FRENZ · Facilitating Research Co-operation between Europe and New Zealand

The FRENZ platform supports the EU-NZ S&T partnership with initiatives to highlight existing S&T co-operation between the EU and New Zealand (NZ); and improve this co-operation by enhancing the quality, quantity, visibility and effectiveness of future actions. Developing a DG RELEX preparatory activity, FRENZ proposes to deliver information and assistance to researchers; and facilitate EU-NZ policy dialogue in jointly defined areas of strategic EU-NZ research importance. A suite of seven highly integrated and interdependent Workpackages is proposed to remove impediments to the integration of the NZ research community in FP7 activities of mutual interest, and achieve the specific objectives of: * Increasing EU-NZ researcher links * Better identifying and demonstrating EU-NZ co-operation * Improving the process of providing information on S&T systems, programmes and funding to promote EU-NZ co-operation, and * Exchanging best practices and exploring prospects for future co-operation Deliverables from each workpackage will impact on the others in a circular process whereby tools and fora determine the basis for policy dialogue; policy dialogue influences those fields of common interest; and fields of common interest require tools and fora to facilitate co-operation. Thus the workpackages seek will deliver: * An integrated ‘one stop shop’ web portal on EU-NZ S&T co-operation - Web site - Email updates * A central ‘Helpdesk’ facility, underpinned by activities on-site in key research organizations across NZ * A series of themed extended workshops (‘sandpits’), allowing interested stakeholders to develop innovative research solutions to key issues of mutual EU-NZ interest * A database of EU-NZ collaborations and mobility, plus indicators of success, to develop a toolkit for collaboration and future bi-lateral EU-NZ activities * A gateway for Europe into the NZ research sector, to facilitate new bi- and multi-lateral engagement.