TRANSBONUS · Transport EU-Western Balkan Network for Training, Support and Promotion of Cooperation in FP7 research activities

The overall objective of this project is to improve and promote closer Scientific and Technological (S&T) cooperation opportunities between Europe and the Western Balkan Countries (WBCs) in the area of Surface Transport. The project seeks to establish an EU-Balkan Transport network of researchers and universities among these countries in order to improve and/or enlarge the research capacity of Western Balkan centres of competence in transport in terms of improving their research programs, and scientific and technical human resources. The project aims to fulfil the following specific goals: • Identifying the existing capacities and specific needs of surface transport researchers in the Western Balkan countries in terms of FP7 funding opportunities; • Training and support in FP7 knowledge and best practices. Enhance the readiness of Balkan transport research community to participate in the European RTD programmes (FP7). • Setting up a matching tool - “Project Lab” - supporting the creation and preparation of efficient and innovative project proposals; • Implementing expert study visits between the WBC partners and EU partners in order to expand the scientific relationships and networking between the two regions; • Stimulating various partnering schemes and national collaboration between researchers and industry in the surface transport sector in the Balkan region. Expected activities and tangible results of this project will include, among others: a Roadmap for research capacities and funding opportunities in WBCs transport research, 150 researchers informed and stimulated towards FP7, a database with 100 R&D results, 10 national idea generation events (2 per each WBC + Bulgaria), 50 new project proposal ideas and 5 events in the Balkan countries linking transport researchers and industry.