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The Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) organised a day-long PRIMA Proposal Writing Workshop on the 10th of January 2022 from 9.30am – 5.00pm (CET).

The Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) is a multilateral programme that strives to bring stakeholders from 19 different Mediterranean countries to work together in addressing common challenges faced in this region through research and innovation (R&I). PRIMA has been awarding projects related to the thematic areas of Water Management, Sustainable Farming Systems, and the Agro-food Value Chain since 2018.

The workshop aimed to build capacity amongst PRIMA stakeholders on how to write successful proposals for R&I funding, as well as provide an avenue for networking, resulting in increased proposal submissions in areas of common interest – aims that align well also with the ambitions of the 5+5 Dialogue Member Countries. It was delivered by the PRIMA Project Officer Mr. Marco Orlando, who gave an in-depth overview of the PRIMA programme, how it operates, and the Calls foreseen for 2022. Furthermore, participants were informed on how to write PRIMA Stage 1 and Stage 2 proposals and on how to find international partners to join or build strong project consortia.

The workshop was held in a hybrid format due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation. While only a small group could be allowed to participate in the in-person event to ensure the safety of those who attended, the online registrants counted 395, and hailed from a wide array of countries including Greece, Jordan, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Mauritania, India, France, Algeria, Portugal, Tunisia, Spain, Morocco and Turkey. The wide geographical coverage of this workshop was facilitated by the esteemed support from the 5+5 Dialogue (Research, Innovation and Higher Education) and PRIMA Secretariat.

In-person attendees were invited to apply the knowledge acquired during the workshop to frame a project idea and pitch their project proposal to their peers. On the other hand, online attendees were invited to network virtually on the Wonder.me platform. The workshop came to an end with a final session that informed the workshop participants about the different PRIMA-related Calls/Schemes that MCST will be participating/launching this year, as well as a brief overview of the National Rules that apply to Malta-based entities.

Another PRIMA event, to be held fully online, is currently being organised by PRIMA on the 18th of January 2022 at 9.30 CET. Interested stakeholders are invited to register their interest to participate in this PRIMA InfoDay session, during which the annual work plan will be extensively discussed. A preliminary version of the annual work plan is currently available on the PRIMA website. More information about the PRIMA InfoDay can be found via the following link: PRIMA MED Infodays (prima-med.org)

Further information: https://www.plumtri.org/Highlights_from_the_PRIMA_Proposal_Writing_Works...

The project BlueSkills, led by the Italian National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS, was ranked 1st in the category "Skill Development and Circulation" and was also the overall winner of this edition of the WestMED Project Awards.

The project was presented by Dr. Mounir Ghribi, Director of International Cooperation of OGS.

The WestMED Stakeholder Conference 2021, organised by the Italian-Libyan co-chairmanship of the WestMED Initiative, was held in Rome on November 9th. The Conference discussed the main issues linked to the sustainable blue economy in the Mediterranean region, focusing on ongoing projects and funding opportunities in this area.

This year, the Conference has seen the launch of the first edition of the WestMED Project Awards, with the objective to identify, showcase and honour exceptional projects in different areas which provide innovative and replicable solutions embodying the WestMED initiative’s vision for the western Mediterranean.

The WestMED Initiative has been initiated by the Union for the Mediterranean with the support of the European Commission to help achieve a safer and more secure maritime space, create a smarter and more resilient Blue Economy and improve the maritime governance for the western Mediterranean.

For more information on the WestMED Initiative, click here 

The Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) programme launches Calls to fund transnational R&I projects related to three main pillars:

• Water Management;
• Sustainable Farming Systems;
• Agro-food Value Chain.

Interested entities can either apply for EU-funded Section 1 projects or can apply for Member State-funded Section 2 projects for which each Participating State commits an annual budget.

The Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) is committed to build capacity in writing effective and successful proposals submitted to PRIMA.

In fact, MCST will be organising a full-day proposal writing workshop focussed on PRIMA proposals on the 10th of January 2022. Training will be delivered by a key expert from the PRIMA Secretariat. This workshop is intended for a broad range of stakeholders hailing from academia, public and private entities, NGOs, proposal writing service providers, funding support entities, end-users etc. Hence such a workshop can also be a useful opportunity to interact and build personal networks.

This event is by registration only and will be accessible both online and in-person. The number of in-person attendees is limited and so early registration is highly encouraged. Also, in-person attendees will need to present a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate* and will need to consent to providing details for contact tracing purposes.

Venue: Main Hall, Villa Bighi, Kalkara

Date: 10th January 2022
Time: 9.30am-5.00pm
Register here (for both in-person and online attendees): link
Agenda: TBA

In-person attendees can register their interest to attend this workshop by the 31st of December 2021 (limited places available). In-person attendees will receive a confirmatory email.
Deadline for registration to access the workshop online is 6th of January 2021. Connection details/Meeting link will be provided prior to the workshop.

More information on Plumtri Platform: link

* A valid vaccination certificate recognised by the Superintendent of Public Health for a full course of vaccination (2 doses or 1 dose of a single dose vaccine) with EMA approved vaccines (Comirnaty [Pfizer], Jannsen [Johnson & Johnson], Spikevax [Moderna], Vaxzevria [AstraZeneca]), with batches that are authorized by the national regulatory authority of the administering country, with 14 days after the last dose.
 

On the 1st and 2nd of December, the 10th GSO Meeting of the 5+5 Dialogue for Research, Innovation and Higher education took place online. The Italian National Institute for Oceanography and Applied Geophysics, representing Italy at the Dialogue 5+5 and hosting the Secretariat of this Forum, supported the organization of the meeting and moderated the discussion, in agreement with Mauritania, in the year of its presidency.

The delegates discussed the draft declaration in view of the next Ministerial Conference, which will be organized by Mauritania in May 2022 either in person or online, according to the pandemic situation.

On November 10-12, participants from the Countries of the Dialogue 5+5 will meet to discuss important issues for the Mediterranean region.

This three-day event will be organized as follows. The first day, co-organized by Spain and Algeria, will focus on "Creating new opportunities for youth". The second day, co-organized by Spain and Morocco, will analyze the topic of "Blended learning for increasing youth opportunities", with the participation of high-level speakers, including the Director of the International Cooperation structure of OGS, Dr. Mounir Ghribi, who will speak about the importance of developing blue skills to tackle youth unemployment in the Mediterranean Region. Finally, the third day, co-organized by Spain and Tunisia, will focus on "Technology transfer and improving intellectual property management capacity".

This initiative confirms the strong willingness to collaborate at a regional level in the fields of innovation, research and higher education, to address current challenges through science diplomacy and international cooperation.

If you wish to participate to these workshops, please send an email to: fiveplusfiverihe@inogs.it

• Resources and training material available at this page: link

The new edition of the WestMED Stakeholder Conference, organized under the Italian and Libyan Co-Presidency of the WestMED Initiative, will take place in Rome on 9 November 2021. The Conference, which will also be streamed online, will be structured around the notion of “Corridors to Sustainable Blue Development”.

The three sessions will focus on the main political developments on the Blue Economy in the region, including a discussion of project cooperation and funding, and will be organized as follows:

Corridors to enhanced cooperation: focused on the main political developments on the Blue Economy in the region

Corridors to project cooperation: with projects that lead the way regarding impact, innovation and replicability/ transferability

Corridors to funding and financial cooperation: bridging the gap between projects and potential sources of support at the outset of the new programming period 2021-2027

The Conference will also host the Ceremony of the first edition of the WestMED Project Awards. 

Please find the agenda at the following link: https://www.westmed-initiative.eu/westmed-conference-2021/

You can register at this form: https://ecorysevents.eventsair.com/stakeholder-conference-2021/l/Site/Re...

The Union for the Mediterranean is organizing a workshop on October 27, 28 and 29, 2021, titled ‘Increasing Awareness of Science Diplomacy in The Mediterranean’. The training, implemented by CREAF, a public research center dedicated to terrestrial ecology, land analysis and global change, will take place online, from 10:00 to 13:00 CEST.

This training activity on Science Diplomacy in the Mediterranean will explore how regional multi-stakeholder cooperation can help achieve long-term sustainability and prosperity in the region through science and innovation. The programme will combine expert lectures and panels with leading science diplomacy scholars and practitioners with professional development and skills-building sessions, interactive case studies, networking opportunities, and leadership training.

Participants will be selected to ensure balance of stakeholders, gender, career level, and geographic diversity from the 42 UfM Member States. Through the training, they will be provided with in-depth knowledge, skills, practical tools, and networks to put science diplomacy into action for the benefit of the Mediterranean.

The workshop will be articulated in three-sessions, at the end of which participants will receive a certificate of completion, issued by the UfM.

For more information on the event, please visit the website https://bit.ly/3ngR3TC

The registration form is available at the following link https://bit.ly/3DZBINS (open until 26 October)

The Platform for Mediterranean Research and Innovation, also known as Plumtri, is a platform for stakeholders in the Mediterranean region.

The platform, administered by the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST), provides users with the opportunity to connect and network with one another and gain access to relevant information on a multitude of R&I news, events, and funding opportunities.

By registering to Plumtri, you will gain access to all of its useful features, including the possibility of finding partners for collaborative research, engaging with other members, as well as gaining access to further R&I related resources

Please visit the Plumtri website to learn more about the platform: https://www.plumtri.org/

In order to benefit from the networking opportunities, you can register at this link: https://www.plumtri.org/member/register

The Union for the Mediterranean organizes a two-day training on October 21st and 22nd, 2021. The course “Linking academic research to industry” aims to re-examine the interaction between academia and industry, focusing on the importance of the alliances and networking between the industry and higher education institutions and research centres.

The training, which is part of a series of activities organized by the UfM to address the unemployment of highly qualified graduates, will focus on the national example of Tunisia with the cooperation of the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESRS) and with the support of GIZ, on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany (BMZ). Tunisian graduates, especially in scientific fields have increased dramatically, yet the industry still needs more confidence in the potential value added of these graduates. 

The initiative will bring together high-level speakers, including Dr. Mounir Ghribi, Director of International Cooperation at OGS, who will discuss this issue with respect to the sectors of the Sustainable Blue Economy.

The training will have two live online class sessions. The working languages will be English/French/Arabic (with live interpretation in French/Arabic/English).

Please find the draft agenda here: https://ufmsecretariat.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Draft-Agenda_Innov...

To register, click here: https://ufmsecretariat.org/registrationformin-emtrainingtunisia

The Workshop is jointly organized in virtual mode by the Centre for Science and Technology of the Non-Aligned & Other Developing Countries (NAM S&T Centre) and the Committee on Capacity Development of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) during 8-9 November 2021.
The objective of the virtual Workshop is to highlight the role of ocean science and technology in blue economic development. The Workshop will introduce current concepts in the blue economy, followed by a discussion of specific topics that include coastal marine resources of economic relevance, environmental threats that endanger blue economic goals, the importance of ocean observing systems and the need for capacity development. By illuminating the use and misuse of Science and Technology in blue economies, the Workshop aims to help establish the foundation of scientific knowledge and ocean observations to support sustainable ocean development. The Workshop will be open to ocean scientists, government officials, policy makers, and representatives from industry and nongovernment organizations from NAM and other developing countries, as well as developed countries.

To participate, please register here: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=nmzjwjyab&oeidk=a07...
Deadline: 25 October 2021

Please note that before the Workshop a detailed programme will be made available to participants, who will also receive the details about connection to the virtual platform that will be used.
For more information about the topics of the workshop, please find the concept note here: https://scor-int.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Workshop-Announcement-Bl...