1. Involvement of Azerbaijan Research Centers in FP7 programs: Institute of Physics's PRIMA-ERA project
Eldar Mammadov
Institute of Physics, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences
Baku State University, September 2011

2. What is FP7 ?
Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development
The Framework Programme is the main tool for research funding in the European Union
FP7 supports research in specific priority areas
FP7 supports mobility, training, knowledge sharing, technological transfer, cooperation and international collaboration

3. FP7: Tommorow’s answers start today
EU goal is to build the most dynamic competitive knowledge-based economy
Growth
and Jobs
Research
Education
Innovation
Economic growth
Jobs
Quality of life (GSM, safe roads etc.)
Social challenges: fight poverty,
improve human health,
environmental protection

4. FP7 (2007-2013) Structure The broad objectives of FP7 have been grouped into 6 categories
Category Description Budget
Cooperation – collaborative research € bl
Ideas – frontier research € bl
People – Marie Curie actions € bl
Capacities – research capacity € bl
Euratom – nuclear research € bl
JRC – non-nuclear research € bl

5. FP7: Cooperation Objective: bringing together best talents from across Europe (researchers, industry and SMEs) to tackle the thematic priority areas
FP7 Thematic Priorities
Health
Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology
Information and Communication Technologies
Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies
Energy
Environment
Transport
Socio-Economic Sciences and the Humanities
Security
Space

6. FP7: Ideas conducting frontier research
Objective: to reinforce excellence, dynamism and creativity in European research
Frontier (“basic”) Research is a key driver to innovation and economic performance
Support investigator-driven frontier research over all areas of research
Support projects of individual teams
Excellence as sole criterion

7. FP7: People Marie Curie Actions: Fellowships, Grants, Awards
Initial and Life-long training of researchers and career development
􀃎 Marie Curie Networks
􀃎 Individual Fellowships 􀃎
Industry-academia pathways and partnerships
􀃎 Industry-Academia Knowledge–sharing Scheme
International dimension
􀃎 Outgoing & Incoming International Fellowships
􀃎 International Cooperation Scheme
􀃎 Reintegration grants
􀃎 Support to researcher ‘diasporas’
Mobility & excellence
􀃎 Mobility and career enhancement actions
􀃎 Excellence awards
Open for third-country researchers

8. FP7: Capacities excellent infrastructures to conduct research
Research infrastructures
􀂃Research for the benefit of SMEs
􀂃Regions of Knowledge
􀂃Research Potential
􀂃Science in Society
􀂃Coherent development of policies
􀂃Activities of International Cooperation

9. CAPACITIES - International Cooperation ERA-WIDE
Integrating EU neighbours into the European Research Area (ERA)
Objective:
To reinforce the cooperation capacities of research centres located in the European Neighbourhood Policy countries, which are not associated to FP7, in the areas of the thematic priorities of FP7.
Mediterranean Partner Countries:
Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lebanon, Syria
Eastern Europe and South Caucasus:
Azerbaijan, Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia

10. A roadmap for proposal preparation
1. Carefully study the Call Fiche and the Work Programme
2. Identify main goals and expected outcomes
3. Study evaluation criteria and mechanisms
4. Identify the idea of the proposal
5. Identify and contact partners
6. Write a draft in accordance with Guide for Applicants
7. Ask colleagues to peer-review the draft
8. Make corrections/additions
9. Submit the proposal well before the deadline

11. ERA-WIDE 2011 – Call fiche Call identifier: FP7-INCO-2011-6
Call publication date: 20/07/2010
Call closure date: 15/03/2011
Indicative budget: EUR MILLION
Evaluation criteria: threshold of 3 on criteria and 10 on total,
- Preference given to proposals involving research organisations, universities and/or industrial organisations from MS/AC.
- The participation of organisations from the target country is considered essential.

12. Call Fiche – Participants profile
INCO ERA-WIDE 2011
Call Fiche – Participants profile
The call is addressed to research centres of proven high level S&T capacities, which are located in an ENP country not associated to FP7;
The proposal should target only one such centre;
The consortium should include additional participants, in particular from the Member State (MS) and/or Associated Country (AC)
The research centre targeted by the proposal should be the coordinator of the proposal. 12

13. Work Programme – Proposed Activities
ERA-WIDE 2011
Work Programme – Proposed Activities
Twinning with research centres in Member States or Associated Countries in view of exchanging knowledge and good practices, disseminating scientific information, identifying partners and setting up joint experiments through short-term visits or exchange of staff, meetings, seminars, and similar activities;
Developing training modules to build competency and facilitate the participation of these centres in FP7;
Developing research centres’ strategy in order to increase their scope and visibility (regional coverage, activities), to develop comparative advantage and to improve their competitiveness by enhancing their responses to the socio-economic needs of their countries and of the region.

14. Work Programme – Expected Outcomes
ERA-WIDE 2011
Work Programme – Expected Outcomes
contribution to RTD capacity building and management in the target country;
• enhanced participation of the country in the FP7;
• increased visibility and scope (regional coverage, subjects, activities) of the centres with increased linkage with economic and social environment;
• networking with other research centres in MS or AC;
• increased job opportunities that encourage gender equality in the country, in particular for young scientists (measures to avoid 'brain drain' phenomena: better career opportunities, better work conditions, access to research infrastructures).

15. Research Organizations in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences
Public and Private University Laboratories
Governmental and Private Company Laboratories
Public and Private University Laboratories
Governmental and Private Company Laboratories

16. Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences
Comprises of 5 departments:
Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Chemistry
Geosciences
Biology
Social sciences
with about 40 research institutes and
sections
Created in 1945 the Academy of Sciences is a
premier scientific research organization in Azerbaijan

17. Institute of Physics (IPA)
The Institute of Physics was created in 1945
over 35 laboratories and departments
about 750 employees
420 research staff:
6 academicians and 2 corresponding members
69 DSc
202 PhDs
30 PhD students
Institute of Physics is the main research body in the
physical sciences in Azerbaijan

18. PRIMA-ERA purpose and concept
ERA-WIDE 2011 Application from Azerbaijan: Promoting and Improving Azerbaijan Research Collaboration with European Research Area – PRIMA-ERA
PRIMA-ERA purpose and concept
To reinforce the cooperation between Azerbaijan and European researchers and to provide successful integration of the Institute of Physics at the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (IPA) into European Research Area (ERA).
To establish close collaboration links in coherence with the concept of the “mutual interests of the EC and ENP partner countries”

19. PRIMA-ERA: Objectives
to increase Institute of Physics capacities and preparedness for
collaboration in the FP7
to increase visibility of Institute of Physics for international
scientific community and other stakeholders
to ensure the compliance of the Institute of Physics’s research
activities with socio-economic needs of the country and regionally
and provide better career opportunities for young scientists

20. PRIMA-ERA: Consortium
Participant # 1: IPA (Azerbaijan) - the target organization
Participant # 2: Institut de Recherche et Development sur l’Energie Photovoltaique, CNRS-IRDEP (France)
Participant # 3. Marmara Research Centre at the TUBITAK, TUBITAK-MAM (Turkey)

21. IPA research activities and infrastructure
IPA has been awarded the large pilot grant from Azerbaijan Science Development Foundation for upgrading experimental capabilities
Main Research Fields:
Semiconductor Physics
Nanostructured Materials
Materials Physics
Energy

22. PRIMA-ERA Research Topics

23. IPA strengths and weaknesses
Strong background of the research staff
Large potential for international research cooperation and networking with international research centers
Extended research capacities in both
fundamental and applied components of scientific research
Leading positions among the research
institutions of the Academy of Sciences, potential for turning into regional center for frontier research
Weaknesses
Weak collaboration and networking with European research centers and absence of the FP7 projects
Insufficient international visibility of IPA
Decreasing inflow of young people necessary for sustainable leadership at national level, small number of visiting scientists from other countries
Absence of long-term strategy coherent with socio-economic environment

24. PRIMA-ERA: Consortium
Institut de Recherche et Development sur l’Energie Photovoltaique, IRDEP
A new institute based on 30 years experience in photovoltaics
EDF
Electricité de France
CNRS
Centre National de la
Recherche Scientifique
IRDEP Proof of Concepts:
New materials and processes
Transfer to industry
IRDEP
Since 2005
Chimie-
ParisTech
IRDEP Scientific Knowledge:
Chemistry and Electrochemistry
Materials, Solid-state & device physics
Theory and Modelling
IRDEP:
About 45 person
1200 m2 with 800 m2 laboratories
Advanced physical and chemical
deposition and characterization methods
Engineering School

25. PRIMA-ERA: Consortium
Marmara Research Centre at the TUBITAK, Materials Institute
More than 30 FP6-FP7 projects; about 240 ongoing projects
Marmara Research Center
Chemistry
Institute
Earth and
Marine Sciences
Energy
Environment
Food
Genetic Engin.
and Biotechnol.
Materials
Institute
Since 1968
Laboratories
Electron Microscopy
Non-Destructive Testing
X-Ray Spectrometry and Diffractometry
Mechanical Testing and Heat Treatment
DTA-TGA Magnetic Properties Analysis
Others

26. PRIMA-ERA Action Plan IPA IRDEP TUBITAK-MAM twinning
development of training modules
delivery of trainings
Dissemination of Scientific Knowledge
Increasing IPA Visibility
Development IPA Strategy
twinning
exchange of employees
joint experiments
TUBITAK-MAM
IRDEP

27. PRIMA-ERA Activities Research staff exchange between IPA and IRDEP
Improved IPA Cooperation Capacities:
Twinning, Networking, Exchange of Knowledge, Dissemination, Increased Visibility, Improved Human Potential, Long-term Strategy
Research staff exchange between IPA and IRDEP
Development of joint research projects and experiments
Development of research proposals for FP7 applications
Workshop on Photovoltaics
Summer School on Materials for Renewable Energy
Seminar on Innovations and Entrepreneurship for Scientists and Engineers
Development and delivery of FP7 trainings
On-site trainings
Development and dissemination of IPA promotional materials
Attendance of international scientific events
IPA “open day” events
Development and peer-review of IPA research strategy paper

28. PRIMA-ERA Overview

29. Thank you for your attention!