Israeli R&D bodies participate in European R&D programs amounting to more than 3.5 billion euros
Researchers from industry and academia in Israel participate in European research and development projects totaling approximately 3.55 billion euros. This is according to an inspection carried out by Isard, who operates from the Ministry of Science and Technology's Research Office, the directorate responsible for Israel's participation in the European Union's 6th framework program for research and development.
This year ends the sixth framework program, which began in 2002. During the program, 483 Israeli proposals won funding for research and development projects from the European Union. Including 429 academic research bodies, 209 industrial bodies and 145 other bodies, including government ministries and public institutions.
The Chief Scientist at the TMT Ministry, Dr. Eli Ofer, said that Israel's success in the sixth program was impressive: "During it, Israeli research bodies from industry and academia received research grants in the amount of 203 million euros, compared to 190 million euros that the Israeli government invested in exchange for its participation in the program. Entities that participated in the program created strategic relationships, which go beyond the scope of the program, with leading companies, academic institutions and research institutions in Europe and European markets were opened to Israeli industry. The total contribution to the economy can be estimated at more than a billion euros."
A study carried out by Mina Zemach from Dafah Institute, and published here for the first time, reveals that researchers in Israel show great appreciation for their participation in the program. 316 interviewees participated in the survey: 291 researchers and 25 managers. Most researchers from the industry believe that the projects in which they participate are of strategic importance to the company's work: 18% of them defined them as "very strategic" and 48% defined them as "somewhat strategic". Only 8% believe that they are "not strategic at all".
Most of them gave particularly high marks to the qualitative contribution of their participation in the program: 90% of the interviewees in industry and 93% of the interviewees in academia said they were exposed to new ideas. 90% of industry and 89% of academia said they acquired additional ability to develop projects. 88% of the interviewees in the industry and 89% of the interviewees in academia agreed that participating in the program promoted them in the field of professional relationships, and 88% of the interviewees in the industry said that the projects promoted the image of the organization in which they work.
Was participating in the program worthwhile? 92% of the interviewees from industry and 95% of the interviewees from academia said that their participation in the project was worthwhile to very worthwhile for them. In response to a question intended to clarify the limits of feasibility, 96% of the interviewees from the industry said that it would be worthwhile for the State of Israel to participate in the program even if it receives back only 80% of the money it paid, and 71% held this opinion even in a hypothetical situation where the State would receive only 60% of the money it paid.
At the beginning of 2007, the European Union will publish the tenders for the seventh framework program, which will last 7 years and will be budgeted for more than 50 billion euros. Isard's CEO, Marcel Staun, says: "Past experience shows that the success of Israeli organizations depends on how organized they are. The seventh program is admittedly more competitive, but it offers Israeli researchers new opportunities, and for presenters from industry and academia to prepare now, including attendance at conferences and meetings in Europe."
About 250 Israeli winners, in the fourth and last year of activity of the sixth framework program for research and development of the European Union. The winners take part in projects whose total value is 700 million euros. Among the winning bodies are universities (Hebrew University 19 participations including one as coordinators, Tel Aviv University 13 participations including 2 as coordinators, Technion 11 participations, Ben Gurion University 6 participations including one as coordinators, Haifa University 9 participations including one as coordinators, Bar Ilan University 8 participations, The Open University: 2 participations, Holon Institute of Technology, and Tel Hai College); Research institutions (the Weizmann Institute 15 participations, the Volcanic Institute 5 participations, the Seas and Lakes Research Institute 4 participations and the Institute for Democratic Education) and 52 companies among them companies that had this first participation in the framework program such as:
Given Imaging which also serves as coordinator, Rosetta Genomics and Vocal Tag in the field of biotechnology; Electric company, Sol-Gel Technologies and BG Polymers company in the field of nanotechnologies; Distributed Solar Power Company (Di.SP) in the field of energy; VKB, Winetworks and Gigaspaces companies in the field of information technologies; and Nutricognia in the food industry.
At the traditional reception held on 25.10.2006, at the residence of Ambassador Ramiro Cibrian Ozel, head of the delegation of the European Union Commission in Israel, to mark the end of the fourth and last year of activity of the sixth framework program, a certificate was awarded on behalf of ISERD - the Israeli administration for the framework program, which operates from the Office of the Chief Scientist in the Ministry The Industry, Trade and Employment (TMAT), to the representatives of the winning entities.
The event also marked the transition from the sixth to the seventh plan, which will start operating in 2007 and in which Israel is invited to participate.
Ambassador Ramiro Cibrian Ozal emphasized that the cooperation in the framework program for R&D "is one of the greatest successes in the strengthening relations between Israel and the European Union".
Dr. Eli Ofer, the chief scientist at the Ministry of Science and Technology, noted the achievements of the Israeli participants in the program, including receiving research grants amounting to approximately 204 million euros, compared to the 190 million euros invested by the Israeli government in the program.
Shlomo Hershkowitz, VP of the OT stressed the importance of Israel's participation in the framework program, being the second source of funding for basic research in Israel.
Marcel Staun, CEO of ISERD, called on the winners to start working towards their activities in the seventh program, and to leverage their winnings, the connections and the reputation they created in the sixth program for more wins in the future.
The Seventh Framework Program will be spread over seven years 2007-2013 and its estimated total budget will be approximately €49 billion. The first reader votes will be published towards the end of 2006.
The Framework Program for Research and Development of the European Union was founded in 1984 with the intention of increasing European competitiveness in the fields of research and development. The program is renewed every four years, with the current program ending this year being the sixth (2002-2006). Israel is the only country outside of Europe that takes part in these programs.
