Extend

About EXTEND

Project acronym: EXTEND

Project title: Extending ICT research co-operation between the European Union, Eastern Europe and the Southern Caucasus

Project no.: 231137

Starting date: 1st January 2009

Project duration: 30 months

EXTEND project aims to support the ICT research communities in the Eastern European and Southern Caucasus countries by identifying suitable ICT research actors per country, training them on the procedural aspects of FP7 and providing assistance in developing networks with ICT research actors across Europe. A second key component of EXTEND is that it addresses the need for well-defined future research priorities that will enhance S&T co-operation between the EU and EESC countries. This project will identify the ICT research priorities of the target countries and will result in recommendations for closer co-operation between the EU, Eastern Europe and the Southern Caucasus.

The project will mainly focus its activities on 4 countries, i.e. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova, while cooperating and extensively creating synergies with the other two projects carried out in the EECA region: SCUBE-ICT and ISTOK-SOYUZ. The EXTEND project will contribute to the identification and promotion of cooperation opportunities, as well as support to policy dialogues. This will be achieved through the support and management activities.

The following Work Packages were defined:

• Mapping of key ICT research actors and capabilities
• Development of Recommendations on future ICT research co-operation
• Organization of ICT Training Workshops
• Network facilitation and dissemination activities
• Project management
   

EXTEND has formed a Cluster with the EU-funded projects SCUBE-ICT and ISTOK-SOYUZ targeting the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region (EECA Cluster).