No. 2 (126) February 2007

THE EUROPEAN UNION’S CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO THE LAUNCH OF THE SEVENTH RESEARCH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME

Director of SIC ICWC Prof. V.A. Dukhovny with 230 delegates invited from around the world took part in the European Union’s Conference dedicated to the official launch of the Seventh Framework Programme on 6-9 February 2007. The Conference was held in Brussels.

At the opening, Director General of the Research DG Mr. J. M. Silva Rodriguez determined the main directions of this program for 2007-2012:

• demonstrating the availability of scientific capacity, research activities and experience of European and adjacent countries;
• effectiveness of research activities;
• orientating not only to Europe, but to raising scientific capacity around the world and using it in the interests of humanity;
• priority of information technologies and communications in order to make global research area universal;

Though the Programme’s budget approved on 18 December 2006 amounts to 50.52 billion euro, only 32.4 billion euro have been allocated to the Programme by now. Of them, the sections have received: “Information” – 9.05 billion euro, “Health” – 6.1 billion euro, as more foreground, “Ideas” – 1.0 billion euro, “Food and Agriculture” – 1.93 billion euro, “Nanotechnologies” – 3.5 billion euro, “Energy” – 2.3 billion euro, “Environment” – 1.8 billion euro.

In his presentation, Mr. Martin Penny set out the issues of the Programme’s structure. It includes the following financial schemes:

• joint projects;
• perfection network;
• coordination and support of actions;
• research in the interests of particular groups;
• support for advanced research activities;
• support for training and career promotion of scientists (Marie Curie).

Joint projects are divided into:

• generalized joint projects;
• large-scale integrated projects (with a budget of more than 4 million euro);
• small and medium-scale target projects (with a budget of less than 4 million euro);
• projects oriented to certain groups (SME, NGO, etc.);
• joint projects oriented to international cooperation.

At least 3 organizations from the EC member and associated countries should participate in the coordination program, and any one legal entity should take part in the support program.

Dr. Robert Burmanjer reported on international cooperation in special program “Capacities”.

The following countries can participate in the Programme, besides European ones:

• associated countries;
• industrialized countries (USA, Canada, Austria, Japan, Australia);
• countries adjacent to the European Union, including Central Asian countries.

Three activities are presented in the program for 2007-2008:

• interregional cooperation and collaboration (INCO-NET);
• bilateral scientific and technical cooperative partnership;
• coordination of national policies and activities (ERA-NET):

The first action program enables to organize cooperation between regions as development of a common platform, which would unite stakeholders and policy organizations in one conditional region with the same ones in the European community. The goal is to organize a dialogue on initiating scientific-technical developments in the interests of both regions, implement certain actions for participation of target regions in FP7.

The second activity is aimed at bilateral cooperation between countries having cooperative agreement with the EU.

There is a number of programs at intergovernmental level such as ERA-NET, EUREKA, COST. The details are at: http://ec.europa.eu/research/enquiries.

A special attention was given to natural resources management, on which Manager of Natural Resources Management Division at DG Research Dr. Pierre Mathy delivered a paper.

The main task of this direction is program 6.2:

• support of international contribution to the implementation of the UN Conventions on biodiversity, desertification control, Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, GEOS.

Particular direction – improvement of knowledge bases and development of models and tools for:

• sustainable resources management;
• biodiversity conservation;
• sustainable ecosystem service;
• development of saving approaches to consumption for reducing environmental impact on regions.

Programs contents:

• understanding and prediction of natural systems dynamics;
• rehabilitation, degradation reduction and control of communication, structural and functional elements of ecosystems, including biodiversity, water, mineral resources;
• capacity development, human impact on ecosystems and resources;
• monitoring and prediction of ecosystems in the changing environment.

The following tenders are planned for 2008 and the next years:

• river basin behavior assessment;
• water quality and quantity, long-term scenarios;
• IWRM models;
• water systems monitoring;
• soil monitoring and soil processes observation;
• soil processes modeling;
• soils and ecosystems in the changing world in view of future energy challenges.

Under the auspices of the European Research Council, a special grant program for “Ideas” section was proclaimed. All proposals for grants pass two-way estimate. Individual research teams headed by one “principal researcher”, who can select research object or direction, may claim for grants.

The People Program includes several types of grants for training:

• basic training of researchers;
• long-term training and development of cooperation;
• international cooperation – inviting and coming “probations”.

NEW APPOINTMENT

By the decree of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, Myratgeldy Akmammedov was appointed minister of water economy for a six-month probation period.

Myratgeldy Akmammedov was born in the village of Rahat of Turkmengala district of Mary province in 1951. In 1976, he graduated as construction-engineer from the Turkmen Polytechnic Institute.

In 1969, he started as a teacher of primary schooling in secondary school N 4 of Turkmengala district.

From 1970 to 1976, he studied at the Turkmen Polytechnic Institute. After graduation he worked as inspector of the Ashgabat inspectorate of the Ministry of melioration and water economy of Turkmenistan until 1977.

From 1977 to 1984, he worked as master, senior foreman, head of the construction site, deputy head of Saryniyaz PMK-20 of the Ministry of melioration and water economy of Turkmenistan.

From 1985 to 1990, he worked as chief engineer of Hauzhan PMK-36, head of PMK-18 of Glavkarakumstroy department.

From 1990 to 1994, he worked as deputy chairman of the executive committee, deputy governor of Oguzhan district of Mary province.

From 1994 to 1995, he worked as deputy chairman of Hemayat association.

From 1995 to 2003, he worked as head of construction department of the Ministry of automobile transportation and roads of Turkmenistan.

From 2003 to 2005, Myratgeldy Akmammedov worked as head of the department of industry, construction and mechanization of the Ministry of water economy of Turkmenistan; head of Gunbatarsuvhojalyk association of the same ministry.

In 2005, he was appointed deputy minister of water economy of Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan.ru