CNRS-L International Cooperation
Recognizing the importance of cooperation to tackle challenges with a regional and global nature; the CNRS-L has worked to enhanced its cooperative links by joining existing networks, implementing regional projects financed by the European Commission, The World Bank, the United National Environment Programe, the United National Development Programme, the Food and Agricultural Organization as well as other regional and international organizations.
Such links will be further developed to place CNRS-L at the heart of regional and international cooperation as a reliable partners committed to local, regional and international progress and evolution in science and research.
EU Framework Programmes
The EU Framework Programmes are the EU's main instrument for funding research in Europe, open for regional and international participation.
The CNRS-L, represented by Dr. Mouïn Hamzé, is the Coordinating National Contact Point (NCP) for the EU Framework Programmes since 2011. In 2013, a Network of National Contact Points was established to cover the following EU Framework Programme thematics: Health, Environment, ICT, Energy & SMEs. Thematic National Contacts Points are located at various universities in Lebanon (AUB, USEK, LAU, LU, & USJ/Berytech).
General Statistics:
The EU 7th Framework Programme ran from 2007 to 2013 and saw Lebanese Participation in:
- 23 Projects with 26 Lebanese Partner Institutions.
- Lebanese Partners from both Universities and Public Institutions, including: AUB (8 Projects), CNRS (6 Projects), USJ & Berytech (2 Projects), Balamand University (2 Projects), Other (8 Projects).
- Lebanon is a ‘Partner’ in 21 Projects and ‘Coordinator’ in 2 Projects. Within a targeted call of the EU FP7 Programme for Reinforcing Cooperation Capacities of Research Centres located within Europe's Neighbours – not associated to FP7 - in the context of the ERA (ERA-WIDE); Lebanon was the coordinator of 2 Projects:
a-INCAM: Improving National Assessment and Monitoring Capacities for Integrated Environmental and Coastal ecosystem Management (Coordinated by the CNRS-L)
b-LEB’IN: Lebanon-Europe "on boarding" to innovate and enhance research links in health. (Coordinated by the Berytech Foundation)
- In general, Lebanese participation in FP7 witnesses a more active role in project participation and implementation, in which a number of institutions took an active and leading role in the work packages of the various projects.
In 2014, the EU Launched the New Framework Programme, Horizon 2020, which is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 – 2020). While the Horizon 2020 Programme is the EU’s research funding Programme, it is fully open to researchers from public and private organizations from across the world.
List of Projects with a Lebanese Partner:
FP7 Framework Programme.
H2020 Framework Programme.
Some Projects with an International Partner:
CNR (Italy) - CNRS (Lebanon) Agreement & Cooperative programme- Ongoing.
CNRS-L Participation in ENPI CBC MED Projects - Ongoing.
Framework Agreement between the CNRS (Lebanon) & Politecnico Di Milano (Italy) - Archived.
Policy Dialogue with the EU:
The CNRS-L is also a member of the Group of Senior Officials for Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation in RTD - GSO (formerly know as MoCo: Monitoring Committee for Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation in RTD). The GSO is a bi-regional policy dialogue platform, bringing together EU Member States and all Mediterranean Partner Countries. The GSO plays a central role in stimulating Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in research and innovation.
ENPI CBC MED Programme:
Lebanon is also a participating country in the multilateral cross-border cooperation "Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme" - part of the new European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and of its financing instrument (European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument - ENPI) with the aim of reinforcing cooperation between the European Union (EU) and partner countries regions placed along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.