CONCERT - Connecting and Coordinating European Research and Technology Development with Japan

CONCERT was a three-year ERA-NET, which aimed at enhancing S&T cooperation between Europe and Japan through a variety of measures. These included the definition of common elements in present cooperation, the identification of priorities and models for future cooperation, the implementation of a pilot joint funding activity and the development of a durable programmatic approach for joint research projects.

Logo Concert

The EU and Japan have recently signed an agreement on cooperation in science and technology. Based on this agreement, CONCERT enhances the S&T cooperation between the European countries and Japan through the development of a concerted cooperation approach. To that end, specific features of this ERA-NET action include the definition of common elements in present cooperation, the identification of priorities and models for future cooperation, the implementation of a pilot joint funding activity and the development of a durable programmatic approach for the future. Enabling European countries to speak with one voice in science and technology cooperation with Japan, this project will unveil the mutual interests of Europe and Japan, bolster their position in the global competition for knowledge and elevate research excellence.

Partners

  1. The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), Turkey
  2. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan
  3. Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Japan
  4. Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan
  5. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), France
  6. International Bureau of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) at the German Aerospace Agency (DLR), Germany
  7. Zentrum für Innovation und Technik (ZENIT), Germany
  8. Bay Zoltan Foundation for Applied Research (BZAKA), Hungary
  9. Centro per lo Sviluppo Tecnologico, l’Energia e la Competitività (CESTEC), Italy
  10. Regione Lombardia (RL), Italy
  11. Research Council of Norway (RCN), Norway
  12. Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (MICINN), Spain
  13. Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH), Switzerland

Project aims

The key objectives of CONCERT are:

  • To enhance the understanding of the European stakeholders about the Japanese science and technology support system with a particular focus on international cooperation programmes
  • To share, spread and promote the application of good cooperation practices; to harness synergies, strengths and opportunities; addressing weaknesses and threats with regard to the bilateral science and technology cooperation of EU member states and associated countries with Japan
  • To determine common future preferences, priorities and areas of mutual interest in European-Japanese science and technology cooperation
  • To develop a sound joint science and technology cooperation strategy at EU level towards Japan based on identified common elements
  • To perform a coordinated pilot joint call for joint funding between EU MS/AC and Japan based on the strategy developed
  • To use commonly developed IPR arrangements in the pilot joint call
  • To learn lessons from the implemented pilot joint call and to establish a common fully-fledged programmatic ground for a mid-term cooperation strategy
  • To promote ownership among the programme owners/managers of the joint strategy in order to ensure the durability of the programmatic ground

Project structure

The work packages are:

  • WP 1: Data Gathering and Information Exchange on STI Cooperation (WP leader: ETH)
    Delivering an overview of the Japanese STI funding system and a mapping (database) of ongoing unilateral, bilateral and multilateral STI cooperation programmes
  • WP 2: Joint Strategy for Coordinating STI Cooperation Programmes of European Countries with Japan (WP leader: BZAKA)
    Defining common elements of the mapped STI cooperation programmes and elaborating a Joint Strategy to coordinate these programmes, introducing a coordinated approach on Intellectual Property Rights issues
  • WP 3: Preparing, Implementing and Assessing a Pilot Joint Call (WP leader: CNRS)
    Setting up a strategy for a Pilot Joint Call and implementing it
  • WP 4: Developing a Durable Programmatic Approach for Coordinated STI Cooperation (WP leader: DLR)
    Developing a mid-term strategy for a joint programme backed up by recommendations for its implementation building on the lessons learnt from the Pilot Joint Call
  • WP 5: Communication, Dissemination, Public Relations and Dialogue (WP leader: TUBITAK)
    Disseminating project outcomes in the target community and performing public relations for the pilot joint call, setting up an interactive project website
  • WP 6: Project Management (WP leader: TUBITAK)
    General coordination of the project