REVISED TERMS OF REFERENCE
OF THE BSEC WORKING GROUP ON COOPERATION IN SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY
Pursuant to Articles 4 and 12 of the BSEC Charter, the Working Group on Cooperation in Science and Technology is a BSEC Subsidiary Organ and shall carry out its activities in accordance with the following Terms of Reference:
SPECIFIC PROVISIONS
1. PURPOSES/GENERAL OBJECTIVES
The purposes/general objectives of the Working Group are to contribute to the development and strengthening of cooperation in the field of Science and Technology among the BSEC Member States, aimed, inter alia, at:
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promoting cooperative activities in the BSEC region in the field of Science and Technology, being guided by the relevant provisions of the BSEC Charter, other BSEC Statutory Documents, the relevant Council’s resolutions, decisions and recommendations and the consecutive four-year BSEC Action Plans on Cooperation in Science and Technology and the Joint Declarations adopted by the Ministers in charge of Science as well as its consecutive two-year Plans of Action;
- strengthening further regional cooperation in the field of scientific research and technological development as a major driving force of dynamic sustainable economic growth and prosperity for the peoples of the region;
- initiating agreed policies directed toward better utilisation of the existing human and material resources, research infrastructure and administrative capacities through improved access to knowledge, training activities and research programmes, enhanced cross-border mobility of scientists and regular exchanges of information and publications, bilateral and regional networking, fellowships and joint scientific events;
- contributing to the development of an appropriate legal and regulatory framework at a national level, including competition rules and protection of intellectual property;
- seeking innovative ways for combining public and private investment in research and technological development, including public-private partnerships for funding specific projects involving cross-border or region-wide cooperation and for disseminating relevant information about procedures for accessing other available financial resources (EU and UN programmes, IFIs, specialised foundations etc.);
- promoting a dynamic dialogue among stakeholders in the science and technology community – research organisations, industry, user groups – in order to ensure their cost-effective and result-oriented interaction for the purpose of converting scientific discoveries into innovative, commercially viable products and processes;
- fostering convergent approaches on ethical questions related to the progress of scientific and technological knowledge;
- facilitating closer cooperation in the field of science and technology with other partners and international organisations and to encourage co-funding schemes in order to formulate and implement regional research projects and to generate new synergies, in particular with the activities carried out under EU programmes and initiatives;
- considering the elaboration of legally binding documents, at bilateral and multilateral level, stipulating the procedures for the joint activities to be undertaken and the resources required to achieve specific agreed scientific and technological objectives;
- undertaking measures aimed at enhancing the efficiency of cooperation in the field of Science and Technology.
2.MANDATE/TASKS
The Working Group is entrusted with the following mandate/tasks:
(1) To coordinate and promote the activities on science and technology cooperation within the BSEC region
(2) To contribute to the development of the communication infrastructure of the BSEC Member States and the use of modern information and communication technologies in organization and realization of joint actions through:
- developing the exchange of relevant and timely information related to cooperation in areas of science and technology;
- organizing workshops and conferences on the issues of cooperation in science and technology;
- promoting the exchange of scientists with a view to accumulating collective experience;
- establish information banks listing eminent scientists, research and scientific institutions;
- supporting comprehensive training programs;
- promoting Youth initiatives in the field of STI.
(3) To submit recommendations on specific activities in the following areas of action, such as:
- joint projects for scientific research and technological development;
- human resources;
- capacity building;
- knowledge transfer;
- research infrastructure;
- innovation;
- priority domains for research;
- securing the sources of funding;
- digital transformation and digital skills for human resources.
(4) To monitor the implementation of the consecutive BSEC Action Plans on Cooperation in Science and Technology and of the Work programme.
(5) To engage, on a regular basis, in exchange of information and practical cooperation with the International Centre for Black Sea Studies (ICBSS) and other BSEC Working Groups in related spheres of activity.
(6) To promote awareness activities and to foster a pragmatic, project-oriented and mutually beneficial cooperation between BSEC and the relevant partner countries and international organizations, the EU in particular, in order to identify synergies and enhance the participation of the BSEC research community in international cooperation activities of mutual interest.
3. SUBORDINATED BODIES AND RELEVANT EVENTS
The final documents (reports, conclusions, recommendations, summary of the proceedings etc.) of other BSEC events on Science and Technology (e.g. seminars, workshops, symposia, conferences) should be submitted for consideration to the Working Group and approval by the Committee of Senior Officials.