DANube macroregion: Capacity building and Excellence in River Systems

Research & Development
Jun 2013 - May 2015

Donor: European Commission - Research Executive Agency
Donor Programme: Seventh Framework Programme of European Commission - Cooperation programme

Eastern Europe and Central Asia

The aim of this project proposal is develop new instruments and tools that will enhance environmental research and promote innovation in Danube Region, including the Danube Delta and the Black Sea. Importantly, the new instruments and tools do not start ab initio but will build on existing projects covering multiple source of funding (public, private or PPP), whether national, regional or European which will be identified and clustered. The project will undertake a critical analysis of what has been achieved so far in the region and will build upon results of achievements to-date, to design innovative solutions to strengthen knowledge transfer in this area. This will be achieved by gathering top level representatives of the academia and business communities as well as decision makers, specialized in various sectors of integrated management of the Danube Black Sea macrosystem. The proposal will be structured on the three main pillars of Research and Innovation (i. Science and Innovation Agenda, ii. Research Infrastructures and iii. Human Capital) and their relation to the three principal categories of stakeholder: i. Policy and Decision Makers, ii. Business / Industry community and iii. Academia. The specific objectives of this proposal are to: 1. critically analyse the achievements in integrated river- delta sea management in the Danube Region, 2. understand links between the achievements, deliverables and results of the work performed. 3. Define a set of instruments to enhance environmental research and innovation in Danube Region. The ultimate deliverable will be a toolbox of instruments which will yield 1. a strategic research agenda, 2. a concept and detailed plan of the distributed research infrastructure both for the Danube Black Sea Macrosystem and 3. Proposals for an integrated educational program to be implemented at a regional level in the immediate future, with the full cooperation of partners from Danube - Black Sea Macrosystem.