By Jyoti Singh (Twitter handle: @ashajyoti11)
New Delhi, November 21 (India Science Wire): Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has become a member of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organizations (WAITRO). WAITRO was established in 1970 under the auspices of the United Nations system to promote and encourage co-operation among industrial and technological research and development organizations (RTOs). It is an independent, non-governmental and not-for-profit association.
After becoming WAITRO member CSIR institutes may use the this platform for developing cooperation linkages with its member organisations, especially with some of the world’s most acknowledged industrial research and development organisations for research and technology development partnerships. WAITRO enables development action oriented partnerships among member organisations for sustainable development and seeks to enhance technological research in the developing world and facilitate the exchange of research.
The benefits of joining WAITRO which would be extended to all CSIR institute/units/divisions are free use of SAIRA’s technology and partner search (submission of challenges) and free use of SAIRA’s research and technology development (submission of proposals). SAIRA is an open innovation platform that connects WAITRO members, governments, civil society and the private sector to accelerate the development and deployment of technologies to tackle the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. SAIRA is different from other open innovation platforms as users are not required to surrender their intellectual property. By bringing established researchers together with companies, start-ups, NGOs, government agencies, and impact investors, SAIRA strives to transfer technologies and implement innovative solutions on a global scale. It is operated by the WAITRO Secretariat based in Sankt Augustin, Germany, and secured by Fraunhofer technology.
By becoming WAITRO member CSIR now can participate in HORIZION 2020 and HORIZION EUROPE consortia. Horizon 2020 is the biggest European Union Research and Innovation programme ever with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020) – in addition to the private investment that this money will attract. It promises more breakthroughs, discoveries and world-firsts by taking great ideas from the lab to the market.
The membership will offer monthly SAIRA newsletter (Funding Opportunities, Open Challenges, SAIRA Campaigns) and participation in SAIRA Project Camps (WAITRO’s Innovation Accelerator Program). It also gives eligibility for WAITRO Innovation Award (up to 15.000 USD seed funding for innovative project proposals) with participation in WAITRO Capacity Development Program (trainings, conferences, networking events). The membership would help in providing discount for participation in WAITRO Global Innovation Summit 2020 (December 2020, Pretoria, South Africa
It will help in participation in WAITRO Fellowship program and facilitate researchers to other member organizations or host WAITRO Fellows at their organization. It will also provide free access to WAITRO Intranet (WAITRO market place, events and opportunities). The members get chance in promotion of organizational activities and achievements in WAITRO Newsletter.
The membership would give eligibility to vote in the WAITRO General Assembly. It also gives eligibility for WAITRO Executive Board and for Regional Focal Point. It also would provide membership certificate to CSIR.
WAITRO currently has 160 Member organizations from 78 countries. These include Fraunhofer, Germany; Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute, China; Danish Technological Institute, Denmark; Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute (CMRDI), Egypt; Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey; Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia; Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Bangladesh. (India Science Wire)
