BILAT-RUS-Advanced: Advancement of the bilateral Partnership in scientific Research and Innovation with the Russian Federation

The overall strategic objective of the project BILAT-RUS-Advanced is to facilitate the science-, technology- and innovation cooperation between Russia and the EU. European competitiveness shall be supported through strategic partnerships with Russia on a bilateral level and on the basis of mutual interest and benefit.

The project will support the bilateral STI policy dialogue between the Russian Federation and the EU Member States, Candidate Countries and Associated Countries. This will also imply support to coordinate EU Member States’ and Associated Countries’ research policies and programmes with regard to Russia. Synergies between EU policies and programmes addressing Russia will be promoted. BILAT-RUS-Advanced will further promote the bilateral cooperation to the best scientists and organisations by increasing the awareness on FP7 cooperation opportunities and monitor the progress which has been achieved so far. Brokerage and information events for researchers and innovation actors will be implemented in order to facilitate the preparation of collaborative research activities and the utilisation of research results. Twinning activities between STI actors and institutions will be actively supported. At the same time, the project will support the implementation of a service approach for FP7 Contacts in Russia, with a special focus to the regional dimension. the participation of Russia in Community programmes will be strengthened, most prominently the FP7, and the upcoming “Horizon 2020” framework respectively.

Also, BILAT-RUS-Advanced will focus on the opportunities for European researchers to participate in Russian research and innovation programmes. In doing this, the project will be founded on the basis of the accomplishments of the two predecessor projects BILAT-RUS and ACCESS RU. Thus, the work done so far, as well as the communication channels implemented in the past years, will be considered in such a way that sustainability of efforts will be secured. This implies that BILAT-RUS-Advanced will aim at further contributing to the implementation of the Common Space on Research, Education and Culture between the EU and Russia. At the same time, however, the project will not be a mere prolongation of the mentioned two projects. Instead, BILAT-RUS-Advanced will actively react to the needs of general context that has changed substantially during the past years. This change is reflected in the EU-Russia “modernisation partnership” initiative of 2010. Accordingly, BILAT-RUS-Advanced will devote considerable attention to the new challenge innovation cooperation. For this, the project will analyse the Russian innovation system. The work on supporting cooperation on aspects related to framework conditions for research being done in the predecessor project BILAT-RUS will be taken up and extended to aspects of innovation.