Danube-INCO.NET — Advancing Research and Innovation in the Danube Region

The Project Management Agency (PT-DLR) at the DLR (German Aerospace Center) is the largest German management organisation for the implementation of R&D funding programmes for ministries. The international departments in PT-DLR are the International Bureau (IB) and the EU-Bureau (EUB).

The IB-PT-DLR at the DLR is responsible for the implementation of international cooperation activities on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). It provides direct services to the Ministry and administers BMBF support, granted to German higher education and public research institutions, as well as to industries and SMEs for identifying and developing international contacts and preparing joint research activities in strategic fields of common interest, basically linked to national and European research funding programmes. As the central management agency of the BMBF for international relations, IB-PT-DLR supports bilateral cooperation in science, technology and education with about 50 countries around the world, with a special emphasis on the development of the European Research Area and its neighbouring regions. The International Bureau has a strong background in R&D strategy and policy implementation with particular emphasis on international relations. IB-PT-DLR is actively involved in the international, bilateral and multilateral political dialogue.

The EU-Bureau of the BMBF coordinates the network of German National Contact Points (NCPs) and renders assistance to the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in all matters regarding the EU Research Framework Programmes. It is also involved in the preparation of Horizon 2020 and the development of the European Research Area (ERA). Among other tasks, EU-Bureau provides information and advice on more general aspects of the EU Research Framework Programme as a whole as well as on international cooperation including legal and financial aspects. Furthermore it informs about research infrastructures, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), the European Research Council (ERC), and provides information on synergies between Structural Funds and the EU Research Framework Programme.

Previous experience:
IB-PT-DLR participates in many EU-projects (INCO-NETs. Era-Nets, BILATs, ACCESS4EU) aimed at setting up frameworks for international cooperation. Regarding the Western Balkan Countries, IB-PT-DLR is deeply involved in bilateral and multilateral cooperation, including activities directed towards policy development. In the past IB-PT-DLR co-ordinated special infrastructure actions (e.g. the Scientific Information Network South-East-Europe – SINSEE), supported institution building (e.g. restructuring R&D activities in Serbia) as well as regional networking initiatives (e.g. Integrated Water Management – TRINOWA). Since the International Bureau is a work package leader in the EU funded SEE-ERA.NET consortium it has established excellent contacts to scientific organisations and likewise to governmental authorities in the WBC. IB-PT-DLR is involved in the development of the SEE-ERA.NET Pilot Joint Call and a White Paper, closely cooperating with its SEE-ERA.NET partners, on specific objectives and instruments for strengthening the R&D cooperation with the Western Balkan countries. Currently it is responsible for the management of the Joint Call of the SEE-ERA-NET PLUS project and has therefore gained great experience in the coordination of funding agencies and in the management of a multilateral call for European research projects.

Source: project partner description