The ASEAN-EU Science, Technology and Innovation Days 2015 (STI Days) were successfully concluded in Paris, France March 17-19.

The second edition of this forum-like event attracted a wide range of stakeholders engaged in international science cooperation, scientific research or innovation. The event was attended by almost 300 participants, which exceeded the expectations of the event organisers. Many countries were represented at the STI Days – in addition to scientists from the Eastern Partnership (EaP) and Central Asian (CA) countries European Union (EU) Member States and the ASEAN region were widely represented, too. The three-day event was organised at the impressive Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie in Paris. The host, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), did an excellent job both in terms of organisation and content. Participants could choose from a wide range of scientific workshops covering the domains of food, water and health, roundtable policy discussions with high-level speakers, a Brokerage Event and a number of site visits.

INCO-NET EaP and INCO-NET CA are two INCO-NET projects, which support the advancement of the policy dialogue among the EU and the countries in the partner regions, aiming at mutual benefit and thus contributing to develop the collaboration in Science, Technology and Innovation.

As part of their activities both projects select major brokerage events in Europe for the realization of dedicated sessions for EaP and CA countries in 3 SCs: Health, Climate Change and Energy. In this context, the two projects supported the participation of 5 CA and 5 EaP participants in the special session “Health Research from an International Perspective: Scientific Landscape of Eastern Partnership (EaP) and Central Asian (CA) Countries” as an official side-event of the STI days. The ASEAN-EU STI Days were selected to host this side event as this large scientific event was expected to attract a large number of European stakeholders that look for international cooperation in H2020, which is one of the main aims of the two INCO-NETs, too. The event was also focusing on Health research and on Climate Change and Water management, which are of highest relevance for EaP and CA researchers. The invitation of these high-level experts was definitely an added value for the STI Days as a whole.

The three-day event was organised at the impressive Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie in Paris. The host, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), did an excellent job both in terms of organisation and content. Participants could choose from a wide range of scientific workshops covering the domains of food, water and health, roundtable policy discussions with high-level speakers, a Brokerage Event and a number of site visits.

The side-event was focusing on non-infectious lung diseases and infectious diseases in the EaP/CA countries. Smoking and related lung infections seem to be one of the main causes of death in both regions with the worst statistics around the whole world. It was highlighted by several speakers that this hot-topic might be handled via regional cooperation more successfully.

All images © Jo Hempel @ johempel.com

High-level speakers have arrived from each CA country: Almaz Aldashev from the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, Khuseyn Egamnazarov from Avicenna Tajik State Medical University, Garahanjar Narlyyev from the Scientific Consultancy Centre “Altyn Umyt” in Turkmenistan, Shukhrat Yusupov from the Samarkand State Medical Institute in Uzbekistan and Yeraliyeva Lyazzat from Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University. The EaP region was represented by 5 excellent researchers: Lyudmila Niazyan from the Institute of Epidemiology, Virology and medical Parasotology in Armenia, Arif A. Mekhtiev from A.I.Karaev Institute of Physiology in Azerbaijan, Volha Kardash from Republican unitary enterprise “Scientific practical centre of hygiene” in Belarus, Tamaz Maglaklelidze from the The Black Sea Health Alliance in Georgia as well as Doina Rusu from the State Medical and Pharmaceutical University of Moldova. All the presentations of the speakers will be uploaded to the STI days website: www.stidays.net.

All images © Jo Hempel @ johempel.com

The main objective of the event was to inform EU researchers about the research landscape in EaP and CA countries, to build up networks among the various regions, participating in the STI days and last but not least to build up new contacts and possible consortia for Horizon 2020 calls. This last objective was supported by several bilateral matchmaking talks organised by Euresearch, Switzerland as a part of the three-day event. On the basis of the feedback forms filled in by the participants of the side-event, scientists highly appreciated both the content of the STI Days and networking possibilities during the conference.