Nearly 3 Million for Research on the Upper Rhine

The monitoring committee of the INTERREG-VA-Upper-Rhine program has confirmed two grants totaling almost 3€ million to fund cross-border projects. Around 950,000€ will go to improve infrastructural interconnections while more than 2€ million has been granted to build a platform for sustainable viticulture.

„RMTMO RI" – Large-Scale Research Infrastructure Project

The University of Freiburg is the project sponsor for the large-scale research infrastructure project „RMTMO RI". The goal of the three-year project is to develop a concept for an innovative cross-border research infrastructure on the Upper Rhine to further scientific interconnections in the region. Along with the European Campus member universities including the University of Freiburg, the University of Basel, the Université de Haute-Alsace, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University of Strasbourg, other partner institutions are also involved such as the University of Applied Sciences in Offenburg, the University of Applied Sciences in Karlsruhe, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique – Délégation Alsace, the University of Applied Sciences in Furtwangen, the University of Koblenz-Landau, the SATT Conectus Alsace, the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées in Strasbourg, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Northwestern Switzerland and the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale – Délégation.
By the end of the project in 2020, the researchers intend to take inventory of the research infrastructure in the region and to develop an overall strategy for a successful, cross-border model on the Upper Rhine.

„VITIFUTUR" – transnational platform in viticulture

The project's objective is to create a transnational platform for a more sustainable wine sector. To that end, participants seek to increase the level of knowledge transfer between the wine industry and research institutions on the Upper Rhine. The State Viticulture Institute Freiburg is the project sponsor. In addition, 16 other partners are involved:

• University of Freiburg
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
• University of Koblenz-Landau
• Université de Haute-Alsace
• Rebschule V & M Freytag GbR (wine nursery)
• Bauern- und Winzerverband Rheinland-Pfalz Süd e.V. (Association for Farmers and Winegrowers in the Rhinland-Palatinate)
• Badischer Weinbauverband e.V (Winegrower's Association of Baden)
• RLP AgroScience
• Julius-Kühn Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants
• Center of Rural Services Rhine-Palatinate
• Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique – Délégation Centre-Est
• Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique
• Pépinières Jenny
• Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins d'Alsace
• Bioreba AG
• University of Basel

About Interreg

INTERREG is a collective initiative by the European Regional Development Fund (EFRE) and supports inter-European cooperation. The current INTERREG program on the Upper Rhine between France, Germany and Switzerland is the fifth of its kind, spanning the time period between 2014 and 2020. The European Union provides around 110€ million in funds for the initiative. Within this framework programs such as the „European Campus – cross-border structures," the „Upper Rhine Cluster for Sustainability Research", „SERIOR", a three-country graduate academy for risk management and risk assessment are funded. In addition, the Alliance of Upper Rhine Universities of Applied Sciences along with the coordinating office for the Trinational Metropolitan Region Science Pillar of the Upper Rhine (TMO) will be subsidized with INTERREG funding.

Further Information
http://www.eucor-uni.org/en
www.interreg-oberrhein.eu (in German and French)
http://science.rmtmo.eu/en/

Contact:
Project leader „RMTMO RI" at the University of Freiburg:
Prof. Dr. Gunther Neuhaus
Vice Rector for Research
Tel.: 0761 / 203 67592
E-Mail: Prorektor.Forschung@uni-freiburg.de