7 FPTHEME [CAPACITIES] [REGPOT]
Call “Providing evaluation facilities for research organization in the EU´s convergence regions and outermost regions”
Support Action

Project full title: Plan of Action - a Strategic Portal to Research Excellence
Project acronym: PASPORT
Grant agreement no.: 204722
Start date: July 1, 2008

Beneficiary name: INSTITUTE OF POLYMERS, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
One of the key problems that the European Research Council and the scientific communities are facing is overcoming the fragmentation of research activities, programmes and policies across Europe. Being one of the convergence regions Bulgaria as a new member state needs considerable efforts and support to reach and sustain a competitive edge in knowledge and innovation. The research staff at Institute of Polymers that have been benchmarking with their colleagues from the most developed countries for years do have the capacities to make a worthy contribution to ERA. Therefore the Institute undertakes this project for evaluating its research potential and successive developing of an Action Plan. The project is relevant to the call “Providing evaluation facilities for research organization in the EU´s convergence regions and outermost regions” and is in congruence with the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2007-2013.

Objectives of the proposal:
(i) Evaluation of research quality and infrastructure of IP-BAS
The evaluation of IP-BAS performance, including SWOT analysis, made by independent experts will be the guiding tool in deriving an Action Plan. The extensive evaluation of the experts set as a head-stone of this proposal will provide information on the scientific specialization that validates the objectives intended to accomplish by the project. The evaluation is also intended to have a prospective character, i.e. to be an analytical basis for efficient research management and wining research policy.

(ii) Drawing up an Action Plan for enhancing its research potential
The Action Plan will outline a framework of policies and measures with a view to intensify the process of strengthening the capacities of the Institute and contributing to the realization of the full research potential of the enlarged European Union. The set actions for immediate implementation of an integrated and responsible strategy will facilitate the successful participation of the Institute in the research activities at regional and EU level.
We see the key factors of success as being:

• Soundness and consistence of the Action plan with the convergence objective of EU, policy minutes of the European Commission, as well as our National Strategic Reference Framework (2007-2013). These directives are referred to in WP2 as main inputs in the generation of the Action Plan;
• Setting new communication and cooperation models with industry and policy makers; we foresee to attract related industries to give hints for the definition and execution of the Action Plan.
• Motivated involvement of the Institute’s staff in the project. The Coordinator is the Director of IP, which demonstrates strong commitment of the Institute. An information campaign promoting the project objectives (which has already started) is included in WP1.

Execution of the work plan:
 

On-site visit of the evaluators - from 17-th September to 20-th September, 2008.

Milestone 1. Presentation and discussion of the analysis and assessment

Deliverable 1: Evaluation report (inc. SWOT analysis)
The evaluation of research quality and infrastructure of the Institute of Polymers (IP) of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), including a SWOT analysis, was performed by a group of three independent experts nominated by the EC DG Research. An objective driven SWOT analysis was delivered based on the documentation provided by the IP, public sources (internet) and of the on-site visit of experts on the premises of IP in Sofia in the period September 17-20, 2008.
November 5-th, 2008 - Meeting of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Polymers: Discussion of the Evaluation report and SWOT analysis

WP2. ACTION PLAN TO IMPROVE THE RESEARCH CAPACITIES

Milestone 2. Workshop (discussion on the draft version of the Action Plan)

Milestone 3. Final discussion & presentation of the Action Plan

Deliverable 2: Action Plan
The generation of the Action Plan is the second stage in the implementation of the project PASPORT No 204722. The Action Plan is intended to outline a frame of policies and measures with a view to intensify the process of strengthening the capacities of the Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IP-BAS) and contributing to the realization of the full research potential of the enlarged European Union.

The Action Plan comprises short-term (e.g., 2009 – 2010), mid-term (2009 – 2013), long-term (2009 – 2020) and permanent activities, initiatives, measures, and processes for upgrading the research potential of IP-BAS, improving the research organization and management, enhancing participation in EU research initiatives, earning a competitive position and structured partnerships with industry and other stakeholders. The Action Plan is developed on the basis of several inputs. The SWOT analysis, made by independent experts appointed by EC, constitutes the major one. Readers can read the SWOT analysis to gain more complete understanding of the measures and activities defined in the Action Plan. The work group has considered very carefully the recommendations of the experts and prepared the present Action Plan based on them, on the experience of the research staff of the Institute, and on the many comments received on the early drafts of this document. Inputs have been sought also from a survey of the future needs and demands of European society through the policy papers of the European Commission, technology platforms such as Sustainable Chemistry, European Technology Platform for Advanced Materials and Technologies (EuMaT), Nanotechnology for Medical Applications (NanoMedicine), Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Platform (HFP), and National Strategic Reference Framework 2007-2013. Important feedback on good experience, best practice and policy have been obtained by visiting of advanced centers abroad.

In a long-term the implementation of the Action Plan means emerging of IP-BAS as a center of excellence, developing the Institute into a place that attracts talented young people, a place where researchers generate and transfer new knowledge through friendly competition, a place where both fundamental and applied research is carried out for benefit of the needs and demands of the society.

The Action Plan is finalized in June 2009. For some of the action items, there are already efforts underway.