Transnational Research Access in Macro-Region

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The project enhances international cooperation of universities, research institutes, large scale research infrastructures and industry nation- and region wide via improved access to analytical research instruments. RI and measurement instruments in the field of analytics and data processing are a key technology in undertaking research within the private sector thus to strengthen the competitiveness of the BSR. Considering the utilisation of RI in the field of analytics and data processing in the BSR, a paradox can be stated. On the one hand, there is an overbooking of large scale RI by scientific users. On the other hand, a low utilisation of regional RI (here defined as instruments with investment costs above 1 Mio. €) is mentioned. The challenge behind Baltic TRAM is that investments in RI do not reflect sustainable demand, do not sufficiently take into account Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) of areas, and do not promote effectively enough meaningful interactions between RI and businesses. Additionally, the community in connection to RI is weak. Furthermore, funding programmes for Small and Medium size Enterprises on national and transnational level for user inspired basic research are missing. It is a social challenge to speed up the implementation of research results from basic and applied research in industry. The Science Link project, co-financed by the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013, has shown that more cooperation is needed on national level combined with international cooperation. Baltic TRAM will address three levels:1) First of all, it will tackle the market failure of "unsustainable demand for RI" and establish national networks which provide regional service and support the community. Demands on the national networks (e.g. types of stakeholders) arise from the present national/regional structure and the future requirements formulated in the national roadmaps and national/regional S3. 2) Furthermore, analytical research activities and experiences will be exchanged via the transnational structure. 3) Pilot projects are intended for selected areas (e.g. nanotechnologies, food technology) for testing the solutions developed for national and transnational networks and lead to evaluation results. Project partners will support companies with consultation and research. At the same time there is need to make data freely accessible. The project will attempt to define requirements, structures and agreements for Open Data Access with companies carrying out research activities and to test it in a pilot project in Finland. These activities will strengthen the capacities of public administrations, companies and RI in the BSR states and, through international networking, lead to a balanced use of and cooperation between the RI. As interface, Industrial Research Centres will operate the regional networks of cooperating RI and organise transnational cooperation.

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