bioeconomy

WP3 Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials

Innovative Ways for Sustainable Nutrition, Food Security and Inclusive Agricultural Growth

PACE-Net Plus webmaster — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 02:03:35 +0000

Food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture are among the EU’s top development priorities for the period of 2015–2020. In this regard, research and innovation are fundamental pieces to achieve food and nutrition security goals.

The EU is launching four major initiatives to support partner countries in food security and agriculture specifically addressing the key areas of innovation, nutrition, resilience and financing.

Groups audience:

WP2 Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine and Maritime and Inland Water Research, and the Bioeconomy

WP4 Cooperation on Innovation Issues to Tackle the Societal Challenges

Fiji Information Day on European funding

PACE-Net Plus webmaster — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 09:53:43 +0000

This half-day afternoon workshop about research and innovation funding aims to introduce researchers, administrators, government officials and innovators to funding opportunities available via the European Union (EU).

The first part of the InfoDay will provide information about the two major European funding opportunities for the Pacific: Horizon 2020 and the EDF.

Horizon 2020 is the EU’s large research and innovation funding initiative that supports the entire ecosystem of research, technological development and innovation, from early-career research fellowships, to research exchange programs, to large multinational collaborative projects, to financing for innovative SMEs, to policy actions that are informed by scientific evidence, and much more.

This enormous program is open for global participation, and most actors from the Pacific are eligible to receive full funding for their activities.

Within the aid domain, the 11^th European Development Fund (EDF) will also be presented, paying particular attention to opportunities for Pacific initiatives.

After a brief afternoon tea break, international collaboration experts from Montroix Pty Ltd will address issues critical to successfully approaching international funding mechanisms. This includes strategic matters such as what can be done within institutions to better position themselves as desirable international partners, as well as many practical matters such as how to minimise risk, overcoming cultural challenges, and pre- and post-award matters.

	Information day on European funding Wednesday 29^th June	Facilitator
1:30pm	Part 1 – International funding for research & innovation Horizon 2020 – the largest research & innovation funding program in the world 11^th European Development Fund (EDF)	USP
3:00pm	Tea break
3:30pm	Part 2 – Understanding international funding Strategic issues & general principles Risk Cultural understanding	Montroix
5:00pm	End of InfoDay

Attendance is free.

Following this InfoDay, the PACE-Net Plus project will be holding its final bi-regional (Pacific-EU) dialogue platform, “Pathways to Innovation in the Pacific Region”. InfoDay participants are welcome to also attend this conference. Further information at http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacenetplus-fiji-2016.

Groups audience:

WP1 Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing

WP2 Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine and Maritime and Inland Water Research, and the Bioeconomy

WP3 Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials

WP4 Cooperation on Innovation Issues to Tackle the Societal Challenges

WP5 Strengthening Pacific-EU Research Cooperation Partnerships

WP6 Bi-regional Policy Dialogue in ST&I

- Private group -

European Maritime Day: Investing in competitive blue growth — smart and sustainable solutions

PACE-Net Plus webmaster — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 02:09:22 +0000

European Maritime Day is the annual meeting point for Europe’s maritime community to network, discuss, and forge joint action.

The conference will provide a strong input to shape future policies and the practical steps needed to drive transformational change in the blue economy and the wider integrated maritime policy agenda. It will focus on smart and sustainable solutions for blue growth, ocean governance, clean energy and skills development and it will look at tools such as strategic cluster partnerships and common roadmaps to facilitate joint action. Throughout, there will be a particular focus on specific regional challenges and opportunities. These focused, thematic sessions will explore what is needed to drive transformational change in different areas of the integrated maritime agenda. In each stream, a panel discussion will be followed by a structured discussion to set out which actions are needed at different levels: global, European, regional and conclusions/action points to be retransmitted to the plenary will be reached in a participative way.

Groups audience:

WP2 Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine and Maritime and Inland Water Research, and the Bioeconomy

News, Events & Funding

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Innovation and Agriculture: with a focus on Papua New Guinea

Organisers

Background

Objectives

Target group

Activities

Workshop overview

Key outputs

ACP Summit, Port Moresby, 1st July 2016

Registration and further information

https://eudevdays.eu/

Innovative Ways for Sustainable Nutrition, Food Security and Inclusive Agricultural Growth

Fiji Information Day on European funding

European Maritime Day: Investing in competitive blue growth — smart and sustainable solutions

ACP Summit, Port Moresby, 1^st July 2016