April 2014 Issue 44

HORIZON 2020 On 3 March, Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn delivered the Keynote address at the 'Horizon 2020 Is Open for Business' event where she gave a warm welcome to the hundreds of representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and SME supporters who were present or following the event

online. The following week she attended the very popular 'Innovation Convention' which gives an opportunity to those who have benefitted from Framework Programme funding to show what they have created or developed and what is now being

commercialised.

For full speeches please visit: http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/geoghegan-quinn/headlines/speeches/index_en.htm

"I AM CONFIDENT THAT HORIZON 2020 WILL GENERATE RESULTS FOR

SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES THAT WILL FAR OUTLIVE THE

SEVEN YEAR DURATION OF THE PROGRAMME."

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH UPDATE April 2014 Issue 44

Dear Reader…

The Innovation convention 2014 in Brussels has closed its doors. If you were not able to be there have a look at the edited videos of the different sessions. Many of them stood out as great adverts for innovation. http://webcast.ec.europa.eu/eutv/portal/archive.html?viewConference=22443

Watch the discussions and speeches and we think you will agree with us: “The future is innovation" Yours sincerely, The Editors

In this issue:

- EU-US Summit: S&T Cooperation highlighted

- "Cooperation in Research & Innovation is the future of EU-Brazil relations" - The Innovation Convention - Horizon 2020 Info event in

Australia

- Researchers from Hong Kong and Macau welcome Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+ And many more…

ISSN 2315-358X © European Union, 2014

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged

April 2014 Issue 44

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On 26 March President Obama was in Brussels for the EU-US Summit. The joint Summit Statement stressed the importance of EU-US cooperation in science, research and innovation, with the leaders committing to expand EU-US cooperation in research, innovation and new emerging technologies in support of jobs and growth. The new flagship in marine and arctic research cooperation – the Transatlantic Ocean research Alliance, was highlighted as an example for future cooperation. The statement also refers to the Transatlantic Economic Council and specifically e-mobility, e-health and new activities under the Innovation Action Partnership and calls on the EU-US Energy Council to foster cooperation also on joint research priorities that promote safe and sustainable energy technologies. Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn and Director-General Smits attended, together with some 2000 other guests, were present for the speech given by President Obama at BOZAR in Brussels. It was a memorable occasion for DG RTD, as the President was introduced by one of our colleagues, Laura Hemmati (DG RTD Unit G3). The current situation in Ukraine featured prominently in his speech, with the President underlining the important role of the EU and the common values defended within the US and the EU which have ensured the development of stable democracies.

Photo: (l-r) José Manuel Barroso, Barack Obama and

Herman van Rompuy

"Cooperation in Research & Innovation is the future of EU-Brazil relations"

The 7

th EU-Brazil Summit took in Brussels on 24 February

2014. The Summit took stock of progress of the overall cooperation between the EU and Brazil, with a focus on competitiveness and investment, research, trade, technology and innovation. The leaders agreed on the importance of cooperation in science, technology and innovation as a crucial element for boosting growth and competitiveness and addressing global challenges. The Ad-Hoc Working-Group on Economic Themes reported on the progress made towards the adoption of a joint Action Plan on Investment and Competitiveness, in which cooperation in research and innovation features prominently. The leaders welcomed the results of the last EU-Brazil Joint Steering Committee under the Science and Technology Agreement, especially with regard to stepping up research co-operation in key areas such as marine sciences, food security, nutrition, sustainable agriculture and bio-economy, energy, nanotechnologies and information and communication technologies. They also recognised the progress in the ongoing cooperation under the Euratom-Brazil Cooperation Agreement in the field of Fusion Energy Research, in particular related to the Joint European Torus (JET). Speaking to the press at the end of the Summit, President Roussef emphasized the importance of research cooperation stating: "Cooperation in research and innovation is the future of the EU-Brazil relations and Brazil will support Brazilian participation in Horizon 2020". The EU was represented by the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, and the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso. Brazil was represented by the President Dilma Rousseff, who was accompanied by several government ministers.

Photo: (l-r) Herman van Rompuy, Dilma Rousseff and José

Manuel Barroso

For further information please contact Domenica Bumma, Domenica.Buma@ec.europa.eu

DG RTD, Directorate C

For EU-US Joint Statement please visit http://eeas.europa.eu/statements/docs/2014/140326_02_en.pdf

or contact Wolfgang Wittke, Wolfgang.Wittke@ec.europa.eu DG RTD, Directorate C

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April 2014 Issue 44

The Innovation Convention (10-11 March)

The Innovation Convention brought together researchers, innovators, academia and industries to discuss the future of science and innovation in Europe. More than 80 speakers from across the world, including Nobel Prizewinners and young scientists, and 2400 participants were welcomed in Brussels by José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, and Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science. President Barroso delivered the State of the Innovation Union Address, emphasising that "the future of Europe is science, the future of Europe is innovation". A selection of “Innovation Showcases” from projects and companies involved in EU research featured interactive demonstrations of exciting new ideas and products. Participants could navigate with Google Glass or experience a virtual journey in a supersonic passenger airliner. They were also introduced to 3D printing and to the new tools that EU SMEs have created to fight malaria. Because innovation is not only about science, for the first time the Innovation Convention hosted an art exhibition. New materials, novel techniques and provocative ideas combined art, science and innovation, as seen by European artists. International Cooperation was discussed at the Innovation Cafe "Global challenges, global collaboration". Lino Barano (Argentinean Minister of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation), Prof Jean-Pierre

Bourguignon (President of the European Research Council), Derek Hanekom (South African Minister of Science and Technology), Eddie Bernice Johnson (Congresswoman, U.S. House of Representatives) and Jennie Yeung (United Nations Education Science Cultural Health Advancement Foundation) shared their views on methods that strengthen international collaboration in research and innovation to confront and answer global challenges.

Photo: Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn delivers the EU Prize for Women Innovators, together with President Barroso and Prime Minister Rutte of the Netherlands. The Prizewinners (l-r): Laura

Van’t Veer, 2nd Prize; Saskia Biskup, 1st Prize; Ana Maiques, 3rd Prize

For further information please contact Luciana da Silva Santos Luciana.da-Silva-Santos@europa.eu

DG RTD, Directorate C

Horizon 2020 Info event in Australia

The Delegation of the European Union to Australia, the Europe Centre at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, and the Australian Department of Industry jointly organised a Horizon 2020 Information Event in Melbourne on 12 March which was attended by around 160 participants. In opening the event, the EU Ambassador, Sem Fabrizi, underlined the importance of bilateral collaboration in research and innovation between the EU and Australia with Australia ranked 9

th among the non-EU

countries participating in FP7. For the Australian government, Lisa Schofield (Department of Industry) further underlined the importance of bilateral cooperation with the European Union and its Member States. Marisa Atienza Morales (Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission) provided the keynote presentation, giving an outline of the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, emphasising the scope for Australian participation. Cameron Slayter (Department of Industry), then elaborated on how Australians can participate in Horizon 2020 and on the role of CAESIE, the bilateral FP7 partnering project for SMEs and researchers in Australia and the EU. Finally, John Zic (CSIRO), the coordinator of the project AU2EU, provided further practical insights into what participation involves. This was the first open Horizon 2020 information event to be held in Australia.

Photo: Participants at the Horizon 2020 Info event in Australia

For further information please contact John Tuckwell

John.Tuckwell@eeas.europa.eu EU Delegation in Australia

Researchers from Hong Kong and Macau welcome Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+

Two comprehensive information seminars promoting the European Framework Programme were held on 20 and 21 February in Hong Kong and Macau. The seminars introduced opportunities for research and innovation collaboration with Europe to the scientific community of the

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April 2014 Issue 44

two Chinese Special Administrative Regions reaching an interested audience of around 250 coming from more than 10 different institutions. Representatives of the EU Delegation Beijing's S&T Section and of EURAXESS Links China presented not only what is in it for Hong Kong and Macau in collaborative research but also promoted the mobility and individual grant schemes of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, the European Research Council and Erasmus+. EURAXESS Links China representatives explained how researchers can get connected with Europe through the EURAXESS portal and events. The events not only succeeded in passing important messages on Horizon 2020 to an audience keen on collaborating with Europe but also created an excellent networking opportunity for local universities and institutions.

Photo: Horizon 2020 info seminar at Hong Kong Polytechnic

University

For further information please contact Philippe Vialatte Philippe.Vialatte@eeas.europa.eu

EU Delegation in Beijing

Presentations of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie

actions in North America

In February 2014 a series of meetings took place in North America on the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) of Horizon 2020. The MSCA support the human resources behind research and innovation in Europe through mobility opportunities open to the world. The discussions involved European Commission programme managers, the US National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Association of

Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). The Delegations of the EU to the US and Canada also played a key role in the sessions, including making a presentation of the Horizon 2020 Programme at NSF headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. The MSCA fund doctoral training, fellowships at postdoctoral level or beyond, and research staff exchanges. These involve organisations in EU Member States or Horizon 2020 Associated Countries working together, often with non-European partners. The MSCA are open to researchers

from anywhere in the world; the programme expects to Finance 15 thousand non-European researchers by 2020. The MSCA were presented together with the Erasmus+ EU programme at the annual conference of the Association of

International Education Administrators. Erasmus+ supports

international student exchanges and joint Master Programmes, as well as increased cooperation between European universities and their partners worldwide.

For further information please contact Paul Harris Paul.Harris@ec.europa.eu, DG EAC, Directorate C

Mongolia nominates National Contact Point for

Horizon 2020

In March 2014 the Mongolian Academy of Sciences established a Working Group to act as National Contact Point disseminating information on Horizon 2020 to the academic community in Mongolia. With the signature of the EU Mongolia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement last year, Science, Technology and Innovation became an integral part and leading topic for future EU-Mongolia discussions. The vision for Mongolia's S&T development in the 21

st century as outlined in Mongolia's Master Plan for

S&T for 2007-2020 follows the primary principle ''to be a nation developing science based on new knowledge and progressive technology'', to practice a national innovation system as a driving force for social and economic development by 2020, and to ensure a secure and quality of life for the people continuously supporting the progress and development of science and technology. The newly established NCP offers a great opportunity to increase EU- Mongolia research and innovation collaboration and to foster Mongolian S&T development in the years to come.

For further information please contact Philippe Vialatte Philippe.Vialatte@eeas.europa.eu

EU Delegation in Beijing

Research and Innovation are key to strive forward

the EU-China Partnership on Urbanisation

During a visit to Shanghai on 19 February, Philippe Vialatte, Science Counsellor at the Delegation in China, met with Shanghai-based research and innovation stakeholders to discuss the opportunities provided by Horizon 2020 for Chinese municipalities. One important institution visited in Shanghai was Tongji University's Urban Planning and Design Institute, China Intelligent Urbanization Co-creation Centre for High Density Regions (CIUC). The Centre which is headed by Tongji Vice President Professor Wu Zhiqiang conducts significant research work on urban issues and develops innovative technical and methodological solutions for the most striking problems and consequences of rapid urbanisation. One such an innovative tool that was presented was a computerised decision-making tool for

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mayors and city leaders providing the opportunity to oversee the complex developments in an urban context. The visit emphasised once more the importance of the EU-China Partnership on Urbanisation and the critical role of its Research and Innovation Pillar in advancing the EU-China cooperation in this particular area.

Photo: Philippe Vialatte at Tongji University's CIUC

examining the innovative decision-making tool For mayors

For further information please contact Philippe Vialatte

Philippe.Vialatte@eeas.europa.eu EU Delegation in Beijing

BILAT USA 2.0 Highlights EU-U.S. Marine Research & Transatlantic Cooperation at the 2014 Ocean Sciences Meeting

The EU funded BILAT USA 2.0 project partner Diplomacy Matters Institute (DMI) spearheaded two successful events at the 17

th biennial Ocean Sciences Meeting (OSM), held from

23-28 February 2014 in Honolulu, Hawaii. OSM is noted as one of the largest international gatherings of ocean scientists, students, educators, and policymakers -with the 2014 programme drawing 5600 participants. A Poster Presentation by Koenraad Verbruggen, Director of the Geological Survey of Ireland, detailed the state of transatlantic research cooperation in ocean sciences and current EU marine research initiatives. The significance of the Galway Statement on Atlantic Ocean Cooperation was a Core message of the session. Maximizing the large attendance of young scientists, these attendees also received hand-outs on EURAXESS and EURAXESS on Tour. The centerpiece of the OSM campaign featured a Horizon 2020 Town Hall, outlining international partnership opportunities for marine and arctic research. Expert panelists included: Dr James Gavigan of the EU Delegation to

the U.S.; Dr Brad deYoung, Memorial University, Canada; Dr Doug Wallace, MEOPAR Network, Dalhousie University, Canada; and Mr. Verbruggen. Blue Growth calls and the eligibility for EU funding of U.S. and international entities

were among the key discussions. The concluding networking reception facilitated peer-to-peer exchanges between speakers and representatives from industry, government and academia. Information on Horizon 2020 and Blue Growth open calls were also disseminated via social media - helping inform wider constituencies and attracting an engaged audience throughout the OSM meeting.

Photo: Koenraad Verbruggen, Director of the Geological Survey

of Ireland, and Lynn Van Fleit of Diplomacy Matters Institute are shown here during the Poster Session highlighting

transatlantic research cooperation during the 2014 Ocean Sciences Meeting

For more information please contact

Anne Haglund Morrissey, Anne.Haglund-Morrissey@ec.europa.eu or Wolfgang Wittke, Wolfgang.Wittke@ec.europa.eu

DG RTD, Directorate C

Horizon 2020 Open to the World - What you need to know about International Cooperation

On 14 March, Directorate C held the first training seminars: "Horizon 2020 Open to the World - What you need to know about International Cooperation". The first was dedicated to Directorate C staff and the second was targeted at project officers, international officers and evaluation coordinators across the DG and from other research family DGs. The speakers were C. Russo, K. Glinos and I. Narai, Director and Heads of Unit in Directorate C. Some 80 participants were informed about the implementation of the International Cooperation strategy through Horizon 2020, the modalities for participation and eligibility for funding as well as the communication strategy for international cooperation. The level of engagement and interest shown by the colleagues in the discussions were extremely high and their questions and comments were very useful in clarifying many issues. Since many people were unable to register due to space restrictions, an additional training session will be scheduled.

For further information please contact Mary Kavanagh Mary.Kavanagh@ec.europa.eu

DG RTD, Directorate C

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April 2014 Issue 44

EURAXESS LINKS China on the move to link researchers from Europe and China

Since its launch in December 2009, EURAXESS Links China has been actively supporting researchers moving and working between Europe and China. Under the supervision of, and in close cooperation with, the EU Delegation S&T section in Beijing, the initiative has established itself as an information and networking platform for the EU-China research community and as an efficient tool to link researchers ‘in the field’ with policy-makers deciding on the strategic orientation of EU-China Research and Innovation cooperation. Through its online presence, participation in European research information sessions and its own events as well as in synergy with various partners (including INCO projects, academic and industrial organisations etc., depending on the nature of the event to be organised) EURAXESS Links China provides researchers with practical information about funding and mobility in Europe and China, as well as with opportunities to meet new contacts, share experiences and discuss new collaborations. EURAXESS Links China thus offers researchers a concrete service to advance their research in the framework of growing EU-China scientific cooperation and the European strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation. With two representatives animating the network in China, 2014 should be a year of further development for EURAXESS Links China, bringing even more benefits to the researchers who make EU-China R&I cooperation a reality.

Photo: EURAXESS Links China event promoting EU-China research and innovation collaboration

For further information please e-mail china@euraxess.net or contact Philippe Vialatte, Philippe.Vialatte@eeas.europa.eu

EU Delegation in Beijing

'Horizon 2020 and collaboration with AIST and NIMS' (13 March)

On 5 March, AIST and RIKEN were selected as candidates for the new "specified national R&D institution" (high quality/quantity of academic papers). This change will enable a higher salary to be paid to researchers – with hopes that it will help attract and secure excellent talent. On 13 March representatives of the EU Delegation visited the

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Tsukuba to encourage AIST and National Institute for Material Science (NIMS) researchers to participate in Industrial Leadership projects in the areas of nanotechnology, advanced materials, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and processing, energy and others. The representatives of the Delegation presented the principles and budget of Horizon 2020 Technology Readiness Levels and the importance of bridging the gap between research and markets. The newly-created "Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute", which will open next month, was also represented.

Photo: Delegation visit to AIST

For further information please contact Barbara Rhode Barbara.Rhode@eeas.europa.eu or Tom Kuczynski

Tom.Kuczynski@eeas.europa.eu, EU Delegation in Tokyo Peaceful use of nuclear energy at the heart of EU China research and cooperation relations

A project aimed at enhancing the capability of China's nuclear supervision agencies and their technical support agencies was kicked off in February at the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Centre in Beijing, which is a branch of the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection. The project, which is supported by China and the EU and funded under EuropeAid's Nuclear Safety Instrument, enjoys great interest from other relevant stakeholders and demonstrates once more the importance of collaborating in the area of peaceful, safe and secure use of nuclear energy with strategic partner countries. The kick-off meeting in Beijing was attended by representatives of the Joint Research Centre and European Commission which already have long experience of cooperating with Chinese authorities in the framework of the EURATOM China R&D PUNE Agreement, signed in 2008. Projects like the one kicked-off, as well as collaborative research projects targeted at nuclear safety, clean energy supply as well as nuclear security and safeguards, play an important role in the energy-related political discussions between Europe and China.

For further information please contact Philippe Vialatte, Philippe.Vialatte@eeas.europa.eu

EU Delegation in Beijing

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April 2014 Issue 44

Cleanliness Competence Center opening ceremony

The Germany based Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA and the Romanian based company Microelectronica S.A. opened a Cleanliness Competence Center in Bucharest. This center, co-funded by the European Commission, combines LED research work and production lines in a unique way. Automotive, Optics and Electronics industries are going to benefit from the collaboration of Microelectronica as an innovative LED manufacturer and Fraunhofer as Europe’s largest application-oriented research organisation. “We congratulate Liviu Jalba and we need a lot more projects like this one,” said Ms. Angela Filote, Head of the European Commission‘s Representation in Romania. Christos Tokamanis, Head of Unit Advanced Materials and Nanotechnologies at the EC Directorate-General for Research and Innovation added: “It was very clever to team up with Fraunhofer IPA.” Equipped with leading-edge analysis tools such as Computer Tomograph, Scanning Electron Microscope and Contamination Extraction Systems, being operated in extremely clean environments, will identify their potential for improvement regarding cleanliness and lift them to greater efficiency and high quality standards. After two years of construction, the facilities were presented in an exclusive Opening Ceremony on Tuesday, March 18

th to

representatives of the European Commission, the Romanian Government and Industrial Stakeholders.

Photo: Dr Liviu Jalba at the Opening Ceremony with Angela

Filote, Herbert von Bose and Christos Tokamanis

For further information please contact Christos Tokamanis Christos.Tokamanis@ec.europa.eu, DG RTD, Directorate D

The Soil Atlas of Latin America and the Caribbean

In February the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) presented the first Soil Atlas of Latin America and the Caribbean at the AAAS2014 in Chicago. Thanks to colourful maps and illustrations the atlas explains the

diversity of soil across Central and South America and the Caribbean, aiming to raise awareness of the importance of this non-renewable resource. It also emphasizes the complex relationship between soil, climate and land use and underlines the role of soil in food security. Moreover, it presents Latin America's soil as an important host of the world's biodiversity. The Atlas also stresses the vital importance of soil as a natural non-renewable resource which provides food, fodder and fuel for 580 million people in this region. The publication also provides a number of strategies for soil preservation and conservation. The creation of the Atlas is the result of fruitful collaboration between the JRC and leading soil scientists in Europe, Central and South America and the Caribbean. It was funded by the EU through the EUROCLIMA Programme. This publication is designed for the general public, the education sector and policy makers dealing with environmental, agricultural and social issues. This is the fifth Atlas produced by the JRC, following the Soil Atlas of Africa, Soil Atlas of the Northern Circumpolar Region, Soil Atlas of Europe and European Atlas of Biodiversity.

For further information please contact Liliana Pasecinic

Liliana.Pasecinic@ec.europa.eu, JRC, Directorate A

FP7 Danube.Inco.Net Kick-off meeting in Vienna

On 3 and 4 February 2014 the kick-off meeting of the FP7 Danube.Inco.Net took place in Vienna. The project has 19 partners representing both Member States and other countries from the Danube Region. In addition, the JRC (IPTS in Seville) and the Central European Initiative are also partners. The project is set to run 36 months and work is organised in seven work packages. The main purpose of the project is to facilitate the implementation of the research and innovation dimension in the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUDS). The other purpose of the project is creating synergies and coordination between existing policies and initiatives taking place across the Danube Region (cohesion

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April 2014 Issue 44

rationale) through increased R&I efforts and transfer of technology to develop the knowledge society and support the competitiveness of enterprises. The project has a good mix of topics and partners representing Member States and other countries, and the private sector. The international Danube country partners are: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Moldova and Ukraine. Through cooperation with the Member States, their capacity to address the challenges in the Danube Region should be strengthened and their participation in Horizon 2020 facilitated.

For further information please e-mail

coordinator@danube-inco.net or contact Tania Friederichs Tania.Friederichs@ec.europa.eu

DG RTD, Directorate C

'How to increase Japanese participation in Horizon 2020?' (6 March)

Representatives of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), EU Member States and the EU Delegation gathered at the Delegation to discuss how to use existing mechanisms in JST to increase the participation of Japanese researchers in Horizon 2020. One idea is to identify the priority areas in the existing JST CREST program for team-oriented research (aiming at creation of seeds for revolutionary STI). Possible areas may include material science, renewable energy and aquaculture. Unlike in previous coordinated calls, also administered by JST, Japanese researchers using CREST funding could participate in normal Horizon 2020 calls using the full benefits of global collaboration.

Photo: Mr Geng Tu, Director for International

Collaboration JST

For further information please contact Barbara Rhode Barbara.Rhode@eeas.europa.eu, or Tom Kuczynski

Tom.Kuczynski@eeas.europa.eu, EU Delegation in Tokyo

'Promoting collaboration in ICT with Japan' (12 March)

ICT is one of three priorities of EU-Japan STI collaboration. On 12 March representatives of the EU Delegation visited the National Institute of Information and Communications (NICT) in Koganei City to present the opportunities for collaboration in ICT under Horizon 2020. In 2013 there was the first coordinated call in ICT (6 projects cofunded by DG CNECT, the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and NICT). The second call, also cofunded by NICT under Horizon 2020, is still open. 'Net futures' with a total budget of 6 MEUR covers topics such as big data, optical communications, networks for densely located users and federated testbeds. Representatives of the Tokyo Delegation also met with researchers from NICT and other Japanese research entities, explained the principles of Horizon 2020 and the ICT priorities and demonstrated how to better navigate the website. Information on 'normal calls' is crucial for a few hundred NICT experts who are unable to participate in coordinated calls.

Photo: (From left to right) Y. Koyama - International Affairs

Department, T. Kuczynski - EU DEL, M. Sakauchi - President of NICT, B. Rhode - EU DEL, F. Tomita Vice President of NICT

For further information please contact Barbara Rhode Barbara.Rhode@eeas.europa.eu, or Tom Kuczynski

Tom.Kuczynski@eeas.europa.eu, EU Delegation in Tokyo

'High Speed Key Technologies for Future Air Transport – a week of Aerospace research events in

Japan (17-20 March)

Getting from Europe to Japan in less than 3 hours by commercial aircraft is still long way ahead, but members of FP7 project HIKARI (FEB 2013-FEB 2015) are working together to help to realise that scenario in the not-too-distant future.

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15 European experts from major aeronautics industries in Europe (EADS, AIRBUS, ASTRIUM, etc.), from the European Space Agency (ESA) and from national space research centres gathered at the HQ of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in Chofu during the 'HIKARI 2nd Workshop' (18-20 March) to discuss the progress of their project aiming at preparing a high speed transport technology roadmap relying also on synergies between other research projects. Also during this week, Mr Tiit Jurimae, Head of Unit H3 DG RTD, met with Director Iida responsible in METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) for "Aerospace and Defence Industries" for the second "EU-Japan Aeronautics Research Dialogue" to discuss the way forward for bilateral cooperation in the field of aeronautics. On 17 March the Tokyo Delegation organised a specialised Horizon 2020 event. Mr Pablo Perez-Illana (RTD H3) presented opportunities provided by Horizon 2020, in particular in aeronautics, during the seminar : 'Japan-EU possibilities of research co-operation in the field of aeronautics and beyond'.

Photo: Mr Yoichi Iida, director of Aerospace and Defense

Industry Division, METI and Mr Pablo Perez-Illana (RTD H3)

For further information please contact Barbara Rhode Barbara.Rhode@eeas.europa.eu, or Tom Kuczynski

Tom.Kuczynski@eeas.europa.eu, EU Delegation in Tokyo

CONTACT US!

Eduard Philipp Rille (Editor in Chief) Eduard.Rille@ec.europa.eu

Tel + 32 2 295 4683

Valérie Dierckx (Assistant Editor) Valerie.Dierckx@ec.europa.eu

Tel + 32 2 298 7748

International Cooperation Directorate Directorate-General for Research and Innovation

European Commission

To subscribe/unsubscribe please send an e-mail to Ana.Tavares@ec.europa.eu

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April 2014 Issue 44

The Back Page

I studied architecture in Guimarães and moved to Helsinki

in 2007 to work in a very nice architecture office. In

Finland I visited and became impressed with the buildings

of Alvar Aalto (1898-1976). I applied for a Doctoral grant

to study “The work of Alvar Aalto’s collaborators: Jaakko

Kontio, Kaarlo Leppänen and Eric Adlercreutz”, and

became a researcher in the History department of the

School of Architecture of Tampere University of

Technology.

People ask me how can history serve architecture, which

is largely a practical art. I haven’t got a simple answer to

this. History and architecture seem to be related in many

ways. Architecture lasts in time and is a privileged stage

for human events. Even the profession has long roots,

extending to the Classical world and

before. I felt I needed to gain confidence

for my work as an architect, which I

considered a very difficult one.

Aalto himself did several kinds of

research, above all, study strips and

prototypes. In 1954 he built a new studio

as a combination of “office” and “academy

of architecture in miniature”. In the

following years, Aalto and a large group of

collaborators got involved in some

extraordinary projects. Finally, many of them started

offices of their own: how is the work of the collaborators

related with the work done with Aalto? How is their work

related with its time?

I started with visits to sites, observations and selection of

projects and documents - from the architects’ own

collections, the Alvar Aalto Museum, the Museum of

Finnish Architecture, etc. - and looked at three cases in-

depth: Jaakko Kontio (and Kalle Räike’s) Lappeenranta

University of Technology (1969); Kaarlo Leppänen’s

Valkeakoski Cultural and administrative center (1966);

and Eric Adlercreutz (and Nils-Hinrik Aschan’s)

Jägarbacken housing in Tammisaari (1967).

Then, followed the long process of structuring and writing

my thesis. I had to learn the work of an architectural

historian as well as how to tell a story.

These projects - so far relatively unknown - open a

number of good questions. They were realised in a period

of radical changes in Finnish society and crisis even

within the modern movement. Aalto had by then almost

completed his career, leading Kontio, Leppänen and

Adlercreutz to take his influence forward actively.

For a researcher, moving abroad offers certain

advantages. I gained for example a more distanced point

of view. On the other side, I remained insensitive to many

cultural shades, especially concerning language. Finland

has excellent archives and libraries. The community of

architects and architecture history

researchers is small.

The School of Architecture compensates

for this, organizing monthly postgraduate

seminars (last year, a Doctoral

Programme was also created). Besides,

the History department has been involved

in some major international events: MARC

2011, a five-week course on conservation

of modern architecture, theory and

practice; and Docomomo 2012, a

workshop and conference.

The return of the thesis is close and I look forward to

starting a new task, whether as architect or researcher or

perhaps both.

Miguel Borges de Araújo School of Architecture

Tampere University of Technology, Finland

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the

official policy or position of the European Commission.

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