PACE-Net Plus newsletter

December 2015

PACE-Net Plus is a project funded by the European Commission to strengthen further bi-regional science, technology and innovation (ST&I) cooperation and dialogue between the Pacific Region and the European Union. The project brings together 16 members, from the Pacific region and the EU.

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/

Editorial

An important milestone of the last 3 months was the presentation of the outcomes of the PACE-Net Plus workshop on observation systems to the European Commission in Brussels in September 2015, and to the Global Earth Observation Summit in Mexico in November 2015.

In parallel, 21 projects have been selected after the successful seed-funding call; their results will be presented next year, in Nandi (Fiji), during the project’s last bi-regional platform.

PACE-Net Plus also contributed to the Regional Seminar on Innovation in Overseas Countries and Territories held in November 2015 in Noumea, where the preliminary results of the project’s survey on innovation in the Pacific region were presented, as well as the strategies of innovation in New Zealand and Australia.

Project news & events

PACE-Net Plus contributes to the Pacific Regional Seminar on Innovation

Noumea, New Caledonia, 5-6 November 2015

The Pacific Regional Seminar on Innovation was developed as a part of the “Territorial Strategies for Innovation” (TSI) project, which enhances sustainable development through innovative solutions for economic diversification and improves regional and global competitiveness of the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) of the European Union.

Funded by the 10th European Fund for Development and driven by the OCTA (Overseas Countries and Territories Association), the TSI project was launched in November 2014 in Brussels and provides technical capacity to 20 OCTs engaged in developing their innovation strategies. The objectives of this regional seminar were to exchange information on the status and content of regional innovation strategies and discuss the early stages of the implementation of strategies and plans related to the short- and long-term actions. These first steps are intended to lead to pilot projects in the OCTs and their regions.

The seminar was also an opportunity for innovation managers from OCTs to meet with their counterparts and innovation experts at the regional and international level. There were presentations on different strategies for innovation, their implementations and impacts on the economy, and the showcasing of financing solutions for innovative projects. Sectoral panels allowed non-governmental entities to share their experiences and latest findings.

This seminar was also an excellent opportunity to present the PACE-Net Plus project, and in particular the innovation aspects of the project. Prof Jean-François Marini (project coordinator at Institut de recherche pour le développement) gave this overview on behalf of the project. In addition to the five OCTs participating in this regional seminar (French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Pitcairn, Saint-Pierre & Miquelon, Wallis & Futuna), PACE-Net Plus brought to the seminar a wider regional perspective, by inviting the following guests: Prof Jim Metson, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment of New Zealand, and Dr. Tony Peacock, CEO of the Cooperation Research Centers Association in Canberra, who presented the innovation strategies taken within the New Zealand and Australian economies.

PACE-Net Plus partners Landcare Research, Montroix and the CNRT also attended this event.

Mr Ludovico Alcorta, Director of Research, Statistics and Industrial Policy at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO, a partner in PACE-Net Plus) presented the preliminary results of the project’s survey on innovation in the Pacific region (conducted in New Caledonia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and the Cook Islands).

In addition to the above mentioned experts, the following delegates took part in the event: Mr Philippe Germain (President of the Government of New Caledonia), Mr Vincent Bouvier (High- Commissioner of the French Republic in New Caledonia), Mr Efstratos Pegidis (Representative of the European Commission for the OCTs in the Pacific), Mr Milan Jezic von Gesseneck (OCTA Innovation team leader), innovation managers for New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Wallis & Futuna and various innovation actors. Dr Georges de Noni (Director of IRD Noumea and IRD Regional coordinator for the Pacific), reasserted the importance of research in innovation to support sustainable development.

The seminar was well received, with many participants gaining much inspiration for future prospects in their own countries. PACE-Net Plus will continue with the innovation theme into 2016, and will organise its last bi-regional policy dialogue platform, centred on this topic, on 28-30 June 2016 in Fiji. More information about this platform will shortly be published on the PACE-Net Plus website.

Outcomes of the PACE-Net Plus workshop on observation systems presented at the XII GEO

10 November 2015, Mexico

PACE-Net Plus was invited by the European Commission / DG Research and Innovation, to give a talk on the “Requirements for Interdisciplinary Observatory Systems in the South Pacific Region” at the Twelfth Plenary Session of the GEO (Group on Earth Observations), during the side event “Ocean Observations and the GEO Blue Planet Initiative” in Mexico City on the 10th of November 2015.


Coastal erosion in a Pacific Island from Vanuatu (©IRD/B. Pelletier)

This opportunity allowed our project to investigate the gaps and requirements for the observation of the South Pacific Ocean, its littorals and ecosystems, in relation to climate change and impacts. In addition to disseminating this information issued from the PACE-Net Plus international workshop on this topic to the GEOSS (Global Earth Observation System of Systems), the perspective was to follow up the PACE-Net Plus suggestions and recommendations for EU actions in the Pacific region.

More on the workshop at: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacific-observation-systems-2015

PACE-Net Plus seed-funding call: 21 grants awarded!

Of 65 expressions of interest received and evaluated by external evaluators and consortium members, 21 proposals have been awarded grants in the following broad areas:

  • Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing
  • Food security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine and Maritime and Inland Water Research and the Bio-economy
  • Climate Action, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials

The overwhelming response to the seed-funding call demonstrates significant interest by researchers worldwide in the South Pacific. Different political stakeholders, prestigious European scientific institutions, as well as civil society and scientific actors of the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia submitted outstanding project ideas to this call.

The submitted topics addressed the wide range of challenges that the South Pacific faces: solar energy, deep sea mining, observation systems, sustainable transport, science policy development processes, indigenous approaches to agriculture, pollution and human health, algae blooms, fish poisoning, etc.

Prior to the call for proposals, PACE-Net Plus organized a series of Think Tank events for scientists, policy makers and civil society. These experts brought together their knowledge and perspectives to identify a range of scientific and innovation gaps in the South Pacific. Each event produced a large number of new collaborative project ideas, and a significant proportion of the seed-funding applications are a direct result of the Think Tank outcomes.

The seed-funding submissions proposed a wide variety of modalities for future-oriented collaborations, including workshops, consultations, risk assessments, community-based projects, collaboration projects between different stakeholders, capacity development in the area of leadership, and more.

Representatives from the funded projects will showcase their outcomes during the final PACE-Net Plus platform event in Fiji in June 2016, and a summary of these outcomes will be posted on the PACE-Net Plus website in due course.

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/funding/pacenetplus-seed-funding-2015

Other news & opportunities

Recent Horizon 2020 calls of Pacific interest

The 2016–2017 calls for Horizon 2020 have now been released, and they contain a large number of opportunities that will be of interest to Pacific researchers and innovators. You can view a summary list of some of the key opportunities that we have identified online at: http://plus.pacenet.eu/funding/pacific-opportunities-horizon-2020.

We encourage interested Pacific researchers to examine these call topics to identify any relevant opportunities.

Contact your colleagues in Europe to see if they would be interested in having you on board as a project partner. Europeans can contact Pacific colleagues to see if you could collectively contribute to a proposal being put forward or send an email to info@pacenet.eu to discuss opportunities.

Note: Pacific OCTs are eligible for full participation in Horizon 2020, PICTs are also eligible for full participation (so long as there are enough European partners), whilst Australian and New Zealand partners will normally need to fund their own participation from domestic (or other) sources. The exceptions to these rules are the ERC grants and MSCA fellowships, which are for individuals as opposed to teams and institutions, and are also open to researchers from any country.

Australians interested in working with Europe?

Horizon 2020 is the largest research and innovation funding program in the world. It provides funds and instruments for the entire spectrum of research and innovation activities.

Australian organisations (and individuals) are welcome to participate in most aspects of Horizon 2020, and stand to gain significant advancements by participating, including a slice of the €80 billion in available funding.

Montroix Pty Ltd, a partner in PACE-Net Plus has recently developed a document that distils the enormous array of opportunities into an easy-to-read subset suitable for Australian actors to absorb. It presents opportunities for every field of research, and for every Australian researcher interested in international engagement.

The document can be purchased for personal use at the link below. If you wish to share it more widely, please contact Montroix Pty Ltd at info@montroix.com to inquire about discounted and institutional pricing options.

Further information: https://www.montroix.com/downloads/h2020-2016-2017

PaCE-SD Shines at USP Research Awards

ongratulations to the Shining Stars of PaCE-SD for sweeping such a grand number of awards at USP’s 4th Research Awards event:

More information: http://www.research.usp.ac.fj/


Contacts

Newsletter and PACE-Net Plus project: fadhila.lemeur@ird.fr or nejma.andre@ird.fr

Follow us on Twitter @pacenetplus or Facebook (facebook.com/pacenetplus), or join our LinkedIn group (linkedin.com/groups/6518946)

July 2015

PACE-Net Plus is a project funded by the European Commission to strengthen further bi-regional science, technology and innovation (ST&I) cooperation and dialogue between the Pacific Region and the European Union. The project brings together 16 members, from the Pacific region and the EU.

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/

Editorial

After a successful workshop on Observation Systems held in Noumea in June, PACE-Net Plus took a significant step with the organisation, in Brussels, of its 2nd bi-regional dialogue platform.

The coming months will be devoted to the implementation of the seed funding activity. A call for projects was opened until the 31st of May, and the process of selection of successful proposals is now drawing to an end. Successful projects will be supported by PACE-Net Plus up to the limit of €10,000 per initiative.

The project will also focus this year on innovation, with among others, the finalization of a regional survey launched by the UNIDO partner on New Caledonia, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands and Papua New-Guinea. CTA will also lead a complementary survey on innovation niches for food and nutrition security (see below).

Project news & events

A Pacific delegation at the European pParliament & PACE-Net Plus bi-regional platform of dialogue

23-24 June 2015, Brussels

Mr. Maurice Ponga, Member of the European Parliament, welcomed a delegation of the PACE-Net Plus project, coordinated by the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), on its visit to the European Parliament on the 24th of June 2015. Prior to the visit, Mr. Ponga outlined his commitment towards the overseas countries and territories and the South Pacific nations of the ACP group.

This visit concluded the bi-regional dialogue platform organised by PACE-Net Plus, held on 23-24 June 2015 in the heart of the European quarter in Brussels. The platform gathered some 80 delegates from Europe and the South Pacific, all of them were either senior scientists or decision-makers involved in research in science, technology and innovation.

One of the key objectives of this Platform was to report on and discuss a selection of the project outcomes (state-of-the-art on research in the South Pacific, thematic Think Tanks, seed-funding scheme, etc.).

To sustain this bi-regional dialogue into the future, the project will aim to increase the understanding, within Europe, of the potential and perspectives of the South Pacific nations.

The delegates were enthusiastic in pursuing this dialogue, and reasserted the necessity to establish a regional committee for research in the South Pacific, as well as the importance of the European Union to launch research project calls in a format suitable for the South Pacific region. Also highlighted was the formidable research opportunity represented for both regions by the development of a multi-disciplinary observation system of climate change in the South Pacific.

Read more at: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacenetplus-brussels-2015

Workshop on observation systems

11-12 June, Noumea, New Caledonia

PACE-Net Plus and the GOPS jointly organized a scientific workshop on: “Strengthening the Observation systems of Climate change and its impacts in the Pacific, for a sustainable management of resources and adaptation”. This workshop on climate change and its impacts due to natural variability and anthropogenic causes focused on three scientific and technological research areas: 1) Oceanography, ocean atmosphere interaction; 2) Impacts of climate change on the ecosystems and the biodiversity…; and 3) Impacts of climate change on societies.

Key-note presentations introduced discussions about: What types of data and tools are needed? What impact to be addressed with which data? How to use the data and achieve model integration? What partnerships are needed to support and exploit these OS? The central objective was to bring together experts from Pacific countries, from their regional organizations, and from Europe, in order to produce a guidance note for the EU Institutions on this topic, in the perspective of the societal challenges relating to climate change in the Pacific.

See more at: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacific-observation-systems-2015

Seed funding

A seed-funding call for projects closed on the 31st of May, and the process of selection of successful proposals is now drawing to an end. Among the 70 proposals received, a first round of successful projects will be supported by PACE-Net Plus up to a limit of €10,000 per initiative, and these results and will be published in August on the PACE-Net Plus website. A second round will follow in September 2015.

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/funding/pacenetplus-seed-funding-2015

Survey on innovation niches for food and nutrition security

CTA has launched a survey questionnaire on innovation niches for future EU-Pacific cooperation on Food Security. It aims to assess the perspective of different stakeholders on the innovation niches CTA identified and to solicit the recommendation of different stakeholders on future cooperation. The questionnaire is available online for scientists, for policy makers and for farmers (forms adapted). For more details, please contact R. Leyh (leyh@cta.int). If you know a person concerned by this survey, please share this request and the link to the online survey. CTA thanks you for your help and cooperation.

Other news & opportunities

Pacific update conference

15-16 July, Suva, Fiji

Pacific Updates are designed to bring together leading thinkers and policy makers from the Pacific. In the 2015 edition, which took place at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, over 60 papers were presented and 18 sessions on topics such as gender inequality, aid and development, trade, migration, tourism, education, disaster risk management, and macroeconomic and fiscal policy were held.

More information: http://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/png-and-pacific-updates/pacific-update

Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions - research fellowship programme

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) support researchers at all stages of their careers, irrespective of nationality. Researchers working across all disciplines, from life-saving healthcare to ‘blue-sky’ science, are eligible for funding.

The MSCA also support industrial doctorates, combining academic research study with work in companies, and other innovative training that enhances employability and career development.

A call is currently open until 10th September 2015. See more at: http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/calls/h2020-msca-if-2015.html

© IRD / Jean-Michel Boré
PACE-Net Plus Platform, 23-24 June 2015: “Make the voice of the South Pacific heard in Brussels”
© IRD / Jean-Michel Boré


Contacts

Newsletter and PACE-Net Plus project: fadhila.lemeur@ird.fr or nejma.andre@ird.fr

Follow us on Twitter @pacenetplus and visit our PACE-Net Plus page on Facebook (facebook.com/pacenetplus)

February 2015

PACE-Net Plus is a project funded by the European Commission to strengthen further bi-regional science, technology and innovation (ST&I) cooperation and dialogue between the Pacific Region and the European Union. The project brings together 16 members, from the Pacific region and the EU.

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/

Editorial

2014 was an intense and fruitful year for PACE-Net Plus 16 partners who organized three thematic Think-Tanks in Europe, and three more in the Pacific - together with Horizon 2020 Info Days - and a first successful bi-regional Platform of Policy dialogue in Auckland in December.

One more Think-Tank will be organized by IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement) in Nouméa on Strengthening the Observation Systems of Climate change and its impacts in the Pacific, for sustainable management of resources and adaptation.

The year ended with the signature of Memorandum of Understanding between PACE-Net Plus and the Regional Universities Network (RUN) of Australia, promising further opportunities of collaboration.

In 2015, the project will keep up the pace, hold its 2nd bi-regional Platform of Policy dialogue and continue on the Innovation chapter with the launch of a (call for projects) supported by a seed-funding envelop.

PACE-Net Plus members wish all of its readers a Happy New Year 2015!

Major events held in 2014

First PACE-Net Plus bi-regional policy dialogue platform in Auckland, New Zealand

More than 80 policy-makers, officials and scientists participated in the bi-regional dialogue platform (10-11 December 2014), the purpose of which was to reflect on how to develop a regional strategic framework on STI, and how this could contribute to enhancing the global partnership between the Pacific region and the EU.

The outcomes of six thematic Think Tanks that were held in 2014 in the framework of the project in the fields of health, food security, climate change and natural resources, were delivered and contributed to policy recommendations for science, development and innovation.

A set of priority actions was defined that will strengthen the EU-Pacific global partnership, through the optimization of existing or future cooperation opportunities. The outcomes of this first bi-regional platform of policy dialogue (posted on http://plus.pacenet.eu/) will contribute to draw the following steps to be implemented for the constitution of a long-term institutionalized dialogue in STI between Europe and Pacific.

The future platforms in Brussels (Belgium) in June 2015 and in Suva (Fiji) in mid-2016 will constitute two important milestones for this bi-regional policy dialogue.

See more at: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacenetplus-auckland-2014

Six thematic think tanks

Bremen conference & think tanks

9-11 September 2014, Bremen, Germany

Three Think-Tanks took place in Bremen, focusing on the three following global challenges: 1) Tackling Non-Communicable Diseases 2) Exploring the convergence of science and traditional knowledge in aqua-agriculture 3) Enhancing community resilience: environment, water and wastes under a changing climate .

The final plenary gathered all Think Tanks results and looked forward to actions to be held during the lifetime of PACE-NET Plus. Further points were identified across that ranged from policy level, data collection issues, research capacities, to community level approaches to be accounted for future H2020 project developments.

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacenetplus-bremen-2014

Infectious diseases in the Pacific

12-14 November 2014, Papeete, French Polynesia

Selected researchers, public health representatives and policy makers from both the Pacific and Europe met in Papeete to discuss the latest knowledge, share their experience and identify common priorities on infectious diseases. The working sessions focused on the state of the art, on the pathways of management and control and on EU-Pacific region cooperation in the field of infectious diseases. A National Contact Point from the INCONTACT network also presented an overview of Horizon 2020 as well as funding opportunities for Polynesian researchers.

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacenetplus-papeete-2014

Coastal ecosystem disturbances, fish and shellfish poisoning & their socio-economic implications

18-20 November 2014, Noumea, New Caledonia

Four thematic areas: marine toxins, the effects of climate change and environmental disturbances, health and society, and cultural and economic aspects. The participants selected a number of priority research areas, highlighting the need to consolidate regional databases (to enhance the knowledge available and enable enlightened decision-making) and the need to use traditional knowledge. The innovations included easy-to-use diagnosis kits to identify fish and affected persons.

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacenetplus-noumea-2014

Reconciling mining and the sustainable development in the Pacific countries

8-9 December 2014, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Three sub-topics were discussed: Enhancing environmental consideration in (terrestrial) mining while answering societal needs; Increasing knowledge on deep-sea mining environmental and social impacts, and; Mining industry and corporate social responsibility as a vector of societal innovation. Priority research areas were highlighted, such as the need to strengthen governance and regulation of mining activities and create financial mechanisms to assure offsets, decommissioning and “after-mining” in local economies, etc.

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacenetplus-auckland-2014

Upcoming events

Workshop on observatory systems

28-19 April, Noumea, New Caledonia

This workshop will be organized and hosted by the IRD representation in New Caledonia. The central objective of this workshop that will bring together experts from Pacific countries, from their regional organizations, and from Europe will be to produce a guidance note for the European Institutions on the projects and tools for these systems of observation, as well as the partnerships to be implemented to strengthen those, in the perspective of the societal challenges relating to climate change in the Pacific.

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacific-observation-systems-2015

MoU
MoU signature between PACE-Net Plus and the Australian Regional University Network (RUN), 10th December 2014

2nd bi-regional policy dialogue platform

23-24 June 2015, Brussels, Belgium

The mandate of this platform is to deliver the outcomes of all Think Tanks and present the recommendations that have been elaborated in Auckland to further feed the bi-regional dialogue. All concerned DGs, various networks and EU/EC institutions in Brussels as well as high level representatives of Pacific regional bodies will be invited. On the agenda: a tour of the European institutions for the visitors from the Pacific.

More information soon: http://plus.pacenet.eu/

platform
PACE-Net Plus first bi-regional Platform of Policy dialogue, 10-11th December 2014, Auckland, New Zealand

Contacts

Newsletter and PACE-Net Plus project: fadhila.lemeur@ird.fr or nejma.andre@ird.fr

Follow us on Twitter @pacenetplus and visit our PACE-Net Plus page on Facebook (facebook.com/pacenetplus)

October 2014

PACE-Net Plus is a project funded by the European Commission to strengthen further bi-regional science, technology and innovation (ST&I) cooperation and dialogue between the Pacific Region and the European Union. The project brings together 16 members, from the Pacific region and the EU.

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/

Editorial

PACE-Net Plus entered in a very active phase, with all partners preparing several events planned until the end of the year (Think Tanks in Bremen, Papeete, Noumea and Auckland and finally a first bi-regional platform also in Auckland). The innovation topic holds a strategic place in the project, with activities aiming for instance at enhancing the cooperation on innovation issues and bridge the gap between the private and public sectors.

In June, the Vanuatu Cultural Centre and UNIDO (United Nations Organisation for Industrial Development), attended the 2nd EU-Pacific Business Forum and the role of PACE-Net+ was acknowledged in the final recommendations of this Forum. More information on: http://pipso.org/eupacific-business-forum

In August, UNIDO organised with the University of South Pacific (USP) and the CNRT, various face-to-face meetings with innovation partners in the region and designed a firm survey on innovation capacities of Pacific countries (and region).

For the first time, economic activities in Fiji and New Caledonia will be mapped in detail, as well as the innovation activity and needs of the different economic agents in the country. Students from USP and from the University of New Caledonia (UNC) have been trained to perform these surveys. In Fiji, the training was sponsored by VODAFONE.

In New Caledonia, UNIDO also carried out a series of face-to-face interviews with various innovation actors, among which various research organisations, ADECAL (New Caledonian Economic Development Agency), SMEs, business clusters, mining companies, members of the government or of the provinces of New Caledonia. A firm survey and face-to-face interviews with innovation actors are planned in Papua New Guinea in November 2014.

PACE-Net Plus recent & upcoming events

PACE-Net Plus conference in Bremen, Germany

9-11 September 2014

During the conference, selected participants worked at identifying priority areas for future joint research cooperation between Europe and the South Pacific to address the global challenges, and at identifying funding options and potential participating institutions. The conference was divided into three interactive Think Tanks, where ideas and thoughts about future needs/priorities were exchanged and recommendations elaborated.

  • Think-Tank 1: Tackling Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): Lifestyle options for improved nutrition and well being
  • Think-Tank 2: Exploring the convergence of science and traditional knowledge in aqua- and agriculture for sustainable, healthy living in the 21st century
  • Think-Tank 3: Enhancing community resilience: managing environment, water and wastes under a changing climate

The recommendations of all Think Tanks will feed into the ongoing bi-regional policy dialogue which seeks to enhance scientific and technological cooperation on the decision maker level.

See more at: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacenetplus-bremen-2014

PACE-Net Plus side-event in Apia, Samoa

Monday 1st September 2014

PACE-Net Plus took part in the 3rd International UN Conference on Small Developing States (SIDS) dedicated to “Sustainable Development through Genuine and Durable Partnerships”.

The project participated in a side-event that was co-organised by PACE-Net Plus project partner the National University of Samoa (NUS), and project coordinator the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD).

The following presentations were made:

  • Presentation of Horizon 2020 opportunities for SIDS (Montroix Pty Ltd)
  • Innovation in the SIDS (UNIDO)
  • Demonstration of existing and potential benefits of regional cooperation by two representatives of the regional observatories GOPs and O2C3 (IRD)
  • Presentation of Oceania 21 with a focus on relationship between traditional knowledge and heritage and research in ST&I (Governement of New Caledonia)

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/sids-pacenetplus-2014

PACE-Net Plus Think Tank

“Coastal ecosystem disturbances, fish and shellfish poisoning and other socio-economic implications”

18-20 November, 2014, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Noumea, New Caledonia

Researchers, fisheries managers, public health officials and policy makers from both the Pacific and Europe will discuss the latest knowledge and identify priority areas for future joint research and innovation to address the global challenges, and identify funding options and potential participating institutions. Four key thematic areas have been identified for discussion during the Think Tank:

  1. Marine toxins
  2. The effects of climate change and environmental disturbances on fish and seafood poisoning
  3. Health
  4. Societal, cultural and economic aspects

The objective is to provide recommendations that will be presented at the bi regional platform with policy makers which will take place in Auckland in December 2014.

For more information, please contact Olivier Auguin, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, oliviera@spc.int.

Other opportunities

Project SEA-EU-Net 2: ASEAN-EU STI days 2015

The second ASEAN-EU STI Days will be held in Paris in March 2015, hosted by the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). For more information and the archived presentation materials from the previous STI Days 2014, please visit the STI Days Website at:
http://www.stidays.net/

Horizon 2020 information day on research public-private partnerships (PPPs)

21 October 2014, Brussels, Belgium

An Information Day on the Research PPPs will take place on 21 October 2014 in Brussels. The aim of the event is to give the research community an overview of ongoing activities, and to support the preparation of proposals for the 2015 calls. The info Day will also offer plenty of opportunities for networking.

More information: http://ec.europa.eu/research/industrial_technologies/information-day-for-ppp-2014_en.html

European-Southeast Asian Experts One Health in Action Workshop

13-17 October 2014, Hanoi, Vietnam

SEA-EU-Net will be organising an expert workshop on One Health, focusing on “From OH Theory to Reality: Practical challenges, impact of OH initiatives and gaps in research”.

You can find more about the workshop by visiting the SEA-EU-Net page at: http://www.sea-eu.net/object/event/148

More events: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events

Contacts

Newsletter and PACE-Net Plus project: fadhila.lemeur@ird.fr or nejma.andre@ird.fr

Follow us on Twitter @pacenetplus and visit our PACE-Net Plus page on Facebook (facebook.com/pacenetplus)

May 2014

PACE-Net Plus is a project funded by the European Commission to strengthen further bi-regional science, technology and innovation (ST&I) cooperation and dialogue between the Pacific Region and the European Union. The project brings together 16 members, from the Pacific region and the EU.

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/

Editorial

After 6 months of existence, PACE-Net Plus has already undertaken several of its activities:

  • Two InfoDays were organised in December and March 2014, two others are under preparation (Papeete and Auckland).
  • A three-day Conference covering the three project themes (health; food security & bio economy; climate & resource efficiency) will be held in September in Bremen. More details will be published soon on the project website.
  • Three other workshops / think tanks will be held in Papeete, Noumea and Auckland.
  • A bi-regional platform is planned to be held in Auckland in December 2014.
  • A large key stakeholders consultation has been launched this month in order to collect and analyse information related to regional and bi-regional ST&I collaborative programmes and their effectiveness in enhancing EU-Pacific cooperation.
  • Country files listing research organisations in the Pacific will be produced.

InfoDays and Horizon 2020

Past

Second InfoDay on Horizon 2020

4 March 2014 at IRD Noumea, New Caledonia

After the success the first one (Sydney, Dec. 2013), PACE-NET Plus organised a second InfoDay on Horizon 2020 in IRD premises in Noumea on 4 March 2014. Approximately 60 stakeholders from different backgrounds attended the event.

Presentations covered the major opportunities in Horizon 2020, including mobility programmes, as well as the first calls and the rules of participation. It was also an opportunity to present PACE-Net Plus roadmap for the coming year, discuss the role of research for regional cooperation within New Caledonia, and consider the ways to enhance it through Horizon 2020.

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/horizon2020-infoday-noumea-2014

To come

Third InfoDay / Multiplier Forum

New Zealand — 10–11 June, Auckland

A third Infoday organised by our New Zealand partner (LCR) will take place in New Zealand on 10–11 June. The event will aim to bring together NZ and Pacific scientists, along with EU and NZ research funding /government representatives to discuss EU-Pacific collaboration and H2020.

More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/infoday-auckland-2014

Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation Programme ever with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014–2020).

More information on the Participants Portal: http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal

Other upcoming events

Pace-Net+ Conference to take place in September, in Bremen (Germany)

This conference will be split in three workshops labelled “Think tanks”, which will cover three of the PACE-Net+ priorities, namely Health, Food Security, and Climate & Resource efficiency. Under these rather wide themes, particular issues of interest for both the EU and the Pacific will be discussed. The Conference should result in the identification of priority areas, possible joint initiatives and innovation niches for EU-Pacific cooperation in STI. The aim will be to bring together a wide and diverse audience in order to confront different point of views and to enrich the debates.

The 3rd International Conference on Small Island Developing States, in Apia (Samoa)

The Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States will be held from 1–4 September 2014 in Apia, Samoa. It will focus the world’s attention on a group of countries that remain a special case for sustainable development in view of their unique and particular vulnerabilities. More information: http://www.sids2014.org/

PACE-Net Plus Satellite event

With the help of our Samoan partner, the National University of Samoa, PACE-Net Plus plans to organise a satellite event back-to-back with the 3rd International SIDS conference in Apia (September 2014).

Other events of interest

Webinar on Horizon 2020 information

Presented by the CAESIE project, Tuesday 20 May, 4pm AEST

This webinar will deal with: Introduction to Horizon 2020; Outlook on legal and financial aspects; Possibilities particularly for Australian researchers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs); Advice on the application process.

Link: http://caesie.org/news/2014/5/7/webinar-on-horizon-2020-information-for-australian-researchers

5th INCO Conference — Addressing Future Challenges

Athens, Greece, 2–4 June 2014

The Conference brings together international cooperation experts from all over the world to discuss the future of research in relation to the global challenges lying ahead in order to acquire insight for future coordinated actions.

Link: http://www.inco-conference.eu/

Challenges of Political, Economic and Legal Governance in a Changing Pacific

Papetee, French Polynesia, 3–5 June 2014

This event will aim to review economic, political and legal issues in island states and territories and point the way towards good governance in an era of globalisation.

Link: http://pipsa2014.wordpress.com/

2014 State of the Pacific Conference

Canberra, Australia, 18–19 June 2014

The Conference will showcase research on the Pacific region and bring together stakeholders from different backgrounds to discuss the important nexus between research and policy.

Link: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/cap-events/2014-06-18/state-pacific-2014

International Conference on Renewable Energy and Climate Change 2014: Focus on the Pacific

Fiji, 14–18 July 2014

Link: http://pace.usp.ac.fj/icrecc

International Pacific Health Conference 2014

The International Pacific Health Conference will be held in Auckland, NZ, on 3–5 November 2014.

Link: http://pacificconference.hrc.govt.nz/

More events: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events
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