RICH Symposium "Fostering the Innovation Potential of RIs"

RICH, the network of National Contact Points for H2020-Research Infrastructures programme, is organising the symposium “Fostering the Innovation Potential of Research Infrastructures", on 8 May 2017, in Lisbon (Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian , FCG).

The Symposium, organised in collaboration with the European Commission (DG RTD), aims to provide a platform for effective, high-level interaction between both Research infrastructures projects and/or national RIs and industry. Even though the potential of RIs to foster innovation is clearly recognized – with industry as supplier or as user of the different RIs – it is still underexplored.

The event will cover issues related to:

• Innovation at the RI level and project level;
• Policy tools and instruments;
• Innovation in Action & Clusters and spin-offs;
• Fostering the Innovation Potential of RIs, all related to Research Infrastructures' landscape

The Agenda of the Symposium is available on the event website.

RICH 2020, the European Network of National Contact Points (NCPs) for Research Infrastructures in Horizon 2020, facilitates transnational cooperation between NCPs, promotes the effective implementation of the RI programme, supports transnational and virtual access to RIs and highlights the opportunities offered by Research Infrastructures - at the European and international level. In particular, the Network aims to:

• Enhance the highly professional support services operating nationally;
• Promote an equal and consistent level of support services throughout Europe;
• Promotion of transnational and virtual access;
• Synergies with other NCPs networks;
• Cooperation with other policy and international cooperation oriented measures for research infrastructures;
• Implement feedback mechanisms (mainly EC, NCPs and coordinators)

By spreading awareness, giving specialist advice, and providing on-the-ground guidance, NCPs ensure that the RI programme becomes known and readily accessible to all potential applicants, irrespective of sector or discipline.

The National Documentation Centre (EKT), National Contact Point for Horizon 2020, is a member of the RICH network, acting as the Greek hub for the European network. With the aim of supporting research and technology, EKT provides infrastructures and services for the use and dissemination of Greek scientific and cultural digital content, placing emphasis on open availability and the reuse of content., as well as services to interconnect academic, research and cultural bodies with innovative and creative businesses so as to provide access το funding tools, information about the business sector and markets.