Objective

The overall objective of SEREN4 is to strengthen the capacities of and cooperation among Secure Societies NCPs and to provide high quality support and services to programme applicants and the security community at large with the view to enhancing participation in the security research and innovation area.

SEREN4 is a coordination and support action which aims at achieving the following specific objectives in its 36-month lifetime:

1. NCP capacity building: Improving NCP capacities and practices, and enhancing their knowledge primarily on topics related to the specificities of the security theme, taking into account different readiness levels and experience of Secure Societies NCPs in order to raise the overall standard of professionalism of SC7 NCPs services;
2. Targeted services for applicants: Providing applicants with up-to-date and exhaustive information about SC7, Horizon2020 and new FP9, and offering them various opportunities for learning, training, and networking, taking into account the diversity of actors that make up the Secure Societies constituency (including practitioners and newcomers) and the need to engage stakeholders from EU-13 countries
3. NCP Networking and Cooperation: Enlarging and enriching the composition of the Secure Societies constituency, strengthening its internal ties, linking the SEREN4 network to new types of stakeholders to ensure regular exchange of knowledge and information and reinforce the trans-national role of the network;
4. Awareness raising: Ensuring that the information about SC7, Horizon 2020 and new FP9 as well as about the project and it results effectively and timely reaches the target audience with the view to guaranteeing extended and high quality participation in Horizon 2020 and FP9 calls.
SEREN4 activities will be in continuity with SEREN3 project, building on its experience and achievements. In addition, new tasks and activities will be implemented to meet the challenges of the security area and requirements of new SC7 topics.