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01/06/2005
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15/05/2003

Memorandum of Understanding was signed between MIGAL and the University of La Frontera in Temuco, Chile.

As a result of a visit at Migal on the 22 nd of July 2004 (see News), which was followed by a visit at the University of La Frontera by Prof. Marchaim (see News), the UFRO Rector, Sergio Bravo, and Migal's Chairman, Yishayahu Peri, signed that the institutes are wishing to establish cooperative relations between the two institutes through mutual assistance in the areas of education, research and others, for the fostering and development of the cooperation between the Galilee region in Israel and 9 th region in Chile.

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IRE Newsletter 60

The EU published in August a new electronic newsletter which includes a short report on the RIS – GAL- EDGE project in the Galilee

The Innovating Regions in Europe are all about sharing ideas and experiences with each other and learning together in order to promote and enhance regional innovation. This issue of the IRE newsletter presents several activities that allow this to happen: an IRE workshop on innovative clusters, a Focus Group meeting bringing together RIS project managers with similar interests, and the ‘Schemes’ tool that presents successful regional innovation activities.
The last generation of RIS projects has now been running for over a year, and is beginning to perceive the issues they need to tackle in their regions. The RIS Galilee sees innovation as a means of turning around a negative regional development, and has put together a set of indicators to help asses its innovation performance.

Project Management Board Meeting of REFORM EU Project at the Galilee.

Participants from South East region of Ireland, Lower Silesia region in Poland, Winterthur region in Switzerland, Bucharest region in Romania, and the Galilee region in Israel met in MIGAL's institute in the Galilee. The delegates from West Midlands were missing because of illness.

During the two days workshop they discussed the concept of the REFORM project and analyzed SMEs needs for Foresight methodologies. The delegates discussed the work done already (Surveys at the regions and SWOT analysis) and the preparations needed for the European global scenario. The delegates from Zurich explained the methodologies to be used while executing a Foresight exercise in the regions.

The delegates emphasised that the information collected at the regions is supposed to be mainly on investment in RTD.

A Turkish Delegation from Marsin region visited the Galilee

During May 9-10 a delegation from Mersin Region in Turkey visited the RIS project, MIGAL and the upper Galilee to examine possibilities for collaboration and learn from the experience of the RIS project in the Galilee. In addition to the visit in MIGAL and discussions with researchers, Northern R&D and regional developers, the delegation visited the Tel-Hai Industrial Park, The Galilee Development Company and Kirur-Galil Cold Storage-house, the Post-Harvest Fruit Laboratory, MATI of the Galilee Panhandle, and MEYTAV Technological Incubator.

The Mersin Delegation to Israel included 9 people, headed by Mr. Huseyin AKSOY, Governor of Mersin. The other members were: Prof. Canan CILINGIR, Vice President of METU (Middle East Technical University); Prof. Tamer GOK, Vice President of Mersin University; Mr. Serafettin ASUT, Chairman of the Board of Mersin Tarsus Organised Industry Zone; Mr. Cenk CENKCIMENOGLU, Director of Mersin Tarsus Organised Industry Zone; Mr. Selami GEDIK, Secretary General of Mediterranean Exporters Unions; Mr. Nilufer DURAN, General Manager of Mersin-Technoscope; Mr. Ugur YUKSEL, General Manager of METU-Technopolis; Miss Esra BAYAR, Project Manager of RIS-Mersin, METU-Technopolis.

Possible collaboration in the future was discussed and plans for the continuation of the dialogue were set up.
The delegation continued their visit in Israel at the Jerusalem RIS project and visiting Agritech.

Visit of Chairs of Arabic Municipalities at the "Triangle" at MIGAL. 26.2.2006

Goal of the visit: Design a scientific & technological infrastructure to generate economic and social growth in the periphery

A delegation of Chairs of Arab Municipalities from the "Triangle Region" came for a first visit to the MIGAL Research institute at Kiryat-Shmona

The visit was initiated by Dr.Ibrahim Yichia, The General Manager of the regional R&D Center in the "Triangle Region" and Mr. Jacob Arzi, the General Manager of MIGAL. The aim was to present MIGAL to the Mayors and Chairs of Municipalities in the "Triangle Region" as a model for a scientific research center that exist in the periphery at high level of excellence and have a role to advance social and economical issues in the region, and as a generator and catalysis to develop entrepreneurial and innovative industry, advance agriculture and an infrastructure for science education.

Jacob Arzi presented before the Chairmen the relationship between MIGAL and Tel-Hai Academic College which enabled the development of the Life Science School at the College, with the researchers from MIGAL as lecturers. The science-education activities and the contribution of MIGAL to the Biotechnological industry in the Galilee were also discussed.

On November 7 th the ISERD Hamsa prize ceremony took plac

On November 7 th the ISERD Hamsa prize ceremony took place in the home of Mr. Ramiro Cibrian , the EU Ambassador to Israel, at Herzelia, in the presence of Mr. Eli Ofer, the Chief Scientists of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Employment, Mr. Marcel Shaton, head of the National Contact Point (NCP) for the European Union's Framework Program for R&D, and numerous renowned scientists. 160 Israeli entities who were awarded a grant for participated in EU 6 th Framework in 2005, including MIGAL, were present. Participants include Israeli universities, research centers, hospitals, and 40 high-tech companies.

On the left: Prof. Marchaim from MIGAL receives the Hamsa prize.
On the right: Mr. Arzi, MIGAL’s general manager and Mr. Marcel Shaton at the ceremony.

The senior team of the Ministry of the Vice-Prime Minister, headed by the General-Director Mrs. Efrat Duvdevani, visited Migal on October 26 th.

The team visited the Migal’s laboratories and met with graduate students who are doing their M.Sc. and Ph.D. research at Migal. During the visit Mrs. Duvdevani received a detailed plan titled: “The Life-Science Industrial Cluster – a Focal Point for Growth, Economic and Social Development of the Eastern Galilee”. The core of the plan is the development of “The Golden Triangle” – a Scientific Park with a cluster of activities, which includes:

A Research Institute in Life Sciences of the highest international standard, a Technological Incubator, a Center for Biotechnology services and around 30 companies in the field of Biotechnology and Medical Equipment. Next to the Park the proposed Galilee University will be established. The budget needed for implementation is around 70 million dollars during a period of 5 years.

The contributions of the plan are:

• Transforming the region to a place that will absorb youngsters from the region and from other parts of Israel.
• Attract a population of social, educational and economic strength.
• A significant increase in working places for professional and academic people.
• Advancing the medical, educational and cultural systems in the region.
• Position a development challenge for outside systems.
• Activate economic impetuses.
• Around 2500 jobs will be added in Galilee after five years, 60% of them academic.

Meeting with Mr. Peres, Vice Prime Minister

Dr. Alice Wu, of the EU Commission, visited the new approved RIS (Regional Innovation Strategy) project and we met with Mr. Shimon Peres, Vice-Prime Minister.

On September 14th, during the visit of Dr. Alice Wu, Principal Administrator & Project Officer, European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry D2, in the RIS project of the Galilee Development Authority, MIGAL, MATI and our colleagues in Germany and Estonia, we met with Mr. Peres.
Dr. Wu presented the main features of the RIS programme and the importance for the region to develop a strategy. Mr. Gerbert Van Der Wal from the Netherlands reported on the successes of RIS in his region. Mr. Peres expressed his views on the importance of religious tourism for the Galilee and Jerusalem, the Homeland of Religious, and the need to develop the tourism for pilgrims of all religious. Mr. Peres also suggested tightening ties with the Brabant region by bringing Phillips and the Technical University in Eindhoven into the project and developing collaboration between them and the entities in the Galilee.
Prof. Marchaim thanked Mr. Peres for his innovative approached and asked him to chair the International Conference planned for the end of 2006, which was already discussed with the Ministry. Mr. Peres agreed and asked his assistants to carry it on.

In the picture (from left to right):

• Mr. Dan Kaufman, Coordinator RIS Jerusalem, Jerusalem Development Authority & JIIS
• Prof. Uri Marchaim, Coordinator RIS Galilee, Galilee Development Authority & MIGAL
• Dr. Alice Wu, Principal Administrator & Project Officer, European Commission,
• DG Enterprise and Industry D2
• Mr. Shimon Peres, Vice-Prime Minister
• Dr. David Cohen, MIGAL
• Mr. Gerbert Van Der Wal, Project Manager, North Brabant RIS programme, Netherlands.
• Mr. Moshe Davidovitz, General Manager, Galilee Development Authority