Project results

The two-year long INDIA SI HOUSE feasibility study for the creation of an EU-India Joint House for Science & Innovation ('SI House') terminated on April 30^th 2014. To determine the feasibility of such an ambitious enterprise, the consortium explored the:

• current political and scientific context for Euro-Indian STI collaborations;
• associated political and scientific willingness for establishing a dedicated 'SI House';
• available legal structures and best practices for establishing the 'SI House'.

This exploration was initiated by an analysis of existing reports relating to Indo-European STI cooperation and, in particular, those obtained through recent EC initiatives (SFIC, New Indigo, etc.). This was enriched through dedicated actions and tools put into place to address the above issues. Selected highlights of project findings are available here through the presentations made by the consortium during the final project meeting held in Paris on March 24^th, 2014.

1. The Feasibility study: why and how was it done?
2. What did we learn about political will, scientific potential and stakeholders motivation
3. Lessons learnt from existing examples
4. The vision of experts: Brainstorming Outputs

Recommendations for the creation the joint SI House, based on project investigations, also include the necessity for it to complement and build on existing bilateral STI cooperation between European nations and India. As such, the future SI House will focus on strengthening multilateral collaboration, and on increasing the visibility of European science in India and of Indian science in Europe. Based on five guiding principles:

1. Attractiveness, flexibility, transparency and sustainability
2. Equitable representation of stakeholders in Europe and India
3. Simple and efficient procedures
4. Fund multilateral activities in all sciences, including humanities and social sciences
5. Focus on innovation and industry participation.

As specified in the full report provided below, the recommended scenario for the future SI House is a physical Euro-Indian structure with a dedicated secretariat, based in India, with a representative office in Europe, and which also incorporates the key strengths of flexibility and variable geometry provided by virtual platforms.