Complexity-NET

Basic Information

Description

Complexity and complex systems is an emergent and rapidly growing research field with a large technological potential, in which Europe has fostered scientific excellence with extensive collaborations across Europe and abroad. Based on the need to put stronger focus on this field and to further its high growth potential, nine European Research Councils and Ministries initiated a consortium, in the form of a Specific Support Action, aiming to establish the necessary environment for coordinating nationally strategically planned research activities. The consortium has identified national research and training programmes which target or overlap on Complexity issues and established contacts with major Complexity research groups funded by the programmes and EU networks. The SSA has identified a significant need for better coordination of European activities in Complexity and Complex Systems and has demonstrated that good opportunities exist for exploiting the great growth potential there is for Complexity research. Our ambition is the formation of a nationally coordinated European setting on Complexity with the aim of further common use of experimental facilities, enhanced international training and mobility, supporting international scientific communications, promoting public dialogue and awareness, and catalysing innovation. The coordinated action proposed here is the work needed to establish this setting. The consortium will continue their collection and exchange of information and analyse and discuss the material to a level where a joint action plan can be formulated and agreed upon. The consortium also plans to expand its activities by inviting other countries, which were not part of the original SSA, to join in this proposal, thus broadening further Europes potential to achieve a truly trans-national cooperation programme on Complexity.