Overview
The DONQ POL project is an Accompanying Measure implemented under the Growth Thematic Programme of the 5th FP of the EU. It was addressed to Polish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) involved in surface transport (road, rail and water-borne), which were interested in receiving EU funding for new technologies and products or in EU-supported take up of new technologies and products. The project was implemented by the Polish National Contact Point for EU Research Programmes and the Spanish consultancy company CARSA. The project work plan was based on the DonQ methodology, whose effectiveness had already been proved in Spain. The project activities were structured around two complementary areas. The first area was based on permanent contacts and the second involves technical measures, such as initial evaluation of ideas, consultancy and advice, preparation of project dossiers. Both areas of activities took into account the individual needs and suggestions put forward by SMEs.
DONQ POL was a project of which main objectives were to increase the awareness of Polish transport-related SMEs about the "Innovative products, processes and organisation" action of the Growth Programme, and to encourage the participation of such organisations in RTD, Cooperative Research actions or any Specific Measures, mainly under the scope of the next 6th Framework Programme.
DonQPol consisted of two correlative project phases. The first approach of DonQPol was the adaptation, implementation and validation of DonQ Method to the Polish Transport RTD environment. The second approach was strengthening and enlarging such created and tested permanent supporting infrastructure in Poland, aiming at progressing with the ongoing activity of assisting RTD actions in the Transport sector, but also supporting the extension to other sectors and activities in Poland.
Funding
Results
Among the key results relevant to the theme, the following can be mentioned:
- training on the Sixth Framework Programme and its aspects related to the preparation of project proposals, consortium-building, budgeting, co-ordination and implementation of projects provided to at least Polish transport SMEs;
- technological diagnosis carried out in 20 SMEs;
- dentification and description of 11 project ideas;
- preparation and submission of 6 Project Dossiers;
- further dissemination activities aimed at increasing the participation of Polish SMEs in the Sixth Framework Programme;
- adaptation of the DonQ method to Polish conditions and its validation in the transport sector;
- transfer of the DonQ method to other countries and sectors.
Policy implications
The implementation of the Project created a sound basis for achieving the target of participation of the Polish SMEs in the European research schemes, mainly in Cooperative Research projects and Collective Research actions or any Specific Measures, but also be partners to the new instruments and STREPs projects, under the scope of EC 6th Framework Programme, promoting Poland's EU integration, in the following directions:
- increasing awareness about and participation of Polish transport SMEs in EU research programmes;
- increasing of the scope of research and development services, i.e. meeting the demand of research in new and wider areas of country's economy;
- improvement of the quality of research results; and
- increasing the economic efficiency.