Stairway to Excellence Cohesion Policy and the Synergies with the

Research and Innovation Funds

Example of Synergies

Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC)

Czech Republic

Mariana Chioncel

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Executive Summary

CEITEC is a research centre in the fields of life sciences, advanced materials and technologies with the aim to catalyse the existing research resources in South Moravia and establish itself through research based on synergy and collaboration as a prominent European centre of scientific excellence. It has been created with a total investment of around €300m (85% from Structural Funds Structural funds – European Regional Development Fund and OP Research and Development for Innovations), with the scope to concentrate cutting-edge equipment and top laboratory facilities in one place. Various funding mechanisms were subsequently implemented and combined in a complementary manner to use the "core facilities" as motivator to attract and support top national and foreign researchers and engage them in competitive international and inter-sectorial research projects.

Type of synergies:

Upstream and downstream Sequential funding

S&T field targeted by the synergies:

Biotechnology Health Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies Materials

Information and support from Markus Dettenhofer, Eva Kupsová and Roman Badík are gratefully

acknowledged and appreciated.

The views expressed are purely those of the author and may not in any circumstances be regarded

as stating an official position of the European Commission.

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1. INTRODUCTION

The case presented in the following sections is one of the examples of synergies provided by the 'Stairway to Excellence' project in which different sources of funding have been combined to amplify the R&I investments and their impact on the economy and wider society.

As described in the guide ‘Enabling synergies between European Structural and Investment Funds, Horizon 2020 and other research, innovation and competitiveness-related Union programmes1', synergies can be achieved through:

Sequential (or successive) funding that use funds in separate projects built on each other;

Parallel funding that use funds in separate projects complementing each other;

Simultaneous/cumulative funding that brings together Horizon2020 and ESIF funds in the same project aimed at achieving greater impact;

Alternative funding that reorients FP7/Horizon 2020 projects that were positively evaluated, shortlisted, but not funded given the limited budget, towards Structural Funds impact

The combination of sources of funding is used to address two types of activities:

Upstream activities build the appropriate capacities to perform research. They can be capacity building in physical capital (construction or improvement of research infrastructures, purchasing equipment, (including IT equipment and connections, data storage capacities), innovation infrastructures (LivingLabs, FabLabs, Design factories, etc.) and social capital (assistance for building networks, clusters and consortia).

Downstream activities are focussed towards the market and the creation of economic value. They can be applied to research, development and demonstration activities, technology transfer and adoption; technology and innovation audits to identify potential demand for RDI results; proof-of-concept funding; pilot lines for first production; and pre-commercial procurement projects. There can also be activities to support the improvement of the innovation eco-system in a territory.

2. NATIONAL R&I CONTEXT

Overall economic and RDI performance

The Czech Republic is a medium sized Central European country. In 2013, the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in purchasing power standards reached €20,600, 80% of the EU28 average. (Eurostat). The gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) as % of GDP increased from 1.24 % in 2008 to 1.91% in 2013, higher than the EU13 average (1.05%) but less than the EU15 countries (2.09%) (Eurostat, December 2014).

RDI system

The research and innovation system went through a major transformation in the early 1990s, evolving slowly without major changes until 2008 when the reform of the System of RDI profoundly changed the governance of the RDI policy and the responsibilities of the main bodies. The Czech Republic currently has two-pillar system of RDI support and financing: 1/ support for basic research mainly through the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Czech Science Foundation and the Grant Agency of the Academy of Sciences; 2/ support for applied research provided mainly by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic. Country Reports: Czech Republic, 2015).

1 http://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/documents/10157/267027/Guide%20on%20synergies_en.pdf

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EU funding allocation

During the 2007-2013 policy cycle Structural funds dedicated to Research and Innovation were managed at the national level through three Operational Programmes (Innovative Economy OP, Infrastructure OP and R&D for innovation OP). The absorption rate is at 95% with few disparities (in funding and absorption rate) among priority themes (S2E Facts & Figures: Czech Republic).

During the period 2014-2020 the ESIF for RDI activities are financed through two main OPs: the OP Research, Development and Education (OP RDE) and the OP Enterprise and Innovations for Competitiveness (OP EIC). In addition, Prague will manage its own OP. All three OPs are linked to the Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3). The management and implementation of the RIS3 has been transferred under the auspice of the Deputy Prime Minister for the Science, Research and Innovation. The strategic document of RIS3 consists of a national RIS3 and 14 regional RIS3 annexes (S2E Country Report: Czech Republic).

The Prague region takes the largest proportion of FP7 funding (48.6% of total FP funding received by the Czech Republic) followed by the Jihovychod region (Brno region) (31.3%). In terms of Structural funds, Jihovychod was allocated the biggest amount (more than 1 Bn€) whereas Prague was allocated 305.4 M€.

South-Moravia

The South Moravian Region with 1.2 million inhabitants is centred on the city of Brno, the second largest city of the Czech Republic. With a GDP per capita around 74% of EU28, represents the second largest concentration of R&D capacities in the Czech Republic, second to the capital of Prague. The region has around 11,000 people employed in R&D, out of which 7,000 are researchers, hosts a dozen of both public and private research institutes, 6 universities with more than 80,000 students, with a third in life sciences, around 1200 PhD students, and approximately 1200 companies with in house R&I activities. South Moravia was the first region in the Czech Republic to implement its Regional Innovation Strategy in 2002 which, under the leadership of regional government, acts until present as the main platform for strategic planning in the field of research and innovation. The aim of the South Moravian Region is to be the most innovative region in the Czech Republic - and one of the 50 most innovative regions in the EU.

3. IMPLEMENTATION

CEITEC is the first multi-field scientific centre in the Czech Republic with a broad interdisciplinary approach, integrating research in the fields of life sciences, advanced materials and technologies. It has been established as a consortium of 6 partnering institutions from Brno: Masaryk University, Brno University of Technology, Mendel University in Brno, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Brno, the Veterinary Research Institute and the Institute of Physics of Materials of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. A total investment of around 300 M€ (85 % from Structural Funds – European Regional Development Fund and OP Research and Development for Innovations) was allocated to the consortium with the scope to build state-of-art laboratories over an area of 25,000 m2, equipped with top research facilities that will foster excellence in multidisciplinary scientific research, international and inter-sectoral cooperation and enable post-graduate training in modern experimental techniques.

Various funding schemes, financed by either national, structural funds or FP7/H2020 were subsequently accessed and the successful projects combined in a complementary manner to support the capacity building, human resources training and the use of the "core facilities" as motivator to attract and support international experts and engage them in competitive international and inter-sectorial research projects. As for 2015, the research is performed by around 560 researchers, divided into 61 research groups and covering 7 research fields (Advanced Nanotechnologies and Microtechnologies, Advanced Materials, Structural Biology, Genomics and

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Proteomics of Plant Systems, Molecular Medicine, Brain and Mind Research, Molecular Veterinary Medicine), while around 1300 students use the research infrastructures in Master and PhD studies (CEITEC, 2015 Annual Report).

While the synergies between funds were not necessarily achieved in a deliberate approach, they suitably integrate activities in all the knowledge triangle domains.

Figure 1 maps the project chronologically, the research activities of the organisation and the type of funding. It aims to give a picture of relations between projects revealing planned or unplanned dependencies (synergies) between projects and their source of funding.

Figure 1: Diagram of chronology of the main projects involved in synergies

Added value / complementarities created by the synergies

SF – investment in research infrastructures

The Central European Institute of Technology started with a large Research Infrastructure project (total Investment: €223,044,200), funded through the European Regional Development Fund and OP Research and Development for Innovations, bringing together the leading Brno universities and research institutions and financing state-of-the-art research facilities for life sciences and advanced materials, concentrated in one place. The aim was to establish the centre as a European centre of excellence while providing advanced postgraduate and postdoctoral training.

SF – investment in human resources development and networking

While the huge investment in the research infrastructures enabled access to top research facilities, funds awarded through funding schemes implemented within the frame of the Operational Programme Education for Competitiveness - 2.3 Human resources in research and development (BRAINS; INBIORN; NANOE; PlantGPPS; SuPReMMe; EVOGEN; MODEXBIO; ZDVE; BBC; Coopelia; Improvement of CEITEC Staffing) and 2.4. Partnership and Networks (InterBioNet;

FP7 –REGPOT: SYLICA FP7 -Regions of Knowledge:

SynBiosis

H2020: ERA chair

FP7: ERC

8 FP7: IEF, IIF

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

SF: Research Infrastructures CEITEC

SF: OP Education for Competitiveness

Human Resources Human resources in

R&D (BRAINS; INBIORN; NANOE;

PlantGPPS; SuPReMMe; EVOGEN; MODEXBIO; ZDVE; BBC; Coopelia; Project Improvement of CEITEC Staffing) and 2.4.

Partnership and Networks (InterBioNet;

Research4Industry)

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Research4Industry), supported in a strategic manner the development of human resources for the newly acquired research facilities, their better integration into the European research area, promotion of international cooperation, mobility and visibility, including the organization of scientific events with international participation. In a holistic approach the support was provided not only to research students, academics and other researchers, but also for the training of research managers, and the staff subsequently employed in the management structures, equipping them with the relevant skills for drafting successful proposals, and the ability to network and act as institutional contact points for the frameworks programmes. In essence, the institute substituted the lack of national support (or complemented whatever was available) using in a system approach to the various OP schemes.

FP7/ H2020 – investment for fostering strategic partnerships and excellent

research performed by top foreign and national researchers, support the cultural

shift, and innovative ideas transformed into applications

SYLICA project (FP7-REGPOT-2011-1, €4 million, 2011-2015) concentrates on the missing expertise for the new core facilities of CEITEC, by fostering strategic partnerships with major EU research institutions and attract external users of the infrastructure and research results including industry. The ERA Chair (€2,778,660; 2014–2019) project aims at supporting the on-going cultural shift in the scientific community of Masaryk University by engaging a world-class scientific leader that could trigger the positive change. The main objective of the SyBIOsys (2009-2012) project was to strengthen the collaboration between two research-driven clusters, CEITEC and AREA Science Park in the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia (IT). The focus was the search for and the implementation of synergies with activities of the Structural Funds, and on exploiting the experience of other EU regions in respect to collaboration with business sector. Two ERC grants and a number of Marie Curie Individual Fellowships and Career Integration Grants fellowships FP7-PEOPLE are aimed at supporting excellence in research, reintegration of national researchers and to foster international mobility. Various nationally funded projects finance the research activities.

Strategic partnerships were concluded with leading international universities, research organisations and institutional and industrial partners, with the aim of teaming up with the best perfomers and improving science conducted within CEITEC. Among the most important international collaborations are EU-LIFE consortium, INSTRUCT - an Integrated Structural Biology Infrastructure for Europe, Euro-BioImaging (European Biomedical Imaging Infrastructure), ELIXIR (European Bioinformatic Infrastructure) and EATRIS - European Infrastructure for Translational Medicine.

Mechanisms/factors facilitating the synergies

Concentration of R&I funds in an area with relevant R&I features

The investment in the CEITEC was a strategic investment, taking advantage of the concentration of human resources and research infrastructures in materials and life sciences in the region of South Moravia. In the programming period 2007-2013 the R&I activities received a particular attention in the Czech Republic with allocations of around €5.7 billion. South Moravia had the aim and achieved to obtain a large proportion of these funds, using as advantage its high concentration of R&D activities in life and materials science research.

Early Regional Strategy for R&I, combining research, education and innovation

The field of life science has been given priority as one with the highest potential for the future international competitiveness of the region in the Regional Innovation Strategy in 2004 and its subsequent versions. The establishment of South Moravian Innovation Centre (JIC) in 2003 was the first tangible result of the regional strategy, followed by creation of the first business incubator for spin-offs from the academic environment. Since then, technology transfer offices were created at

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both main universities, spin-off companies from research have been successfully created. Apart from incubation and technology transfer activities, two major infrastructural projects were developed in Brno over the last years:

MediPark - Masaryk University Campus in Brno-Bohunice located next to the University Hospital complex (an investment of nearly €59m, 2003-2009);

ICRC (International Clinical Research Centre) project launched in 2006 (an investment in the range of €80m developed jointly with Mayo Clinic (Minnesota, US).

A large research infrastructure was established using SF funding in the programming period 2007-2013: CEITEC (Central European Institute of Technology).

Favourable regional environment for international collaboration and innovative

business

The Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS) for South Moravia introduced instruments that supported scientific research in the region and the transfer of the innovative ideas into business. Some examples of facilitating mechanisms of the synergies between funds, supporting international cooperation and mobility, regional visibility, fostering collaboration between public and business sectors are listed below. CEITEC as one of the main research centres in South Moravia benefit directly from this support.

The South Moravian centre of international mobility (JCMM) is a specialised agency having the goal to support talented students and staff in science to work in South Moravia; The aim is to support effectively the incoming of students and researchers into the region and to improve the conditions for further development of talented students studying in South Moravia

South Moravian Innovation Centre (JIC) is an agency providing comprehensive support for start-up businesses and entrepreneurs, aiming to create a favourable environment for innovative businesses in the region.

Brokerage events aim to assist the cooperation of research teams and businesses from the region with international scientific research projects.

Innovation vouchers consist of subsidies opened to companies around the world and intended for purchase of knowledge from one of the Brno research institutions. They aim to support the mutual trust and cooperation between companies and Brno-based research institutions.

SoMoPro (South Moravian Programme for Distinguished Researchers) is a Marie Curie COFUND project, a regional grant scheme backed by FP funding, aimed to attract skilled researchers to the South Moravian Region. SoMoPro was a pilot programme running between (2009 – 2013) with an overall budget of €3.8m, 60% of which was financed by regional public sources (Region of South Moravia) and remaining 40% was co-funded by the European Commission through the Marie Curie Actions (COFUND project). It had been designed to attract skilled researchers originating from the Czech Republic and abroad to come and carry out their research in South Moravia. 27 top-researchers have been hosted by leading research institutions in the region. The concept had been highly evaluated and resulted to the extension of the programme and further support from COFUND in the second stage (SoMoPro II) to be operated between 2013 and 2017 giving the opportunity to other 25 fellows.

Adequate institutional framework, providing support for the implementation of

the strategy

The Management structure and internal setting of CEITEC has been inspired by major international research institutions. The top management includes foreign experts in the relevant field and the internal language is English. An independent evaluation according to strict international standards is ensured by the Coordination Board and the International Scientific Advisory Board, whose members are significant national and international scientists.

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Coordination Board. The Board approves the Governing Documents, Common Rules and Policies and makes other key decisions. The Coordination Board is composed of representatives of project partners and external representatives.

International Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB). The Board plays a crucial role in the Common Evaluation of Scientific Excellence as it sets the criteria, comments on the planned research activities and gives recommendations regarding strategic positioning of the Centre.

CEITEC has a clear vision/mission supported by a strategy

CEITEC has the mission “to catalyse the existing basic and applied research in South Moravia, providing its internationally recruited talented research staff with top laboratory facilities and funds to conduct research bridging across S&T fields, creating in a strategic manner synergies and cooperation.” The main elements of the vision have been implemented through the following actions: Attract and support the best scientists. For achieving this CEITEC tries to offer different

dynamics and features of the career path, flexibility, inter-sectoral and international mobility, independence and visibility, regular evaluation, competition, transparency and clear rules for career progress, shorter paths compared to the national one, international environment and international selection of PhD candidates and researchers selection. Nevertheless, while efforts are considered, the progress sis low mainly due to the rigidity of the national setting and regulations;

The best R&I infrastructure CEITEC provides "core facilities", cutting-edge equipment in one place, a motivator to attract top experts from around the world.

Focus on scientific excellence. Regular institutional monitoring and evaluation. With the aim to perform “excellent research” an independent evaluation of the quality of scientific performance is performed according to strict international standards. The evaluation mechanism was designed internally and it is ensured by the Coordination Board and the International Scientific Advisory Board.

The evaluation mechanism consists of three distinct steps:

Evaluation of the scientific output, of the cooperation with the industrial sector and success in accessing international grants.

Evaluation of the individual research groups in comparison to the relevant top teams in their fields in Europe – namely Imperial College London, VIB (Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie) in Belgium, EMBL (The European Molecular Biology Laboratory)

Evaluation of the Research Group Leaders, with respect to their ability to ensure structured support and growth for young talent, is performed through personal interviews taken by the evaluators to the scientists.

An important outcome of the evaluation, besides the results of the evaluation, consists in the recommendations for the future. The type and the extent of the evaluation mechanism implemented at CEITEC are unique in the Czech Republic at the moment.

Transparent and effective rules for cooperation. CEITEC set rules on how cooperation with the commercial sector can be implemented in a simpler, more accessible and transparent manner.

Networking, with focus on neighbouring regions with similar profile

CEITEC has developed and is aiming to further enlarge the sphere of partnerships with other EU regions with a similar profile and interest. An important motivation was to create synergies and explore complementarities within Central Europe.

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Main problems encountered in implementing the synergies

Institutional setting and rigid national regulations

CEITEC has a very complex institutional structure, six PROs following the rather traditional and rigid post-communist institutional setting and regulations. Efforts are considered at institutional level to revise the regulation (initiative for Human Resources (HR) Excellence logo, career progression etc.) but changes are very difficult to implement due to rigid national regulations, habits, mentality, university laws. Resistance to change is also due to clash between generations and powers, lack of international exposure of staff and of brain circulation.

The highly unstable political situation affects the policy design and its efficient implementation. Since 1992, the Ministry of Education was managed by 16 different ministers, changes which hampered a strategic and coherent approach for national R&I activities. In addition to the staff fluctuation, often the relevant expertise to manage research is missing.

The R&I national policy lacks strategy and funding priorities and it is influenced by lobbying. CEITEC also tries to lobby, its staff receiving support to participate in the scientific committees.

Exchange of information and data, communication between managing authorities is limited.

Lack of evaluation of research performance and financing based on the

performance

The evaluation of the research performance at national level, however, is inconsistently used and without impact on financing. It considers the quantity rather than the quality, without differentiating between top and low ranked scientific journals (number of research papers rather than the quality of the scientific journal).

Sometimes even research is performed in an implemental manner rather than an intellectually creative work ("Do the measurements rather than intellectual work")

There is no reward at the national level of the scientific excellence; the resistance for evaluation and funding based on performance is generated by the pressure from the average institutions and the peers.

When assessing the take-up of scientific results by the industry, a significant challenge resides in changing the traditional industry into an innovative one, and the reluctance of academia to bridge with industry.

Difficulties related to the SF/ESIF

Very high administrative burden related to the whole project cycle in the case of SF financed projects.

Repeated and frequent controls/audits with disunited interpretation of the rules and regulations.

Changes of the rules during the project cycle impacting the implementation of the supported projects.

Lack of information/awareness of planned interventions. Inappropriate timing of calls for SF funded programmes (often during the holiday breaks

without pre-notice). The administrative load related to SF funded research projects is too high and cannot be

managed by researchers. The administrative annexes do not differentiate between projects requesting high budgets

and low budgets (i.e. 15 administrative annexes) and tend to ignore the scientific part.

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The monitoring in the SF projects is focused on administrative/financing aspects rather than the quality of research. There is no real interest in the scientific content.

Frequent changes in the regulation, legislation. Sometimes these changes are inherent in the learning process and are meant to correct deficiencies. The regulations are also affected by political stability

SF projects – delay of payment, two systems of payment ex-ante/ex-post budgeted by institution.

Researchers are not encouraged to participate in SF financed projects using financial incentives: usually the number of hours ceiling applies to the salaries.

Difficulties related to FP7/H2020

Lack of efficient support from the national contact points (NCP). The quality of the support from the NCP is highly heterogeneous. CEITEC has addressed this weakness by training and financing internal staff with adequate knowledge and experience.

The scientific staff perceives a resistance from the ‘EU15 club’ of regular successful candidates in FP7 to accept the EU13 researchers to enter the club. This is viewed as one of the most difficult barriers; “without any push from EC this will not work”.

The willingness of researchers to participate in FP7/H2020 competition is related to scientific prestige, internal professional rewarding while financial incentives are mainly absent or do not match the efforts.

Evaluation is perceived as fair, implementation much easier than for SF financed projects.

Related to the implementation of the synergies

Uncoordinated timing of potentially linked calls. Timing of the calls in ESIF and H2020 that may create important synergies is not coordinated.

Lack of information and data sharing among the authorities in charge of SF/ESIF programmes and those authorities in charge of FP/H2020 programmes.

Lack of compliance between monitoring and evaluation procedures for SF/ESIF and FP/H2020 projects: the evaluation criteria and procedures are significantly distinct.

Lack of alternative funding; even when intended the lack of compliance of evaluations rules leads to the failure of the intention. The national scheme ERC CZ aimed to provide financial support to projects positively evaluated in the ERC scheme but not funded, requires redrafting of the proposal in in the national language, compliance to the evaluation rules of the national scheme. This would increase the burden on the applicants who actually have to write another proposal. The scheme ERC CZ is planned to be launched in 2016, however uncertainty exists regarding the date of implementation.

Different eligibility rules of SF/ESIF and FP7/H2020 programmes. ESIF programmes are aimed at relatively different types of activities than H2020 programmes.

The cumulative funding requires very detailed co-ordination of the involved funding schemes and conditional agreement of financing2. Particularly the second factor currently represents a factor that the national managing authorities do not know how to deal with.

Suggestions to improve the synergies

Implementation of a solid system and mechanism for the evaluation of the research system; financing based on the evaluation results. Encourage the quality not the quantity.

2 For instance, given the fact that most H2020 grant agreements are signed a certain time after the deadline for proposal submission, the MA could set up a conditional approval for ESIF grants that allows reserving ESIF budgets until the results of the evaluation of the H2020 project proposals are known.

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Warning: a wrong selection of the RIS3 priorities can put under risk CEITEC which has as main funding source structural funds;

Improve the quality of the governance of the national R&I system, which currently is perceived as being in a significant crisis. A significant reform (in progress) is needed, allowing staff with the adequate skills, expertise and training to be part of the 'technical' support in Ministry, avoiding politically triggered staff fluctuation, enabling continuity, professionalism, policy coherency and consistency. This will constitute a stable structure of well-trained technical staff in the ministries.

The Management Authorities (MA) for the individual OPs and the bodies responsible for the EU-level programmes should share more data and information related to their programmes implementation, applicants, beneficiaries or evaluations.

Design R&I strategy, set priorities and avoid political influence. The evaluation mechanism implemented by CEITEC works very well; while no measures

were taken at national level, CEITEC was approached by other peer institutes for advice / support for implementing a similar evaluation mechanism; the individual intention exist, however is blocked at national level.

The regional strategy, the design of the institutional setting, the involvement of the relevant regional stakeholders would recommend the South Moravia as a model to follow.

Learning to implement SF takes time, revisions of call rules during the opened calls, however unfortunate, sometimes are meant to correct the errors. Policy learning tools at EU level could help.

The researchers face a competitive and complex project based funding system. Each funding source, regional, national, SF/ESIF, FP7/H2020 comes with specific rules, evaluation criteria. Among all, the SF/ESIF requirements are the most complex, with a significant administrative burden in any stage of the project life. For the SF/ESIF the administrative requirements can vary significantly from one scheme to another, also from one call to another within the same scheme. The researchers cannot themselves deal with the administrative workload.

Overall, the SF evaluation, monitoring system does not favour excellent research, remaining rather ‘blind’ to the activity performed and the scientific output, while mainly requesting compliances to the spending rules.

Main motivations in implementing the synergies

The main motivation in implementing the synergies is supporting in a complementary and synergetic manner all the activities in the knowledge triangle.

Facilitating mechanisms for the take-up of the scientific results

A Technology Transfer Office operates in the management structure with the aim to support the cooperation between research groups at CEITEC and industrial partners and the technological potential of the institute to address commercial and industrial needs. The portfolio of activities includes management and protection of intellectual property, business and administration of contract research, methodological assistance for the cooperation with industry, the commercialisation of the scientific and research outputs of the institute. The International Office supports cooperation between the research teams at CEITEC and international organisations.

The activity of the South Moravian Innovation Centre (JIC) aiming to provide a favourable environment for innovative business in the region, with the variety of actions implemented, such as the brokerage events and innovation vouchers, implicitly supports the take up of research results also of CEITEC.

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Impact on the regional / national economy

The synergetic approach of CEITEC enabled:

Improvement of under and postgraduate training in South Moravia; Financing of around 600 scientist jobs working in top research laboratories; Creation of new innovative companies and attraction of domestic and international

investors; Attraction of national and foreign experts to the area; International exposure of the region, networking with top performers in the field.

The South Moravia regional integrated research, education and innovation strategic approach has helped the region to achieve a new level of competitiveness based on production and exploitation of knowledge.

Figure 2 aims to position projects according to the activities they cover; from upstream (infrastructures, equipment, research activities) to downstream related activities (innovation, knowledge transfer, access to market).

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Figure 2: Diagram of the complementarities of the funds in the knowledge triangle / flow

4. RELATED PROJECTS

Name of the SF PROJECT: High ambitions for new European Centre of Excellence; Central

European Institute of Technology

SF funding scheme: Structural funds – European Regional Development Fund and OP Research and Development for Innovations (Ministry of Education)

Budget: Total Investment: €223 044 200 EU contribution: €189 587 600

Time frame: 2007-2013

Main objectives and type of costs covered: Support state-of-the-art research on quality of life and human health, while providing advanced postgraduate and postdoctoral education

Projects funded through the Operational Programme Education for Competitiveness - 2.3 Human resources in research and development

SF PROJECT 1: research facilities

Training (Continuous professional training, PhD fellowships)

Innovation Knowledge

dissemination, knowledge transfer

events, funding of the KTOs etc.

RESEARCH

FP7 -Regions of Knowldege (: SynBiosis), Research Potential (SYLICA)

FP7: Marie Curie Action grants

FP7:/H2020: 2 ERC grants SF: OP Education for Competitiveness Human Resources Human resources

in R&D (BRAINS; INBIORN; NANOE; PlantGPPS; SuPReMMe; EVOGEN; MODEXBIO; ZDVE; BBC; Coopelia; Project Improvement of CEITEC Staffing) and 2.4. Partnership and Networks (InterBioNet; Research4Industry

FP7/H2020: ERC –ERA chairs

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BRAINS (2011-2014) INBIORN (2011-2014), Internationalisation of the Structural Biology Research Programme

with Emphasis on New Directions in R NANOE (2011-2014) PlantGPPS (2011-2014) SuPReMMe (2011-2014) EVOGEN (2012 – 2015) MODEXBIO (2012 – 2015) ZDVE (2012 – 2015) BBC (2012 – 2014) Coopelia

Projects funded through the Operational Programme Education for Competitiveness - 2.3

Human resources in research and development InterBioNet Researh4Industry

FP PROJECT: Sylica project – Synergies of Life and Material Sciences to Create a New

Future

Weblink: http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/100442_en.html

FP funding scheme: Subprogramme: REGPOT-2011-1 - Any research topic covered by the

EU FP7; Call for proposal: FP7-REGPOT-2011-1; Funding scheme: CSA-SA - Support actions Budget: total €4,402,376 ; EU contribution: €3,928,918

Coordinated in: Czech Republic

Time frame of the FP funded project: 2011-10-01, End date: 2015-03-31

Main objectives and type of costs covered: SYLICA principally concentrates on the missing expertise for the new core facilities of CEITEC. Through a series of workshops, seminars, postdoctoral and expert visits and reintegration of experienced nationals, the project enabled training of the researchers in the modern experimental techniques and methods, while supporting interdisciplinary research on novel biomaterials and composites with enhanced biological and mechanical properties. SYLICA covered all the activities available in the research potential scheme, except for upgrading, development or acquisition of research equipment.

- return of experienced Czech scientists and experienced incoming post-docs; - exchange of know-how through secondments abroad, incoming experts and post-

docs - lectures, training courses, workshops focused on acquiring unique expertise - CEITEC scientific conferences with distinguished international speakers; - workshops with stakeholders including industry; - dissemination and promotional activities; project management.

FP Project: ERA Chair at CEITEC Masaryk University CEITEC_ERA; The ERA Chair Culture as a Catalyst to Maximize the Potential of CEITEC

Weblink: http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/185729_en.html

Funding scheme: 7th Framework Programme – Capacities, Call identifier: FP7-ERAChairs-PilotCall-2013

Timeframe: From 2014-06-01 to 2019-05-31

Budget: Total cost: €2,778,660; EU contribution: €2,246,401

Main objectives and type of costs covered: The proposed ERA Chair project aims at supporting the on-going structural shift in the culture of the scientific community of Masaryk University by engaging a world-class scientific leader capable of inspiring positive change.

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FP Project: SynBIOsis – Maximizing Synergies for Central European Biotech

Infrastructures

Weblink: http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/92245_en.html

Funding scheme: 7th Framework Programme – Regions of Knowledge; Subprogramme: REGIONS-2008-1-01 - Maximising the benefits of research infrastructures for regional economic development Call for proposal: FP7-REGIONS-2008-1

Budget: Total cost: €1,050,120; EU contribution: €938,955

Coordinated in: Czech Republic

Timeframe: Start date: 2009-09-01, End date: 2012-08-31

Main objectives and type of costs covered: The project SynBIOsis aims at setting up a

model for collaboration between the academic and commercial spheres in order to foster the knowledge and technology transfer and research results exploitation, foster the collaboration with other regions in the EU with a similar profile and interest. The specific objective of SyBIOsys project is to pull together the two research-driven clusters CEITEC in South Moravia and Friuli-Venezia-Giulia (IT) in the domains of bioinformatics, nanobio, computational biology and biomedicine. The focus is on search for complementarities, synergies with activities of the Structural Funds, and on exploiting the experience of other EU regions in opening up and increase the economic relevance of research infrastructures to business sector and support their integration within the local economy. The project aims, as a part of its activities, to enrol not only stakeholders in the two partner regions, but also to extend the network to the geographically proximate regions (Vienna/Austria, Bratislava/Slovakia, Ljubljana/Slovenia) with a view to share the experience and seek complementarities in research infrastructures.

FP ERC PROJECT: PICOSTRUCTURE Structural studies of human picornaviruses Pavel

Plevka; Project reference: 335855

Funding scheme: FP7-IDEAS-ERC Subprogramme: ERC-SG-LS1 - ERC Starting Grant -

Molecular and Structural Biology and Biochemistry; Call for proposal: ERC-2013-StG; Funding scheme: ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant

BUDGET: Total cost: €1,997,556 EU contribution: €1,997,556

Coordinated in: Czech Republic Time frame: 2014-03-01 to 2019-02-28

Objective. Research activity Many picornaviruses are human pathogens that cause

diseases varying in symptoms from common cold to life-threatening encephalitis. Currently there are no anti-picornavirus drugs approved for human use. The projects aims to study molecular structures of picornaviruses and their life cycle intermediates in order to identify new targets for anti-viral inhibitors and to lay the foundations for structure-based development of drugs against previously structurally uncharacterized picornaviruses. A major innovation in our approach will be the use of focused ion beam micromachining for sample preparation that will allow us to study macromolecular complexes within infected mammalian cells by cryo-electron tomography.

H2020 ERC PROJECT: DÉCOR: Dynamic assembly and exchange of RNA LS1 polymerase II

CTD factors

Funding scheme: H2020-ERC Subprogramme: Consolidator Grants (CoG), ERC-2014-CoG

BUDGET: EU funding : €1,844,604

Coordinated in: Czech Republic

Time frame: 2015-08-01, End date: 2020-08-01

Objective. Research activity Biologist Richard Štefl’s project, aims to study in detail the

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mechanism of the creation and functioning of genomic ‘dark matter’. The research aims to unravel the structural and mechanistic bases for the dynamic assembly of RNAPII CTD with its processing factors. The study will try to answer the long-standing questions of how the overall CTD structure is modulated on binding to processing factors, and whether these factors cross-talk and compete with each other.

8 IEF, IIF FP7 Research projects are currently running

Example of FP Project IEF: IEF Klára Marečková (Neuroscience): Biomarkers and

underlying mechanisms of vulnerability to depression. VULDE Project reference : 629541 Funding scheme:

o FP7-PEOPLE Subprogramme: FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF - Marie-Curie Action: "Intra-European fellowships for career development

o Call for proposal: FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF o Funding scheme: MC-IEF - Intra-European Fellowships (IEF)

Time frame of the FP funded project: Start date: 2015-04-01, End date: 2017-03-3

Budget: Total cost: €146,005

EU contribution: €146,005

Main objectives and type of costs covered: The applicant is moving from the University of Nottingham, UK, to the Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), the Czech Republic to use data from clinicaly healthy young adults collected in the European Longitudinal Study of Children and Parents (ELSPAC). Depression is the leading chronic condition in Europe and fourth leading cause of mortality woldwide. Depression is twice more common in women compared with men, associated with dysregulation of steroid hormones in the HPA-HPG axis, ovarian dysfunction, obesity, and very recently, prenatal stress, but the mechanisms underlying its development are not well understood, yet. The current project aims to identify early hormonal and neuroimaging biomarkers and explain underlying mechanisms of vulnerability to depression. The use of novel methods in both neuroimaging and statistics on an extensive longitudinal dataset should make considerable progress possible.

FP Project IEF Alexander Petrov (Structural biology): Structural and kinetic studies of

XPF/ERCC1-DNA complex for drug discovery. Project reference : 624894

Funding scheme: MC-IIF - International Incoming Fellowships (IIF) Subprogramme: FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IIF - Marie Curie Action: "International Incoming Fellowships"Call for proposal:FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IIF

Time frame: 2014-10-01 to 2016-09-30

Budget: Total cost: €146,005 EU contribution: €146,005 Coordinated in: Czech Republic

Main objectives and type of costs covered: Research activity

FP Project IEF Klára Marečková (Neuroscience): Biomarkers and underlying mechanisms of vulnerability to depression

FP Project IEF Jozef Hritz (Structural biology): Detailed binding scheme and structural determination of the 14-3-3ζ in complex with a double phosphorylated human tyrosine hydroxylase

FP Project IEF Konstantinos Tripsianes (Structural biology): Structural studies of Nucleotide

Excision Repair for drug development targeting protein-DNA interactions

FP Project IEF Daniel Němeček (Structural biology): Structure, maturation and cell entry

mechanisms of ranavirus virions

FP Project IEF Peter Lukavsky (Structural biology): Aberrant Splicing of CFTR Exon 9

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FP Project IEF Lukáš Trantírek (Structural biology): Environmentally COntrolled POlymorphism of non-B DNA structures

FP Project IEF Vanessa Tognetti (Genomics and proteomics of Plants): Ros and Auxin Crosstalk During Plant Development and Stress Adaptation

National Projects

http://www.ceitec.eu/

Grant

Provider

Name of the Project Start End

OPVK 2.3. NANOTEAM - Budování výzkumných týmů a rozvoj univerzitního vzdělávání výzkumných odborníků pro mikro- a nanotechnologie

1.1.2011 31.12.2013

OPVK 2.4. Partner Network for Bionanotechnological and Metalomic Research 1.4.2012 31.3.2014

OPVK 2.4. Building up Cooperatin in R&D with the research and industrioal partners

5.5.2011 30.4.2014

OPVK 2.3. Popularizace výsledků VaV VUT v Brně a podpora systematické práce se studenty

1.6.2012 31.5.2014

OPVK 2.4. MEDTECH - educational and research partner network in medicine, biomedicine and scientific instruments

1.6.2012 31.5.2014

OPVK 2.3. Support of excellence Research Teams in the Field Nanotechnologies and Microtechnologies

1.8.2011 31.7.2014

OPVK 2.3. Support of the development of High-Quality Teams in R&D in the Field of Material Science

1.8.2011 31.7.2014

OPVK 2.3. International Cooperation in the Field of Nanotechnologies with in vivo Imaging Techniques

1.1.2012 31.12.2014

MPO TIP Holographis microscope for living-cells research 1.1.2012 31.12.2014

GAČR Postdoc 2012

Growth of semiconductor nanofibres with optimized functional properties

1.1.2012 31.12.2014

GAČR Postdoc 2012

Fabrication of metallic nanostructures for spintronic applications 1.1.2012 31.12.2014

GAČR Standard 2012

Mapping of localized surfaces plasmon resonances at nanoantennas 1.1.2012 31.12.2014

MPO TIP Research and development of senzoric microsystems for telemedicine and monitoring of patients in their natural environment using the methods of presonalized medicine

1.1.2012 31.12.2014

MPO TIP Internet of Technology 1.4.2012 31.12.2014

GAČR Standard 2012

Thermal Spray Processing and High Temperature Structural Stability of Nanocrystaline TBC

1.1.2012 31.12.2014

OP LZZ WLB - Work-life 1.4.2012 31.3.2015

OP VaVpI Development of mobile device serving for remote laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (Remote LIBS)

1.10.2012 30.6.2015

OP VaVpI Smart macromolecules for functioal surface coatings and in hierarchical self-healing matrices for light weight composite structure for use in aerospace/aircraft and automotive industries

1.10.2012 30.6.2015

OP VaVpI Use of Cavitation for Magnetically Conducting Nano-Powders 1.10.2012 30.6.2015

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Grant

Provider

Name of the Project Start End

Fabrication

OPVK 2.3. Support of Interdisciplinary Excellence Research Teams Establishment at BUT

1.7.2012 30.6.2015

OPVK 2.3. Excellent young researcher at BUT 1.7.2012 30.6.2015

TAČR ALFA 2013 REVYT 1.1.2013 31.12.2015

TAČR ALFA 2012 Research and Development of MOtorized Ventilation for the Human Protectiona Against chemical Agents, Dust and Biological Agents

1.1.2012 31.12.2015

MPO TIP Research and Development of Roll Bearings of Mixer Truck Gearbox 1.1.2012 31.12.2015

MPO TIP Research and Development of Non-toxic Small Caliber Bullets 1.1.2012 31.12.2015

TAČR ALFA 2013 2013_SAMMETAL 1.1.2012 31.12.2015

GAČR Standard 2013

Pressure-less sintering of crack-free advanced ceramics by extremely fast heating

1.2.2013 31.12.2015

GAČR Standard 2013

Development of transparent polycrystalline ceramics for ballistic and high-temperature applications

1.2.2013 31.12.2015

GAČR Standard 2013

A fundamental study of the effect of systhesis and processing conditions on the structure and properties of (Ba,Ca)(Ti,Zr)03 lead-free piezoceramics

1.2.2013 31.12.2015

GAČR Postdoc 2013

Effect of electro-magnetic field on sintering of advanced ceramic materials

1.2.2013 31.1.2016

TAČR ALFA 2013 Alucast_2013 1.1.2013 31.12.2016

GAČR Standard 2013

Research fo the micro electro mechanical artificial cochlea based on mechanical filter bank

1.2.2013 31.12.2016

TAČR Centra kompetence

Development and application of the fabrication/analytical methods for nanostructures

1.1.2012 31.12.2019

TAČR Centra kompetence

Center for Applied Cybernetics III 1.3.2012 28.2.2020

TAČR Centra kompetence

Digital methods in experimental optics 1.7.2012 31.6.2016