There is a long history of cooperation between researchers from Europe and NZ. A survey by the NZ Ministry of Research, Science and Technology (MoRST) in 2003 found that over half of all NZ based researchers have at least one significant, and active, European collaboration. However, this collaboration has traditionally been bilateral activity between NZ and the major research powerhouses of UK, Germany and France.

Evidence, through data on co-authoring of academic outputs, suggests that collaboration over the last decade between NZ and Europe has been increasing, though there is little understanding of the exact mechanisms of how this collaboration is supported, or initiated. With the signing of the STC Agreement between the European Community and the Government of NZ in July 2008, and establishment of formal bilateral planning activities through the JSTC meetings, there has been a renewed impetus for closer EU-NZ cooperation. It is clear, though, that, to date, the main focus of NZ government-supported joint science and technology activities has been on the participation of NZ researchers in European activities, namely the European Commission’s Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7). ACCESS4EU:NZ seeks to improve understanding and, if necessary, redress the balance in this relationship, by facilitating access and highlighting opportunities for European researchers to NZ’s research and innovation programmes.

ACCESS4EU:NZ seeks to establish a platform to increase the awareness and dissemination, within the Member States and Associated Countries, of opportunities for European researchers and research organisations to participate in New Zealand’s publicly-funded research and innovation programmes. The platform also aims to reduce or remove impediments to European researchers seeking to participate in NZ’s research and innovation programmes, through improving the provision of information on the opportunities available to Europe from NZ’s schemes, and the identification of prospective NZ partners with which European researchers could collaborate.

Sigma Orionis, part of the ACCESS4EU:NZ partnership, is in charge of:

• Present NZ’s programmes, and opportunities for collaboration (in the ICT field), to a wide audience of European researchers through various fora, including through the preparation of standard training materials for presentation to - and by - information multipliers and other relevant, interested parties.
• Bring European and NZ ICT researchers together, through workshops and networking events, in order that the personal relationships that underpin successful collaborations can be fostered.

ACCESS4EU:NZ Website
European Commission Website
Contact

Sigma Orionis is very proud to be a partner of the BeyWatch project supported by the European Commission through its FP7 research funding programme and exploring innovative ICT-based solutions for energy-efficient homes and neighbourhoods. After a competition involving 39 EU-funded projects focusing on ICT for Energy Efficiency, BeyWatch has been selected today as the “best ICT4EE project” (an award shared with the OLED100.eu project), on the occasion of the ICT4EE international conference, organised in Brussels by the European Commission. This competition, launched by the European Commission, aimed at promoting innovation in ICT that will contribute to substantial and measurable improvements in energy efficiency, and that have the potential to provide visible and convincing showcases for investment by business, citizens or both. Sigma Orionis is the BeyWatch partner in charge of dissemination and market research. For more information please contact us.

The 2nd “Euro-Africa Cooperation Forum on ICT Research” organised by the FP7 EuroAfrica-ICT EU-funded project (coordinated by Sigma Orionis) and supported by the African Union Commission (AUC – HRST) and the European Commission (EC – DG INFSO – International Relations Unit) under the Information Communication Technology (ICT) theme of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) successfully took place on Feb. 4, 2010, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (United Nations Conference Centre – UNCC). This 2nd Forum edition was organised as the only post-event to the “AU 2010 Summit” and the “AU-ECA 2010 Summit Exhibition”.

Held this year in the capital city of Ethiopia and aiming at paving the way for a strengthened and coordinated approach to foster Euro-Africa cooperation, this Conference – the 2nd of its series (the first edition was held in Brussels, Belgium early in 2009) – was a considerable success and continued to provide a forum for discussions on recent developments and perspectives in the field.

In addition to a very exciting agenda (72 chair-persons and speakers/panellists have kindly accepted to contribute to the Conference programme) almost 300 delegates (including over 70 Europeans) coming from 44 different countries have decided to join: Policymakers | Senior representatives from governments | Representatives from international development cooperation agencies | ICT project managers | Programme managers | Heads of research labs | Researchers | IT engineers | Deans, directors, lecturers and researchers from universities and the higher education sector | Managers of NGOs, professional associations, centres of excellence, trade unions, chambers of commerce, etc. | Industry stakeholders | etc. Held over only one day, delegates had a very busy schedule with many interesting and stimulating discussions.

The EuroAfrica-ICT partnership would like to express its most grateful thanks to the large delegations of sub-Saharan Africa and Europe for having taken some time of their busy schedules to participate in this important forum (not to forget special guests coming mainly from the Caribbean and North Africa). There are also many individuals who have helped in getting this Conference off the ground and the EuroAfrica-ICT consortium would like to acknowledge the significant efforts of the EC, the AUC, and the event sponsors/donors.

Click here to access the event proceedings and photo gallery.

A new phase of the “SEACOOP initiative” in the framework of which the activities introduced on the project web site have been developing, has started today. This new phase, covering the period 2010-2011, is supported by the European Commission (through the funding of the FP7 SEALING project selected at ICT Calll 4) and of the ASEAN Secretariat. It is still coordinated by Sigma Orionis and will involve national agencies or institutions in charge of ICT research in each of the 10 ASEAN countries. Activities will mainly aim at supporting the development of policy dialogues and the strengthening of cooperation on ICT research between Europe and Southeast Asia. For further details, please download the SEACOOP flyer or contact us.