CLUSTER 12: Coordination actions, dissemination and presentation of the results and international management

Cluster passport: Coordination of activities of the Ukrainian National Technology Platform “Agro-Food”, organization of internal and external fnancial support of its activity, facilitating infow of investments in agriculture and food sector of economy, ensuring implementation of innovative ‘smart-bio-nano’ technologies in Ukraine, support and preservatioin of scientifc potential of Ukraine, dialogue with business and policy makers.

Head: Professor Nadiya Boyko,  Uzhhorod National University

Legal address: 1, Narodna Square, Uzhhorod, 88000, Ukraine.

Contact e-mails: nadiya.boyko@gmail.com, bilakpp@gmail.com

Why  UzhNU?

In Ukraine the group of scientists and with the support of NIP Ukraine initiated the creation of National Technology Platforms following the pattern of existing European Technology Platforms, including Ukrainian National Technology Platform “Food for Life” (initiator – Nadiya Boyko, Uzhhorod National University). Basic principles for the development of this Platform were elaborated on: (1) meeting in Kyiv 9-10 February 2006, organized with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science, NIP of Ukraine with participation of Directorate E (Dr. Christian Patermann) in the FAB priority; (2) consultation of NTPs “Food for Life” in Bratislava 20-21 September 2006 with the participation of Dr. Jürgen Lucas, European Commission, Dr. András Sebők, Chairman of the Target Group of small and medium enterprises (SME) of ETP and Dr. Roger Fenwick, the editor of the key strategic documents for ETP “Food for Life”, IFR, UK; (3) thematic meeting in Uzhhorod 29-31 October 2006 “Ukrainian initiative in the development of ETP’s, Ukrainian Technology Platform “Food for Life”, with the participation of Dr. Daniel Descoutures from EC, organized by prof. Nadiya Boyko with the support of NIP of Ukraine. It was decided to establish Ukrainian National Technology Platform and to present it in the network of ETPs; this Platform is included to the register of the network of NTPs “Food for Life” (http://etp.ciaa.be/asp/nat_food_platforms/nat_foodplatforms.asp). Professor Nadiya Boyko, Uzhhorod National University, Director of the Center for Trans-border Scientific Cooperation participated in all the meetings of the NTPs “Food for Life” (Brussels, Belgium, 2010; Rimini, Italy, 2010; Budapest, Hungary, 2011; Bonn, Germany, 2011; Istanbul, Turkey, 2012) as representative and coordinator of UNTP “AF”.

Brief introduction of the Center for Transborder Scientific Cooperation of Uzhhorod National University

In order to facilitate the participation of Ukrainian scientists into European Research Area in Transcarpathian region first Information-Consultative Center of International Scientific Cooperation was created in 2005, and then (in December 2009) it was renamed to the Center for Trans-border Scientific Cooperation.

Together with the National Information Center for Ukraine-EU S&T Cooperation (NIP of Ukraine) and owing to the financial support of FP7 projects (JSOERA, Bi-LAT), co-financing from the University’s budget, Ministry of Education and Science, Youth and Sports of Ukraine the Center held a number of conferences, brokerage events, informationconsultation days and target-group trainings in Uzhhorod and Transcarpathian region, Zaporizhzhya, Odesa, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Lviv, Donetsk, Vinnytsya etc. A number of Cooperation agreements were signed as a result.

The most productive meetings (according to a number of projects submitted from Ukraine) are as follows:

1. Trans-border bilateral cooperation: Ukraine – Hungary, recurrent mirror events. – Debrecen- Uzhhorod: Autumn-Winter, 2009-2010.
2. 3 February, 2010 – training aimed at encouraging Ukrainian scientists’ participation in the “Marie Curie International Scholars and Researchers Exchange Program” initiated by the EU.
3. 12 May, 2010 – thematic seminar “Development of the National Technological Platform (NTP) in Ukraine “Food for Life”: Agro-Food Platform.
4. 13 – 14 May, 2010 Information day: “7th Framework Programme of EU on development of research and technology: opportunities for research community in Ukraine”.
5. 6 December, 2010 – Workshop “Increasing innovation capacities of SME’s by enhancing cooperation between research organizations and businesses”.
6. 7 December, 2010 – Workshop “The Role of Ukrainian Technology Platform (NTP) “Food for Life” in facilitating participation in FP7.
7. 20-21 July, 2011 – Brokerage event aimed at participation of SME’s “Innovation research and development in food and health sectors”.
8. The activities of the Center are mostly funded from the University’s own budget.

The UzhNU is a Partner in the following FP7 projects: BaSeFood (2009-2012), CAPINFOOD (2011-2014),
JSO-ERA (2010-2011), Bi-LAT (2009-2012)

First two of them are directly aimed at developing innovation strategy in the “Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Biotechnologies” priority.

1. “Bioactive components in the traditional foods”. Main objective of the project is the creation of European knowledge-based bioeconomy community: by bringing together science, industry and other stakeholders, to use new and emerging research and opportunities to address social, environmental and economic problems: demand for safety and healthy food, higher quality of food and sustainable production, use of existing traditional and new biological resources.
2. Improving the enabling environment and public awareness for innovation in the South-East-European food sector through transnational collaboration”.

The project aims at providing an enabling environment for innovation activity in food sector by creating the supporting institutional structure and raising public awareness for innovations in food sector through bilateral cooperation.

Nadiya Boyko, as a regional expert of the projects of international cooperation and as the official representative of the Ukrainian National Technology Platform “Agro-Food” regularly takes part in conferences and seminars aimed at active involvement of Ukrainian scientists and researchers to participation in FP7 international programmes, grants, call for proposals in different thematic areas. More than 20 reports were presented.

Key meetings on the support to establishment of National Contact Points and National Technology Platforms in Ukraine are as follows:

1. Participation in the joint meeting of National Information Point in Ukraine, JSO-ERA project and regional contact points in the Ministry of Education and Science, Youth and Sports (Kyiv, 3-4 June, 2010);
2. Meeting of policy-makers with scientists and representatives of SME’s (Ivano-Frankivsk, 27 June, 2010); Training seminars of the experts of FP7 (Kyiv, 5-6 October, 2010);
3. Meeting titled “Methodology, didactics, and psychology” for experts of FP7 and participants of JSOERA, Bi-LAT projects and representatives of regional contact points (Koncha-Zaspa, 15-16 November, 2010);
4. Biotechnology” (FAFB, KBBE, Brussels, Belgium,
   2010);
5. 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th Meetings of National Technology Platforms “Food for Life” in Brussels (Belgium), Rimini (Italy), Budapest (Hungary), Bonn (Germany) and Istanbul (Turkey) (2010-2012): the activity of the Ukrainian NTP “Agro-Food” was presented.
6. Round table in the State Agency on Science, Innovations and Informatization: presentation of the Ukrainian NTP “Agro-Food” (December, 2011).

The selected publications issued and disseminated by the Center:

1. The EU Seventh Framework Program on Research and Technology Development (Handbook for small and medium enterprises). – Uzhhorod, 2010. – 6 p. (in Ukrainian).
2. European Technology Platform “Food for Life”. Strategy to 2020 and beyond. – Uzhhorod, 2010. – 32 p. (in Ukrainian).
3. Instructions on preparing and submitting projects using EPSS electronic service. – Uzhhorod, 2010. – 24 p. (in Ukrainian).
4. The Seventh Framework Program. Answers to the Tomorrow’s Questions. – Uzhhorod, 2010. – 32 p. (in Ukrainian).
5. Innovative Projects. – Uzhhorod, 2011. – 22 p. (in English).
6. Profle Forms: Ukraine’s Potential and Priorities. – Uzhhorod, 2011. – 99 p. (in English).

Our networks: International Networks and Platforms that the Center has signed the agreements on strategic and long-term partnership with: