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The CEI Science & Technology Network (S&TN), launched at the beginning of 2004, is composed of sevenTrieste-based research centres, the so called Lead Institutions (LIs), and their partners in the CEI region.

With the aim to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation, the S&TN provides financial support for the organization of seminars, conferences, workshops and training courses. Young scientists from CEI countries, especially non-EU Member States, are offered the opportunity to attend such activities and carry out scientific research on various topics in one of the seven LIs. The area of cooperation of each Lead Institution is separately defined in a three-year Protocol complemented by an annual Work Programme. So far, the Network's LIs have implemented a number of activities, some of which in partnership with other institutions from CEI countries. This cooperation started up the Secondary Network whose further enhancement will be the main challenge in the future years.   Moreover, in the framework of the S&TN a specific programme was implemented, i.e. the CEI Research Fellowship Programme – CERES. Co-funded by the European Commission (EC) through the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7), CERES also supported trans-national mobility of scientists and researchers across the CEI area, with the ultimate aim to contribute to the development of a knowledge-based society and a European Research Area (ERA). CERES supported 30 fellowships in the time-frame 2009 – 2014 among experienced researchers (i.e. post-docs) from CEI countries in order to carry out an individual research at one of the centres participating in the Programme. Calls for proposals are launched on an annual basis. More on CERES.   Following the successful experience of CERES, the CEI Secretariat, along with the Network’s LIs, will continue to look into funding opportunities offered by the EU with the ultimate aim to support mobility of researchers across the CEI area and promote significant progress in the S&T sector. 

The CEI has been focusing on taylor-made programmes such as the CEI–PRAISE Framework Programme to Promote Research and Innovation through Centres of Scientific Excellence and Advanced Research Groups in Member Countries.