PAN-EUROPEAN COLLABORATION FOR RESEARCHERS FROM CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

PAN-EUROPEAN COLLABORATION FOR RESEARCHERS FROM CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

T. Decsi

, N. Fidler Mis

, S. Kolaþek

, I. Kon

, J. Kopecky

, I. Penas-Jimenez

, P. Socha

, and H. Szajewska

1

Dept of Paediatrics, University of Pecs, Hungary;

Centre for Nutrition, University Children’s Hospital, Ljubljana, Slovenia;

Dept of Paediatrics, University Children's Hospital l

, Zagreb, Croatia; 4Institute of Nutrition of RAMS, Moscow, Russia;

5

Dept of Adipose Tissue Biology, Institute of

5

f Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the

Czech Republic

;

Marie Curie European Fellowship Unit, DG Research, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium;

Dept of Paediatric Gastroenterology, The Children’s Memorial l

Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland;

Dept of Paediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition, The Medical University of Warsaw, Poland

Abstract:

Ten Central and Eastern [NLG4]European countries have recently joined the European Union. This historical enlargement provided a good opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities in Pan-European Research Collaboration for researchers from Central/Eastern Europe. This paper summarises examples of productive research collaboration between East and West, current challenges[NLG5], and ideas on how to facilitate better collaboration. A short overview of training, mobility and career development opportunities, covered by the Marie Curie actions, is also presented.

Key words: Eastern Europe; Central Europe; collaboration; Marie Curie; researchers.

a

1.

INTRODUCTION

On the 1st May 2004, large parts of Central/Eastern and Western Europe were reunited. Ten new countries joined the European Union (EU) – Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia. This historical enlargement provided a good opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities in Pan-European Research Collaboration facing scientists from Central and Eastern Europe. Experts from different countries were

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invited to present examples of productive research collaboration between Central/Eastern and Western Europe, current challenges, and ideas on how to facilitate better collaboration. Furthermore, an overview of the researchers’ training network, mobility and career development, covered by the Marie Curie Fellowships, was presented. This paper summarises the reports presented during the Discussion Forum.

2. HUNGARIAN EXPERIENCE

National funding of medical research in Hungary is minimal. In 2004, the National Research Fund, the leading sponsor of research activities in Hungary, provided support for 28 research projects within non-surgical clinical sciences. However, the extent of the yearly allocation was between only 3,000 and 6,000 euros. Resources of this magnitude may represent a useful auxiliary tool, but they are clearly insufficient to serve as a basis for funding high quality medical research. International funding of research, primarily by the EU, may effectively fill the wide gap between actual needs and national resources. However, the experiences of Hungarian researchers in one completed EU study (NUHEAL, QLK1-1999-00888, 1999-2003) and in some project applications, have raised serious concerns about the long-term ability to apply successfully for funding at the European level. Serious drawbacks, both at the planning and completion stages of EU studies, may be faced.

While the scientific essence of a project application might be sound, it might not be easy to fulfil the complex written and unwritten technical requirements of a successful project application.

3. SLOVENIAN EXPERIENCE

The research at the University Children's Hospital, Ljubljana, during

the past four years has been based on several projects, supported by the

Ministry of Education, Science and Sport. These activities have led to

both bilateral and multinational research collaborations. Examples of

bilateral collaboration include the Slovenian-German co-operation,

sponsored by the Slovenian and German Ministry for Science, which

enabled reciprocal visits of researchers from Ljubljana, and the

Deutscher Akademischer Ausatuschdienst grant for laboratory equipment

for determination of fat content and fatty acid composition of human milk and plasma lipids. This is now in the Laboratory of the University Children's Hospital in Ljubljana. A good example of multinational co- operation is the Data Mining Tools and Services for Grid Computing Environments (DataMiningGrid) project, coordinated by W.Dubitzky from the University of Ulster. Computer experts from Germany, Ireland, Poland and Slovenia, will develop software for analysing distributed medical and nutritional databases. This new technology will be available to the Centre for Nutrition, University Children’s Hospital, Ljubljana, for the purpose of technology demonstration and further studies.

Additionally, funds will be received for several new computers and educational activities.

4. RUSSIAN EXPERIENCE

Although many problems in paediatric nutrition are the same as in other European countries, some might be specific to Russia. Therefore, there are various possibilities for collaborative European research projects, some of which have already been undertaken. Examples include studies on the effect of fruit and vegetable beikost on infant gut microflora, and the effect of traditional Russian acid-based milk product (kefir) on stool haemoglobin content (as index of intestinal bleeding).

The new journal Problems of Paediatric Nutrition and Dietetics, which is devoted to paediatric nutrition and publishes articles of Russian as well as European researchers, is another example of good co- operation between East and West.

Topics for future collaborative research include comparative studies of infant gut microflora in different European countries; nutritional status determined with stable isotopes; effects of some pre- and probiotic products; and the optimal time for the introduction of beikost foods into the diet.

However, the main problem for further collaborative research is lack

of financial support, as well as limited instrumental and methodological

possibilities of many Russian hospitals and laboratories. Special funds to

support co-operative research, as well as training of Russian scientists in

leading European hospitals and laboratories, would be of great

assistance.

5. POLISH EXPERIENCE

Polish scientists have been, and are currently involved in, different Pan-European research activities, which are a good opportunity not only to perform well-designed and managed studies, but also to learn how to lead EU projects and how to deal with EU documentation. Three important examples of scientific collaboration include:

1.The EU Childhood Obesity Programme - this will investigate whether feeding infant formulas, which differ in their level of milk proteins, can influence the risk of subsequent childhood obesity. This important trial takes place in seven countries (Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, France, Great Britain, and Spain). Good co-operation and promising results of this and other projects concerning nutritional t programmes have paved the way for a very large next-step EU research project, EARNEST, in which our Polish team will be more heavily involved.

2. The EU Project Paediatric Research Centre - Focusing on Effective Child Treatment (PERFECT) that acts on the basis of the Children's Memorial Health Institute (CMHI) in Warsaw. The aim of the PERFECT project is to establish a better position of CMHI in integrated Europe by networking, combining and constructing joint research projects with similar paediatric centres in the EU.

3. International Life Sciences Institute project - focusing on European children and nutritional practices and recommendations for

adolescents.

6. MARIE CURIE ACTIONS

The Sixth Framework Programme's Human Resources and Mobility (HRM) activity has a budget of €1,580 million and is based largely on the financing of training and mobility activities for researchers. These activities, known as the Marie Curie Actions, are aimed at the development and transfer of research competencies, the consolidation and widening of researchers' career prospects, and the promotion of excellence in European research. The major actions are:

Marie Curie Research Training Network that provides training and

research experience for researchers of any age or nationality by giving

them the opportunity to spend between three months and three years in

another country as part of a collaborative international high-quality research project.

Marie Curie Early Stage Training in which f ff unding is available for universities, research organisations, and businesses in the EU or Associated States to provide early-stage researchers of any nationality or age with structured scientific or technological training opportunities of between three months and three years .

Marie Curie Transfer of Knowledge in which universities, research institutions or enterprises in the EU Member or Associated States can apply to the Commission for funding to reinforce or develop new research competencies through the recruitment of experienced researchers.

Marie Curie Conferences and Training Courses in which funding is available to help universities, research centres and businesses in the EU or Associated States to organise conferences and training courses and to allow early-stage and more experienced researchers to take part.

Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships are open to EU and Associated State researchers of all ages with at least four years' professional experience or a doctorate degree. The purpose is to give them the financial means to undertake advanced training through research or to acquire complementary skills at a European organisation most suited to their professional needs.

Marie Curie Incoming International Fellowships are targeted at experienced researchers from outside the EU and Associated States who want to move to Europe to take part in research training.

Marie Curie Outgoing International Fellowships are to allow experienced researchers from EU or Associated States to broaden their international research experience by spending time at a research centre outside the EU and Associated States for periods of between one and three years, including a compulsory return phase.

The Marie Curie Actions also focus on the promotion and recognition

of excellence in European research. Three initiatives have been set up to

increase the visibility and attractiveness of European research. The aim

of the Marie Curie Excellence Grants is to create transnational

research teams led by a researcher who has the potential to reach

excellence in a particular scientific field. Marie Curie Chairs are to

encourage world-class researchers working in fields of key importance

for Europe to resume or further develop their careers in Europe, by

providing support for a period of research and teaching of between one

and three years. Marie Curie Excellence Awards are research prizes to

give recognition to the excellence achieved by researchers who have benefited from a Community mobility scheme for the training of researchers for a minimum of one year.

7. CONCLUSIONS

Research in Central and Eastern Europe is underfunded and lags

behind that of Western Europe. However, these countries have great

human potential and enthusiasm for growth. Collaboration of researchers

across Europe could be encouraged – and given a much needed financial

boost – through the support of the EU. In addition, a shortage of

qualified technical personnel for the planning and completion of

successful EU grant applications is a problem for researchers in many

Central/Eastern European countries, and strategies to overcome this

problem must be developed.