THE DANUBE STRATEGY SERBIA

THE DANUBE IN SERBIA

Vienna December 19th, 2011

Miroslav Veskovic, Rector of the University of Novi SadEU Danube Strategy Priority Area 7 Coordinator

THE DANUBE STRATEGY SERBIA

Content:

• BUILDING PROSPERITY IN THE DANUBE REGION • INFRASTRUCTURE• CORRIDORS VII AND X• ALONG THE DANUBE THROUGH SERBIA• DANUBE IN SERBIA: POTENTIALS AND TOURISM

PROJECTS PLANNED FOR THE FUTURE• DANUBE PROJECTS• DANUBE PROJECTS IN SERBIA• TO CONCLUDE…

THE DANUBE STRATEGY SERBIA

BUILDING PROSPERITY IN THE DANUBE REGION

Development of the Knowledge Society through

Research, Education and Information Technologies

Miroslav Veskovic, Rector of the University of Novi SadEU Danube Strategy Priority Area 7 Coordinator

THE DANUBE REGION

EU MACRO-REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE DANUBE REGION

• The Strategy provides a sustainable framework for policy integration and coherent development of the Danube Region. It sets out priority actions to make it an EU region for the 21st century. It must be accompanied by sufficient information and publicity to ensure itsobjectives are widely known.

EU MACRO-REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE DANUBE REGION

• EUSDR is not a project, but a concept!

• C) BUILDING PROSPERITY IN THE DANUBEREGION

– 7) TO DEVELOP THE KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY THROUGH RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

Priority Area Coordinators:

Republic of Serbia and Republic of Slovakia

EUSDR: Pillar C - Priority Area 7

WHY SERBIA?

• THE DANUBE RECTORS’ CONFERENCE IN NOVI SAD

• According to Essential Science Indicators from Thomson Reuters and ScienceWatch.com Serbia has achieved Rising Star status in science in multiple fields:

•Biology & Biochemistry •Materials Science

•Chemistry •Mathematics

•Clinical Medicine •Neuroscience & Behavior

•Computer Science •Pharmacology & Toxicology

•Engineering •Physics

WHY SERBIA?

EUROPE 2020 STRATEGY

• Smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth

• Research and innovation are at the heart of the Europe 2020 strategy.

• Higher education institutions have a key role in providing teaching, undertaking research and innovation, producing employable graduates and developing new ideas for a changing world.

HORIZON 2020

• Grand challenges of the entire region:

– Food

– Energy

– Water

– Climate change

– Healthy and active aging

– Innovation

TARGETS FOR THE PRIORITY AREA 7

• European Commission has identified the following targets:

– To invest 3% of GDP in Research and Development by 2020;

– Broadband access for all EU citizens in the Region by 2013;

– Increase the number of patents obtained in the Region by 50%;

– Increase the share of the EU population aged 30-34 with tertiary or equivalent education to 40% by 2020.

TARGETS: What else? Who else?

• Networking

• Mobility

• Excellence

• ...

POLICIES AND MECHANISMS TO BE PROMOTED

• Diffusion mechanisms and targeted support for research infrastructure

• Networking of centers of excellence and complementary partnerships

• Smart specialization of and within the region

• Brain-circulation

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

• “Socio-Economic and cultural integration”

• Diversity and marginalized communities

• Addressing “Knowledge triangle” potentials (interaction between education, research and innovation) and/or the “triple helix”-type of actions (interactions between academia and the private and public sectors)

“FROM WORDS TO ACTIONS”

• In order to promote policies mentioned we shell strive:

– “To establish a Danube Region Research and Innovation Fund promoting excellence in research in the Danube Region”

– “To strengthen university cooperation through a Danube Region Education, Research and Innovation Platform”

– “To promote innovation and business' success in new markets”

“GRANTS FOR AN ACTION”

• The main activities:

– To provide information on the absorption capacities of regional networks, i.e. existing clusters and networks and potentials to create new clusters

– To provide input on possible thematic areas for the DRRIF (based on analysis of existing clusters and involving all Priority Areas)

– To explore synergies with existing schemes such as the pilot actions in SEE-ERA.NET (PLUS), etc. and to exchange information with similar actions in other macro-regions (e.g. BONUS in the Baltic Sea region)

“GRANTS FOR AN ACTION”

– To explore willingness of public funding agencies and ministries as well as private stakeholders (e.g. from the banking sector, selected multinational firms) to channel financial support through the DRRIF including visits to national governments in the region to enhance the political support

– To prepare the organizational framework for DRRIF, to draft process management, technical management, system for call management, evaluation and monitoring of projects

– To work towards the establishment of a Danube Region Research and Innovation Fund and potentially to work towards an ERA-NET (PLUS) for the Danube Region.

BONUS

• BONUS 2003-2008: “BONUS for the Baltic

Sea Science – Network of Funding Agencies” (FP6)

• BONUS+2009-2011: “European Economic

Interest Grouping EEIG”

• BONUS 2010-2016: “Strategic Development

2010-2011 & Implementation 2012-2016”

ERA-NET Call 2012

Identifier: FP7-ERANET-2012-RTDPublication Date: 20 July 2011Budget: € 38 500 000Deadline: 28 February 2012 at 17:00:00 (Brussels local time) OJ Reference: OJ C213 of 20 July 2011Specific Programme(s): COOPERATIONTheme(s): Socio-economic sciences and Humanities; Transport (including Aeronautics); General Activities; Energy; Health; Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies - NMP; Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology

ERA PUBLIC CONSULTATION

http://ec.europa.eu/research/consultations/era/consultation_en.htm

Consultation on the ERA Framework: Areas of untapped potential for the development of the European Research Area (ERA)

The consultation aims to reinforce the Commission analysis of the key issues to be addressed as well as to gather views on their importance: researchers' careers and mobility, researchinfrastructures, cross-border operation of research actors, knowledge circulation, international cooperation and cross -cutting governance issues.

The outcome of the consultation will help the Commission to decide on those issues, which should be addressed as priorities when preparing by 2012 the ERA Framework, which will set out the focused, proportionate and effective measures to be taken to realize ERA.

ERA PUBLIC CONSULTATION

HORIZON 2020-BIOBASED ECONOMY

• Building a European Knowledge Based Bio-Economy by bringing together science, industry and other stakeholders to exploit new and emerging research opportunities that address social, environmental and economic

challenges.

BIOECONOMY

INFRASTRUCTURE

• A fully functioning single market depends on modern, high performing infrastructure connecting Europeparticularly in the areas of transport, energy and information and

communication technologies (ICT).

ICT CHALLENGES

•Digital divide

•Living-lab concept

ICT FOR SOCIAL CHALLENGES

• The Digital Agenda focuses on ICTs capability to:

– Reduce energy consumption

– Support ageing citizens' lives

– Revolutionize health services

– Deliver better public services

• ICTs can also drive forward the digitalization of Europe's cultural heritage providing online access for all.

• Serbia strongly supports the proposed establishment of the Connecting Europe Facility for those projects that are linking trans-European transport networks and advocates for participation of the Western Balkans in

this Facility.

CORRIDORS VII AND X

• The shortest and most efficient transit link between Central and Western European Countries, on one hand, and with Southern European countries and countries of Near

East, on the other.

• Construction and modernisation of these Corridors would shorten the route and the time needed for transportation of freight and passengers, but furthermore would allow for balanced development of WB countries in the process of their preparation for the accession to the EU.

CORRIDORS VII AND X

• Branch D is of utmost importance for the coming period due to the fact that represents the link between Europe and Near East.

BRANCH D OF THE CORRIDOR X (Nis-Dimitrovgrad-Sofia-Corridor

IV-Istanbul)

DANUBE: THE PAN-EUROPEAN CORRIDOR VII

• It belongs to a group of the most important rivers in Europe

• The transport capacity of the Danube still underusedroom for significant investment in transport and

logistic infrastructure in the upcoming period.

As Corridor VII, the Danube is an important line of communication,especially after the opening of the Rhine-Main-Danube canal (1992). The Danube links the Black Sea with the West European industrial centers and the Port of Rotterdam. The cargo transport is mostly to do with non-mineral and mineral raw materials, iron, copper, solid fuels and cereals, totaling altogether about 100 million tones a year. There are almost 100 commercial ports in the Danube Basin, of which 11 are in Serbia. Although the cargo traffic prevails, the passenger one is also considerable on the Danube in the form of big river passenger ships or cruisers carrying tourists. Furthermore, with its tributaries and the canal network in its basin, the Danube is also very important for the expansion of other industries: agriculture, power generation, fisheries, building construction, chemical and oil industry, mining, etc.

DANUBE: THE PAN-EUROPEAN CORRIDOR VII

DANUBE - A RIVER LINKING COUNTRIES AND NATIONS

• Two European transport corridors pass through Serbia –the overland Corridor X and the Corridor VII linking the 10 European countries which have exits to the navigable parts of the River Danube.

• The Danube Basin is one of the most dynamic parts of Europe, especially after the commissioning of the Danube-Main Canal in the early 1990s.

• After the Volga, the Danube is the second longest river in Europe totaling 2850 km in length, of which 2411 km are navigable and as much as 588 km of the latter are in Serbia.

DANUBE IN SERBIA: BASIC FACTS

• Danube length: 588km

• Superfice of basin: 102.350km2

• Width of the Danube: 2.000m/147m

• Average deep: 90m (biggest in Europe)

• 7 Fortresses: Bač, Petrovaradin, Beograd,Smederevo, Ram, Golubac,Fetislam

• National Parks: Fruska gora and Djerdap

• Nature Reserves

• Lepenski Vir

• Trajan table

• Viminacijum

• Vinca

• Silver Lake Resort

• Cultural Tourism Routes of the Roman Emperors in Serbia

DANUBE IN SERBIA: POTENTIALS AND TOURISM PROJECTS PLANNED FOR

THE FUTURE

• Revitalization of Medieval Golubac Fortress is one of the biggest projects to be prepared for the future in order to save the cultural and historic heritage from being ruined and devastated.

• Nautical infrastructure and accompanying facilities

DANUBE IN SERBIA: POTENTIALS AND TOURSIM PROJECTS PLANNED FOR

THE FUTURE

Seven reasons why the part of the Corridor VII of Danube going through Serbia represents a unique experience:

• The Djerdap Gorge – the biggest and the most beautiful gorge in Europe

• Oases of untouched nature and two national parks – Fruška gora and Djerdap

• A series of seven big medieval fortresses

• Archaeological excavation sites, such as Lepenski vir, Vinča, Viminacium and Traian Plaque

• Pleasure in tasting the traditional European and Oriental cuisine

• A large assortment of the wines which were known both in the period of Roman emperors and at the Court of Vienna

• Diversity of the landscape and customs of the Serbian population and members of 17 national minorities

ALONG THE DANUBE THROUGH SERBIA

REGIONS OF UNTOUCHED NATURE

From Bezdan to Bačka Palanka

THE WINE WAY

From Bačka Palanka to Zemun

Zemun – Belgrade - Pančevo

CLASHES OF EMPIRES AND PULSE OF THE CAPITAL

TRACES OF THE NEOLITHIC PERIOD AND FORTRESSES

Vinča-Smederevo-

Viminacium

THE ROMAN EMPERORS’ WAY

Through the Đerdap Gorge

THE STURGEON WAY

From Kladovo to the River Timok Mouth

RAJKO’S CAVE

TRAJAN TABLE

DANUBE PROJECTS

• Some of the Danube projects:

– Centrope_tt www.centrope-tt.info

– DA-ME Danube Media Network

– The Danube River Network of Protected Areas (Danubeparks) www.danubeparks.org

– TransWaste (www.transwaste.eu )

– WANDA - Waste management for inland Navigation on the Danube (www.wandaproject.eu )

CENTROPE_TT

• Centrope_tt (former CENTRIS) is an international experts community for technology transfer and innovation support acting in the bordering regions of Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia -called CENTROPE. The project was begun in January 2009 and is scheduled to end in September 2012

DA-ME DANUBE MEDIA NETWORK

• A media cooperation project in the Danube Region, aimed at development and strengthening of the Danube region strategy and the development of appropriate means of media connection between the various states and cities of Danube region.

• Network member-states: Germany, Austria, Slovakia,Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria,

Ukraine and Moldova.

THE DANUBE RIVER NETWORK OF PROTECTED AREAS (DANUBEPARKS)

• The partnership expands the cooperation, coordination, consultation and strengthens links between the national administrations of protected areas of Danube riparian countries.

• These are aiming to enhance nature conservation and wise management of natural and cultural heritage in and beyond the boundaries of Protected Areas at the Danube River.

TRANSWASTE

• This transnational cooperation project focuses on the informal sector of waste picking within the Danube Region.

• The aim of the project, which is co-financed by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), is to provide solutions to reduce negative impacts.

• Project partners from Austria, Germany, Hungary,Poland and Slovakia

WANDA - WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR INLAND NAVIGATION ON THE DANUBE

• Overall target of the project is the concerted development and exemplary implementation of preventive measures to ensure an environmentally sound approach in steering flows of ship borne waste, which would advance inland navigation as a sustainable mode of transport and reduce potential risks for valuable river ecosystems.

• Project partners from 7 countries: Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Serbia

DANUBE PROJECTS IN SERBIA

• Prioritized projects:

– Implementation of RIS - River Information Services on the Danube in Serbia

– Zezelj Bridge in Novi Sad

– Djerdap lock reconstruction

– Hydro technical construction and reconstruction works

TO CONCLUDE...

• Higher education and research should

create hope, from which society’s

desire for growth and prosperity will

emerge.

Thank you for your attention!

THE DANUBE STRATEGY SERBIA

Miroslav Veskovic: veskovic@uns.ac.rs