Developing Finnish Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation between Europe, Africa and the LAC Region (FinCEAL)

Research summary

The two-year FinCEAL pilot project aimed to enhance cooperation between research and science policy communities in Finland, Europe, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean by networking the Finnish research community and by supporting their participation in bi-regional research projects and science policy processes. FinCEAL was an initiative funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and implemented by UniPID, the Finnish University Partnership for International Development. FinCEAL activities were focused on the following thematic areas, derived from the European Union's bi-regional science, technology and innovation policy processes: Africa – Food Security, Information Society, Health, Climate Change and Renewable Energy; LAC – ICT for Societal Challenges, Bioeconomy, Biodiversity and Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Health.

Description

The aims of the FinCEAL project were to:
• Support and consolidate the participation of Finnish researchers and science policy experts in bi-regional science policy dialogue processes;
• Support and enhance Finnish participation in bi-regional research cooperation and funding;
• Coordinate and network Finnish researchers and science policy experts working with Africa and the LAC region;
• Expand awareness of Finnish researchers in both regions;
• Enhance the communication of the cooperation possibilities in the regions; and
• Highlight current Finnish research and scientific cooperation relevant to the regions.

These main activities of the project were:

• Creating a database (Infobank) of Finnish researchers and research conducted in/on Africa and the LAC region
• Organizing regional thematic workshops in Finland to network Finnish researchers locally and create platforms for dialogue and cooperation;
• Organizing regional side-events to network Finnish researchers with relevant actors in Europe, Africa, and/or the LAC region;
• Issuing Travel Grants to enhance participation of Finnish researchers in bi-regional STI policy dialogue and events that expand awareness of Finnish researchers in Africa and LAC regions;
• Issuing Preparatory Funding to support applicants based in Finnish institutions, who were applying for EU research project funding

More information

Research publication

Research info

Research title
Developing Finnish Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation between Europe, Africa and the LAC Region (FinCEAL)

Research timeline
1.1.2013 - 1.12.2014

Keywords
african union bi-regional celac collaboration cooperation EU european union innovation policy science technology

Region
Africa Caribbean Latin America

Countries
Array

Institution
Finnish University Partnership for International Development (UniPID)
University of Jyväskylä
Jyväskylä, Finland

Funding instrument
Other

Project budget
500,000 - 1 million euros

Head of research
Markku Kanninen, Jeremy Gould

Research team
Eva Kagiri, Kajsa Ekroos, Melissa Plath

Partners
University of Helsinki

Contact information
Kajsa Ekroos
+358 50 448 6185
kajsa.ekroos@helsinki.fi
Open link

Record last updated
7.3.2019