Nine Top Search Tips for Research and Innovation Ideas on the European Union (EU) Framework Programme 7 (FP7)

It is not always easy to know where to look in the huge European Research and Innovation data base for project ideas and possible collaborations, hence the following little guide from my recent experience. This follows my inclusion of the RSS feed link to EU programmes on the top left menu bar. Firstly it is well worth taking a squint at the Nine sub-feeds offered within the main entry. Of course there are new items, why not. More directly try the feeds to Offers, Projects, Partners and Results. Of course if you are a tried hand -What's New is the feed you are looking for. My own hit and miss attempt corrected let me share a few further indications of direct interest to researchers and innovators as follows:

An excellent place to start a search is the Find a Partner on the FP7 search page - Cordis Europa EU

The link I have given opens the search page with a menu bar on the left and a search box with four main key choices:

1. Search term or key words.
2 Profile type : Project proposal and/or Company Expertise.
3 Programme label eg FP7 (all of) or any one sub-project from a list of 34 sub-labels. multiple choices can be made.
4. A list of the world's countries allows one to seek a specific partner country.

I found that:
- ignoring steps 1and 4 and
-choosing project proposal and
-say a field such as NMP-Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies , all countries, (or Energy, Environment etc )

->an informative list of projects, contacts addresses and websites for further information can be generated and further reduced as required, to target precisely one's specific field(s) of interest.

In this knowledge sharing exercise I myself have learned a lot - only one but not the least of the added values in blogging.

Merry Xmas and have an enjoyable and profitable festive season and lots of good luck in 2009.