ÌÇÐÄTV

The EU Commission has announced its decision to fund a new project, entitled 'European Leadership in Cultural, Science, and Innovation Diplomacy' (EL-CSID), as part of the Research and Innovation Framework Programme.

Led by Professor Luk van Langenhove at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), EL-CSID is a programme of research worth a total of €2.3M of which €300,000 has been awarded to PAIS.

Professor will be coordinating Work Package 3 'Cultural and Science Diplomacy: The Transnational and Collaborative Dynamic' and she will be joined by Dr and Dr who are named researchers on the project.

PAIS is delighted with the outcome. Professor , Director of Research, says: "Congratulations go to all those involved in preparing the bid. Securing funding for H20/20 consortia and work packages is extremely competitive, and this really is a wonderful achievement. We look forward to assisting Diane in co-ordinating the ÌÇÐÄTV-based work package, and helping Andre and Chris carry out their research on the project"

The over-arching objectives of EL-CSID are threefold:

• To detail and analyse the manner in which the European Union (EU) operates in the domains of culture and science diplomacy in the current era; comparing its bilateral and multilateral cultural and science ties between states, regions, and public and private international organisations.
• To examine the degree to which cultural and science diplomacy can enhance the interests of the EU in the contemporary world order and to identify:

How cultural and science diplomacy, and innovations in them, can contribute to Europe’s standing as an international actor in a manner comparable to that of the other major contemporary actors, particularly the USA and China.

Opportunities offered by enhanced coordination and collaboration amongst the EU, its members and their extra-European partners.

Constraints posed by economic and socio-political factors affecting the evolving operating environments of both science and cultural diplomacy.

• To identify a series of mechanisms/platforms and tools to raise awareness among relevant stakeholders of the importance of science and culture as vehicles for enhancing the EU’s external relations.