Workshop on Participating in FP7

The European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) will be launched at the beginning of 2007.  This funding programme will run for seven years, with a total budget of over 50 billion euros.  Within FP7 there are many opportunities for African researchers to get involved, and African organisations are eligible to receive funding through the programme.

This training workshop will provide interested researchers involved in the water research and related areas, as well as research administrators and trainers, with all of the necessary information to participate in the Seventh Framework Programme.  It will include sessions on introducing the EU and FP7, water research opportunities within the programme, how to get involved in a project, and how to prepare a proposal, contractual and financial issues, and developing a strategy for participation.  Many of the sessions will be interactive, with some group exercises and plenty of time for discussion.

The workshop will primarily be delivered by the UK Research Office (UKRO). UKRO, based in Brussels, has over 20 years of experience in delivering such training, and in helping research organisations to successfully engage in EU-funded activities.  In addition to the group training sessions there will be an opportunity to speak to the UKRO trainer on a one-to-one basis, in order to discuss your personal strategy to participation.  The event will also include sessions delivered the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the Water Research Commission in South Africa, as well as some African participants in previous Framework Programmes, who will share their experiences.

The training is intended to meet the needs of both those new to this topic and also those with some prior experience. All sessions will be open to all interested participants. However, certain sessions are targeted mainly at specific groups, as indicated on the provisional agenda.