A Conference closed the Twinning Light on Science and Research

The conference on the Twinning Light Project Bulgaria held to the Sofia University opened with the speeches of the two project leaders: Ms Maria Uccellatore from the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research and Ms Albena Vutsova from the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science. Ms Vutsova concentrated on the existing situation in Bulgaria and on how to attract foreign researchers onto the national territory as well as on the administrative and bureaucratic procedures to be fulfilled. Ms Uccellatore gave a brief overview of the project partners and listed the activities carried out and the objectives pursued under the project.
Furthermore, the experts who directly dealt with the activities took the floor: Mr Massimo Amicosante from the University of Tor Vergata outlined in details Council Directive 2005/71/EC and its purpose, that is to create a legislative network which allows third-country researchers to develop research activities in member States. He also explained the directive’s limits of application and, in particular, highlighted the status of enforcement of the directive in Bulgaria. 
Mr. Andrea Crivelli from MIUR assessed the practical aspects of researchers’ mobility, namely what the fiscal, pension, insurance, etc. treatment conditions are for those researchers who move to a member State to carry out their work, thus indicating which of these aspects must be empowered in Bulgaria in order to improve the attractiveness of its institutions for foreign researchers.
In conclusion, Ms Claudia Salvi, Formez key expert of the project component on communication, outlined results and products of the component of merit. In this regard, training seminars were held with a focus on the participative aspect including practical exercises which allowed the participants to compare opinions on the subject. Moreover, two guide-lines were elaborated: “How to communicate science with journalists” and “How to communicate EU funded science projects”. The guide-lines have been distributed among the participants together with a publication which collects all the presentation speeches about the project.  
To conclude, the two Project Leaders thanked those who contributed toward the positive outcome of the project in the perspective of new and profitable future collaboration.