Volume 1, Issue 2 June 2015

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Inside this issue:

Introduction 1

Orientation, Networking & Brokerage Workshop for Researchers in Jordan

2

SRTD-II participation in The 15th International Congress of the Interna-tional Society for Ethno pharmacology

3

Research and Innovation in the MED:

EU Different Instruments

toward Shared Goals 4

SRTD Project’s Technology

Transfer Unites (TTUs) 4

SRTD – II Team in The 2nd

Euro-Mediterranean Bro-

kerage and Venturing

Event on Research and

Innovation

6

Upcoming Events and

Conferences 6

B I A N N U A L N E W S L E T T E R P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E E U R O P E A N U N I O N F U N D E D P R O J E C T S R T D - I I

Welcome to the SECOND ISSUE of SRTD-II E-NEWSLETTER; and first for this year in terms of news and events. SRTD-II would like to take this blissful opportunity to wish its networking partner’s success with their en-deavors during this holy month of Ramadan. This current edition of our newsletter will provide you with a useful summary of the project’s latest activities and achievements; you will also learn about the activities we

are planning to conduct in the near future.

SRTD-II has finished the initial phase of the project by successfully fund-ing sixty two grants in the areas of Food, Energy, Water & Health, and is now entering to the second phase during which the implementation and monitoring of these grants will begin. Support will be provided to all beneficiaries during the implementation and closure phase in order

to deliver successful outcomes to the Jordanian Scientific arena.

During this phase, there will also be more in-depth focus on the Horizon-2020 Framework Programme; the biggest EU Research and Innovation

programme ever, with nearly €80 billion of funding available over sev-

en years (2014 to 2020). The Jordanian participation has significantly

increased in the framework programmes over the past few years.

pa

ge

The Higher Council for Science and Technology

through their Project Implementation Office (PIO)

of the EU funded project “Support to Research,

Technological Development and Innovation in Jor-

dan II” Project (SRTD II), and in collaboration with

the currently running Enhancement of Jordan-

European Partnership (EU-JordanNet II) project

organised the Orientation, Networking & Bro-

kerage Workshop targeting SRTD-II grant bene-

ficiaries, investors, entrepreneurs and researchers

from Jordan and the EU to create an opportunity

for them to meet, share experiences and

knowledge, and start planning to work together

on research proposals under H2020.

The Workshop took place over two days; 23rd –

24th March at GENEVA Hotel, where presenta-

tions on the four thematic sectors identified under

Jordan’s national economic priorities; (Energy,

Food, Health & Water) were presented by EU

Page 2 SRTD - I I : JUNE 2015

Head of Trade and Economic Section;

Ms. Tarja El Idrissi, Dr. Al Karmi and SRTD

– II project director Eng. Amawi opening of

the Workshop

Experts, and Grant Beneficiaries, who shared their

experiences and innovative ideas. During this

workshop Grant Management Guidelines, accord-

ing to EU rules and regulations, were also present-

ed for the benefit of the newly awarded grant-

ees. This workshop is among many activities host-

ed by the HCST , aiming at building scientific net-

works and enhancing scientific and technological

exchange between Jordan and the EU.

Dr. Al Karmi handing Dr. Malkawi his Grant

Orientation, Networking & Brokerage Workshop for

Researchers in Jordan

SRTD-II, represented by its director and the key area

coordinators for Food & Health along with two of the

project’s grant beneficiaries in the health and food

sectors, participated in the 15 th International Con-

gress of the International Society for Eth-

nopharmacology, which was held in May 5-8,

2015 in Petra Panorama Hotel, Petra-Jordan.

This conference was organized by Al-Balqa

Applied University– Shobak Collage in collabo-

ration with the International Society for Ethnopharma-

cology.

SRTD-II participated by conducting a presentation

about the Higher Council for Science and Technology

(HCST) focusing on its role as a national umbrella for

all scientific activities in Jordan, covering SRTD-II,

HCST policies and other projects such as (EU-

JordanNet II). Moreover, a booth including visibility

material (Banners, Fliers, etc) about HCST projects and

activities was set up allowing participants to gain

more information on the activities.

The topics of the congress included different fields of

research related to ethnopharmacology aiming at

bringing together researchers from all over the world

enabling them to share their recent achievements in

ethnopharmacology and medicinal plant science, inno-

vations and industry. Speakers from different coun-

tries were invited such as: Jordan, EU Member States

and associated countries, Canada, USA, South Africa,

Australia, and India.

Page 3 SRTD - I I : JUNE 2015

SRTD - II project director Eng. Amawi and his

team with Asso. Prof. Mohammad Abu-Darwish

Participating in the ISE congress facilitated raising

awareness among participants about the Higher

Council for Science and Technology and the pro-

jects conducted under its umbrella including SRTD-

II, and strengthening the links between EU and

Jordan in research and commercialisation activi-

ties in the health and food sectors and establish-

ing links with important institutions all over the

world. Also, it helped the participants to expand

their knowledge and become updated with the

efficiency of herbs; especially herbs used for an-

timicrobial properties.

SRTD-II is supporting two projects that match the

theme of the conference, the first in Health sector

entitled “Production of Medically Highly Valued

Neem Plantlets Locally by Tissue Culture Biotech-

nology Technique”, which aims at improving hu-

man health by local production of neem plantlets

which is a major component in medicinal & cos-

metic products and pesticide safety-products pro-

duction, environmental improving issues. The sec-

ond project is in Food sector entitled “Feed sup-

plement for broiler chicken with no antibiotic”

SRTD-II participated in The

15th International Congress of the In-

ternational Society for Ethnopharma-

cology (ISE Congress)

Page 4 SRTD - I I : JUNE 2015

Technology Transfer is one of the main components within the “Support to Research, Technological Development & Innovation in Jordan” project (SRTD-II). It is based on the concept of bridging science and business. A key focus of the majority of European research programmes is applications leading to solving real world problems. This emphasis naturally leads to the possibility of commercialising

research through transferring the knowledge and technology to business.

During SRTD I, the project aided in the development of a National Technology Transfer Programme, by providing financial support to expand the national Intellectual Property Commercialization Office (IPCO) at the El Hassan Science City, and to establish 11 Technology Transfer Units (TTUs) in universities, research centers and business organizations.

In February 2015, SRTD-II held a meeting for the TTUs, entitled “Technology Transfer for Knowledge Based Growth in Jordan” to evaluate the activities and achievements of the 11 TTUs over the last few years, and to select five Technology Transfer Officers(TTOs) to whom SRTD-II will provide significant training to enhance their performance, focusing on general and specific Technology Transfer (TT) concepts and skills such as TT effectiveness, TT tools, TT activity organization, IP rules and regulations, communication and soft skills for TT. A study tour, internship & workshops will be provided, visiting a wide-range of technology transfer and com-mercialisation organisations in Europe. Furthermore, SRTD-II team

SRTD II Project Technology Transfer Unites (TTUs) Support

The European Commission organized a regional workshop in May 27,

2015 in Cairo, Egypt; entitled 'Research and Innovation in the MED: EU

Different Instruments toward Shared Goals'. The workshop brought

together participants in research and innovation clusters funded under

different EU programmes (such as the FP7, CBC-MED, bilateral RDI

programmes) in the Euro-Med region aiming at exploring potential synergies and sharing experienc-

es.

The one day workshop, consisted of three sessions followed by round-table discussions. During the

first session, three projects were presented from Jordan and Egypt, followed by a 15 minutes discus-

sion on the impact of such projects and their possible contribution to the development process. Finally

two speed pitch sessions were conducted (6 projects/session) in different fields; Energy, Food, Water,

ICT, Social Innovative and Technology Transfer.

SRTD-II participation in the workshop gave an opportunity to raise awareness among participants

about the project’s activities and helped identify possible opportunities for further collaboration un-

der H2020 and other common areas of interest.

Research and Innovation in the MED:

EU Different Instruments toward Shared Goals

Mu’tah University President

Ph.D., Rida A. Shibli Handing

Eng. Amawi the University

Shield

SRTD – II Team in The 2nd Euro-Mediterranean Brokerage and

Venturing Event on Research and Innovation

Page 5 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2

The “2nd Euro-Mediterranean Brokerage and Venturing Event on Research and Innovation”, which is a two-days event organized in Berlin (Germany) by the Med-Spring project from the 25th to 26th February 2015 and hosted by The National Aeronautics and Space Research Centre of the Federal Republic of Germany (DLR), in collaboration

with the Ministry of higher Education and scientific research - Egypt (MHESR), The

Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST), Investment Network (ANIMA)-

France and CIHEAM-IAMB– Bari.

Coming to its second edition, and building on the 1st Brokerage event (held in Cairo

on February 2014) the 2nd Brokerage Event was a regional Euro-Mediterranean

event where companies, organisations, entrepreneurs and researchers from different

EU and Mediterranean countries participated with the aim of facilitating bridging

between research and innovation through the creation of private-public and research

-enterprise partnerships. It also aimed at activating relevant actors in the Mediterra-

nean region, helping them to enhance clustering for innovation involving young entre-

preneurs from the Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPCs). The brokerage event stimulated

the participation of representatives of identified innovation clusters as well as ideas carriers

from different European countries. Existing regional networks or cluster initiatives were also

involved in the event to help trigger local to regional commercial-technology partnerships.

visited several institutions including Jordan University for Science and Technology (JUST), Jordan University (JU), Mutah University (MU), Petra University (PU) and Amman Chamber for Industry (ACI), where meetings were organised with presidents and deans of scientific researchers, to dis-cuss the Technology Transfer Programmes within these institutions, and SRTD – II role in supporting these programmes.

In general, the TTO’s role within universities and research centers, will focus on identifying which research initiatives could have commercial potential, manage the disclosure and protection of the IP and ensuring that the researcher can still publish his results. On the other hand, the role within business organisations focuses on identifying the industrial sectors and the individual businesses which could benefit from additional research efforts.

Page 6 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2

Around 90 participants from 18 countries attended the brokerage event: young entrepreneurs/

researchers, start-ups, researcher institutions, tech-driven enterprises, SMEs and other relevant private/

public potential investors/networks from Euro-Mediterranean Countries met to share their interest and

offers for cooperation as well as to learn more about funding opportunities. Among them, 20 young en-

trepreneurs and researchers were invited to present their innovative ideas.

SRTD II PIO staff; Eng. Omar Amawi the PIO Director, Eng. Majd Al Naber the Key Coordinator for Wa-

ter and Eng. Dana Hijazeen the Key Coordinator for Food participated in the event in order to support

innovation ideas of the Jordanian projects within the areas of water and food also contributing to bridg-

ing our efforts in supporting Jordanian researchers participation in the next framework programme of

Horizon 2020, in order to increase the contribution and participation of Jordanian researchers in Euro-

pean events which will give them an opportunity to introduce their ideas to a wide group of experts and

entrepreneurs worldwide.

The brokerage event explored opportunities and challenges, presented project ideas to potential inter-

national cooperation partners and meet a number of prospective cooperation partners. It was organized

in the areas of water and food. SRTD II supported three Jordanian researchers; Dr. Hanee Aldmoor,

Eng. Mohammad Al Fageeh and Dr. Al Moayied Assayed participation in the event enabling them to

present their projects to the EU researchers.

Upcoming Events and Conferences

The development of joint strategic agendas for research, development and innovation,

The bilateral relation on Science, Technology and Innovation, reviewing the achievements and iden-

tifying future needs.

Problems faced researchers on both sides and what can and should be done to reduce the existing

barriers.

The conference will have a regional view, inviting researchers as well as policy makers from the neigh-

boring countries and from the other BILAT projects.

EU-JordanNet II final Conference

Enhancement of Jordan-European Partnership (EU-JordanNet II) project

will come to an end in the 14-15, September 2015. A final conference will

be held in Jordan gathering research & development actors at the nation-

al, regional and international level. The conference will focus on strength-

ening the R&D cooperation between Jordan and Europe through,

For more information about SRTD - II Project Please visit

www.srtd.hcst.gov.jo

Address: P.O. Box: 36 Amman 11941 – Jordan Phone: +962-6-5335288 Fax : +962-6-5340589

www.hcst.gov.jo

The Higher Counci l for Sc ience & Technology

This publication has been produced with the assistance

of the EU. The contents of this publication are the sole

responsibility of SRTD-II and can in no way be taken to

reflect the views of the European Union.

Page 7 SRTD - I I : JUNE 2015