Founded in 1996, the Research Promotion Foundation (RPF) was established at the initiative of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, to promote the development of scientific and technological research in Cyprus due to the fundamental importance of research in contemporary societies.

The Foundation is an independent organisation governed by a twelve-member Board of Directors, appointed by the Council of Ministers for a five-year period. The Foundation’s core objective is the promotion of scientific and technological research in Cyprus. Several specific objectives and priorities have been defined by the Foundation’s Statute and the decisions of its Board of Directors, for the promotion of this main objective.

The Foundation has developed a wide range of activities throughout its ten-year presence in the research area of Cyprus. These fall into two main categories:

• Financing Research Projects through the Development and Monitoring of Competitive Programmes
• Managing European Research and Innovation Projects and Promoting International Cooperation in Research and Innovation

The first category aims primarily at enhancing research, technological development and innovation activities in Cyprus and moreover at increasing the critical mass of researchers and research projects undertaken in Cyprus. The main instruments for achieving these goals involve competitive National Programmes developed and monitored by RPF. The related funds come from the Cyprus government budget and, as from 2007, also from the Structural Funds of the European Union. 

The second category encompasses the development of several activities to facilitate the creation of networks between Cypriot and foreign scientists. Most of these activities relate to the involvement of Cypriot scientists in European research and innovation programmes, the cooperation with international organisations supporting research and innovation activities and the preparation and implementation of bilateral agreements between Cyprus and other countries in the field of research and technological development.

http://www.research.org.cy

 MNT-ERA.NET Support Programmes

Name of initiative/program: Programme: Technology, Action: Materials, Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies and Action Engineering Applications

Programme owner: Research Promotion Foundation

Executing agency: Research Promotion Foundation

Contact: Dr. Leda Skoufari-Themistou

phone: +357 22205040

mail: leda@research.org.cy 

Conditions of support:

Phases of R&D being funded (basic research, pre-competitive, application, serial production, market entry), funding rates (app.)

Fundamental research and industrial (applied) research. Funding rates up to 100% depending on status of applicants, type of research activities and State Aid regulations

Major restrictions (e.g. types of institutions eligible for funding; SMEs, public/private etc.)

Consortium: may include up to four (4) partner organisations. For Fundamental Research projects  the participation of partner organisations is not compulsory whereas for Industrial (applied) Research projects it is compulsory to include at least one partner located permanently in the areas under the control of the Republic of Cyprus (an esterprise or a Public Benefit Organisation)

Beneficiaries: Research/Academic Organisations, enterprises and/or Public Benefit Organisations located in Cyprus or abroad. However, the Host Organisation of a project may not be an Enterprise and should be located permanently in the areas under control of the Republic of Cyprus (excluding the UK Sovereign Base Areas)

Project Duration: 12-24 months for Industrial (applied) Research projects and 12-36 months for Fundamental Research projects