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PLAN OF ACTION

OF THE BSEC WORKING GROUP

 ON COOPERATION IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

1 January 2021 — 31 December 2022

Country-Coordinator: Turkey

 

1.      GENERAL OBJECTIVES

The key priorities for BSEC activity in the field of science and technology are defined by Goal 11 “Strengthening Regional Cooperation in Scientific Research and Technology” of the “BSEC Economic Agenda Towards an Enhanced BSEC Partnership”, adopted in 2012. The main objective of the BSEC Working Group on Cooperation in Science and Technology, established in 1994, is to promote regional cooperation in the field of science and technology.

The BSEC Working Group on Cooperation in S&T, as a permanent subsidiary body of BSEC, shall monitor the implementation of the Fourth Action Plan and submit regular progress reports to the BSEC Committee of Senior Officials, the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and to the Ministers responsible for Science and Technology of the BSEC Member States.

 

2.  PRIORITIES OF THE WORKING GROUP

The Working Group intends to focus on the following priorities for the period of 2021-2022:

  • Promoting regional identity and visibility of the BSEC in the Member States through jointbilateral and multilateral STI initiatives.
  • Recognizing and consolidating the role of researchers in addressing global challenges and ina knowledge-based sustainable development of each country and the region as a whole.
  • Fostering exchange and mobility of researchers and scientists, especially among youth, fromthe BSEC Member States, inter alia, through bilateral and multilateral agreements and scholarships of scientific centers (including universities) of the BSEC Region.
  • Encouraging the development of platforms and implementation of projects, aimed atpromoting the exchange of information, experience and best practices in the field of science, technology and innovation to respond to the global challenges.
  • Ensuring the coherent development of research infrastructures, including e-infrastructures,in the BSEC Region with international initiatives.

 

3.  JOINT PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES

The Working Group focused its activity in particular on human resources, capacity building, research infrastructures, innovation, specific initiatives and tools in the field of science and technology. It launched the Questionnaire on national innovation related structures and encouraged BSEC

Member States to identify strategic partnerships in selected fields of science and technology which resulted in the creation of a Consortium of interested entities from BSEC Member States.

The Working Group has on its agenda a number of proposals and projects of interest to the BSEC Member States, such as:

  • the development of an open and interactive web-based Registry (database) of nationalinnovation related structures for BSEC Member States;
  • the platform for multilateral cooperation in the field of science, innovation and education inthe Black Sea Region "The Black Sea Academic and Research Consortium”;
  • youth engagement in science and technology;
  • "The BSEC Award (Prize) for Young Scientists";
  • organization of a Joint Workshop / Seminar with the United States as an initial step in theimplementation of the Memorandum of Intent;
  • cooperation with other international organizations in the field of science and technology.

In order to reach these proposals the aim is to:

  • Find ways and suitable methods of cross-border interregional STI cooperation and todevelop an implementation strategy for interregional cooperation.
  • Build a concept note on the establishment of an annual BSEC contest / award for youngscientists and innovators working in the promising areas of research related to the Black Sea Region.
  • Consider the possibility of organizing annual BSEC contest / award for young entrepreneursand successful startups.
  • Organize joint scientific seminars, workshops, symposia, conferences, exhibitions, summerschools and other international events in the field of promising areas of research and technology.
  • Consider the possibility of organizing a joint workshop /training on science and technology,as an initial step in the implementation of the MoI between BSEC and USA via defining concrete suggestions and proposals of BSEC Member States.
  • Encourage collection of data related to prospects of joint scientific projects, inter alia, via theQuestionnaire on National and Regional Research Infrastructures of the BSEC Member States.
  • Optimize the existing data-collection procedures in the field of science, technology andinnovation in the BSEC Region.
  • Develop the digital version of a database of national and regional research infrastructures ofthe BSEC member-states.

 

4.  MEETINGS OF THE WORKING GROUP

  • 1st WG Meeting / online (21 April 2021, BSEC HQ) — adoption of the Plan of Action (2021- 2022);
  • 2nd WG Meeting (autumn, 2021, tbc) — consideration of the initiatives within the Plan of Action; elaboration and implementation of the joint projects.
  • 3rd WG Meeting (spring, 2022, tbc) — consideration of the initiatives within the Plan of Action; elaboration and implementation of the joint projects.
  • 4th WG Meeting (autumn, 2022, tbc) — consideration of the initiatives within the Plan of Action; elaboration and implementation of the joint projects and preparation of evaluation report of the Country-Coordinator.

 

5.  MINISTERIAL MEETINGS

Meeting of the Ministers in charge of Science and Technology of the BSEC Member States (Spring 2022, tbc) – Consideration and adoption of the 4th BSEC Action Plan on Cooperation in Science and Technology (2020-2024) and Consideration and adoption of the Declaration of the Ministers in charge of Science and Technology.

 

6.  RELEVANT EVENTS

  • Organization of a workshop among funding organizations taking part in the BSEC WorkingGroup on Science and Technology in cooperation with the EU funded project BS-CONNECT (Coordination of marine and maritime research and innovation in the Black Sea).
  • Organization of a workshop to receive inputs from BSEC S&T Working Group members to theImplementation Plan of the BS Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda of the BS- CONNECT Project.

 

7.  COOPERATION WITH OTHER BSEC BODIES

  • Extend collaboration with the BSEC Working Group on Information and CommunicationTechnologies and Working Group on Education.
  • Foster cooperation with the International Center for Black Sea Studies (ICBSS).

 

8.  COOPERATION WITH BSEC OBSERVERS AND PARTNERS

  • Develop a Project-based cooperation among BSEC and international organizations andspecialized agencies in the field of science, technology and innovation, especially with the UN bodies such as UNDP and UNIDO. World Bank may be another
  • Design and structure opportunities for the implementation of the Memorandum of Intent onScience and Technology BSEC–USA.
  • Increase collaboration with the Black Sea Universities Network (BSUN).
  • Build a closer interaction between recent Black Sea Initiatives related to the Black SeaStrategic Research and Innovation Agenda and Common Maritime Agenda.