Multilateral cooperation is also realised through the EIG CONCERT-Japan (The European Interest Group Concert-Japan) platform. EIG CONCERT-Japan is an international joint initiative of 11 European countries and Japan, aimed at supporting, coordinating and strengthening science, technology and innovation. The activities of EIG CONCERT-Japan build on a previous ERA-NET project funded in 2011–2014 from the EU's 7th Framework Programme. After its completion, the participating partner organisations decided to continue the established cooperation even without funding from the EU.
On the Czech side, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) also participates in the platform, thus enabling funding to Czech universities and other research institutions non-affiliated with the CAS.
The CAS became a member of the EIG CONCERT-Japan platform in 2017. In 2017–2019, it has participated in three calls for multilateral project proposals. The topics were Efficient Energy Storage and Distribution, Functional Porous Materials and Smart Water Management for Sustainable Society in which two CAS project proposals were selected for funding – Soil Eco-Technology to Recover Water Storage in Disturbed Forests (SoilWater) submitted by a consortium with participation of a team from the Biology Centre of the CAS, the Institute of Hydrodynamics and the Global Change Research Institute; and the project titled Framework for Organizational Decision-Making Process in Water Reuse for Smart Cities (SMART-WaterDomain) prepared by the Global Change Research Institute. Both teams are financed by the MEYS.
In the call announced in 2020, only the Ministry of Education represented the Czech Republic. The topic was ICT for Resilient, Safe and Secure Society. This fact, however, did not prevent the CAS institutes from participating.
The CAS has participated again in the call announced in 2021. The call was focused on Sustainable Hydrogen Technology as Affordable and Clean Energy. An overview of all projects selected for funding is available here.
The next call was announced in 2022 and focused on the theme Design of Materials with Atomic Precision. Apart from the CAS, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (MEYS) also participates in EIG-CONCERT Japan. The conditions of each provider are available in the call documentation, which can be found here.
In 2023, another call of tendering took place with the theme Solutions for Carbon-Neutral Cities. As in the previous call, together with the CAS, the MEYS also participated. Details of the challenge can be found here.
More information about the call and EIG CONCERT-Japan activity per se, including an overview of the countries involved, can be found on the EIG CONCERT-Japan activity website.
Newest 11th Joint Call in 2024
The 11th joint call on Digital Transformations and Robotics in Sustainable Agriculture launched in May 14, 2024, with research expected to start in the first half of 2025.
The project proposal shall be submitted by the project coordinator on behalf of the entire consortium via the online PT-Outline portal that can be found on https://concert-japan.eu/open-call/2024/. The deadline for submitting project proposals is July 23, 2024.
Apart from the CAS, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (MEYS) is also participating in the activity. Interested applicants from the CAS institutes may choose whether to apply for financial support of the Czech part of the project at the CAS or MEYS. The conditions of each provider are available in the call documentation.The maximum total amount with which the CAS will support a successful team is EUR 120,000 for the entire duration of the project (i.e., 36 months).
The scientific team from the CAS which chooses the CAS as the provider of financial support is obliged to send the completed "Project Proposal Details" form to samalova@kav.cas.cz by July 23, 2024.
Conditions:
Each project consortium submitting an application should consist of at least 3 eligible beneficiaries (project partners), including at least 1 from Japan and at least 2 from two different European countries participating in the Joint Call.
Partner Search Tool – Partfinder available here: https://partfinder.ncbr.gov.pl/. This tool can be used both by project consortia looking for additional partners and researchers looking for project consortia to join.
Previously funded projects can be searched for here.
ast update: 18. 4. 2024