An EU helping hand for Western Balkan research Bringing the Western Balkans closer in terms of research support to neighbouring EU nations promises to enhance the research capabilities of the emerging nations. Climate Change and Environment © Shutterstock The EU-funded project 'Intensifying ERA in Western Balkan countries' (ERA Westbalkan+) aimed to open up the European Research Area (ERA) in the region. It conducted training sessions and workshops for stakeholders from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, bringing them closer to the European research community. these activities included networking with research centres in Greece, Austria and Slovenia, strengthening of National Contact Points (NCPs) and conducting a workshop on preparing proposals for EU projects. one important project achievement involved organising Get In Touch Meetings in different countries to enable researchers to find suitable partners, complete with an online tool conceived for the events. Another achievement involved the strengthening of the NCPs in the Western Balkans by implementing a new software system as well as through a workshop held in Belgrade, Serbia. The workshop focused on how to prepare a proposal to join European projects under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). ERA Westbalkan+ also supported partner searches and collaboration by establishing the West Balkan Research covering universities, research and development (R&D) organisations and researchers in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FYROM, Montenegro and Serbia. A final networking conference under the project took place in 2008 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This allowed the NCPs to exchange international best practice and experiences for the benefit of all participants. All the project's results were disseminated through publications as well as the project's website, providing much stronger footing in R&D for the region and enhancing collaboration on many levels.
