SIXTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME
PRIORITY FP6-2002-INCO-WBC/SSA-3
PRIORITY TITLE „Reinforcement of the WBC Research Capacities“

The VINCENT Center is the National R&D Centre for New Materials and is a part of the VINCA Institute in Belgrade which is the largest R&D institute in the country. This Centre was founded in 2004 by support of the Serbian Ministry for Sciences and Environmental and is designated to be the backbone of the ongoing as well as future foreseeable National R&D Programs in new materials. The VINCENT represent the ‘centre of gravity’ for all researchers from the field not only at national stage but also on the regional and international level.

World’s trend in vigorous development of new multifunctional knowledge-based materials with specific performances, with the special emphasis on nanomaterials and nanotechnologies, has been recognized and embedded in the main projects of fundamental researching, as well as the Project VINCENT – FP6 Framework Programme. Project VINCENT are designed to reinforce the research resources (both human and material) of the Centre and to develop research infrastructures of European relevance by fulfilling three main goals:

• To complete and upgrade the S&T experimental equipments that are necessary for performing contemporary research in the area of new materials on the same high level as in developed EU Member States.
• To improve skills and knowledge of the Centre’s human resources through strengthening the cooperation and networking with European scientific community by increasing the mobility: hosting the key scientists in the research area from abroad; short stays of the researchers in the Member States for carrying out specific research experiments; organising exchange of research personnel.
• To improve the impact on the socio-economic needs in the Region by increasing the level of awareness and education of potential users in the field of knowledge based multifunctional materials: target group comprises SME’s and larger industrial companies, as well as universities and other institutes that have application related studies and/or departments.

Other important objectives embedded in VINCENT are:

• To contribute in prevention of the ‘brain drain’ phenomenon that is among most priority problems of the local society in the last decade, through the education and training of young specialists,
• Organizing and participating in related activities and events, such as conferences, workshops, seminars, etc.
• Organizing Strengthening and improving contact among researchers in the field, exchange of the key experts, mobility of the researchers and training, as well as joint preparation of proposals for future Community R&D development policy activities.

The longer term result would be the increase of the production usage of modern hi-tech materials that will strengthen both the compatibility and competitiveness of the local enterprises on the WB and European industrial market.

The above Project objectives will be achieved by activities divided into five work packages:

• WP1: Reinforcement of VINCENT experimental facilities.
• WP2: Training- mobility of the research staff.
• WP3: Training in advanced courses.
• WP4: Dissemination activities.
• WP5: Management activities.

The activities planed to be realized within different work packages are in strong mutual relationship. Reinforcement of the research equipment by WP1 will be done in parallel to corresponding educational and training activities through workpackages WP2 and WP3. The outcome of these activities will not only increase the experimental and theoretical knowledge of the VINCENT research staff but also will strengthen the connectivity with similar institutions in European research community. The dissemination activities will closely follow these increased technical and human resources of the Centre.