WBC–INCO.NET Final Conference & Brokerage Event
Dr. Tofig Babayev, Director of R.I.T.A. ICT NCP Azerbaijan, took part in the WBC–INCO.NET Final Conference & Brokerage Event "Towards 2020: New Horizons for RTD and Innovation in the Western Balkan Region” held on 27-28 March 2014 in Vienna, Austria.The overall aim of the conference, project exhibiton, and the brokerage event was to provide an environment to build new partnerships for cooperation in Horizon 2020. This event brought together for more than 176 science policy makers, scientists and industry representatives from the Western Balkan Region, SEE, Danube Region but also other EU countries who were interested in cooperation with WB countries.
The conference was attended by the representatives of Ministry of Education and Science of Albania, Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Science and Education and Sports of Croatia, Ministry of Education and Science of FYR of Macedonia, Ministry of Science of Montenegro, Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Serbia, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Kosovo, and numerous representatives of the scientific community of Western Balkan Region.
While the core focus of the conference was primarily on Horizon 2020 and thus the collaboration in science between WBC and EU Member States under the new Programme, information on other on-going/up-coming activities in WBC – in particular focusing innovation issues – was also exchanged.
Within the conference were held parallel sessions, which on the first day dealt with the issues of effective support of the participation in Horizon 2020. The second day focused on the performance of the research and innovation sector in WBC with discussions of the achievements, challenges and the way forward in the following areas: Human resources and brain drain, RTDI Infrastructues and Knowledge and Technology Transfer.