SPECIAL INTERVIEW

The challenges of the co-operation between Brazil and Sweden in C, T and I

Magnus Robach, Swedish Ambassador to Brazil

In an interview to the CISB newsletter, the Swedish Ambassador to Brazil, Magnus Robach, talks about the co-operation between Brazil and Sweden in the fields of science, technology and innovation, and also the role of CISB and VINNOVA within this context.

CISB - When you took over the Embassy to Brazil, in 2011, the priority was the encouragement of co-operation between Brazil and Sweden in the fields of high technology and innovation. What was the level of co-operation between Brazil and Sweden at that time, and what progress has been made since then?

Magnus Robach - In 2011, the Swedish industrial companies that were established in Brazil started to face new rules that required more investment in R&D in the country, compared to the situation when the CISB was created. VINNOVA, the Swedish innovation agency, had developed a process for co-operation with the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Development (ABDI). This started a series of “learning laboratories” to identify projects, in partnership. INMETRO (National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology) was already involved in negotiations with a Swedish project from the scientific area, and at that moment we started the analysis of the opportunities provided by the Brazilian programme for concession of Science without Borders study grants.

Since then, several Swedish companies have carried out new R&D activities here in Brazil, often in partnership with Brazilian institutions. CISB has become an essential innovation platform through which industry, Government and academia can interact. VINNOVA has expanded its co-operation with several Brazilian partners and together the parties are analysing several projects for partnerships in the area of environmental technology.

The innovation systems in Sweden and Brazil are very different. Indeed, both are still in the process of implementation, contrary to what is commonly believed. Over the next few years, bilateral dialogue about innovation is expected to intensify, heading towards an innovative society and also, in a more concrete form, how we can enhance our co-operation.

CISB - What are the areas that Sweden considers as being of strategic importance for bilateral agreements from here on? And what are the main competences in science, technology and innovation in Sweden that could, in your opinion, offer a significant contribution to Brazil?

Magnus Robach - Speaking in more general terms, we feel that the environment, urban planning, biological sciences and bioeconomics (especially energy and new materials) are highly promising areas, considering co-operation between Brazil and Sweden. For reasons that are already well known, the aeronautical and aerospace segment will be very important over the next few years.

Sweden has made advances in the interaction with different segments of society, particularly between companies and academia. Open innovation is another important concept that encourages intensive exchanges between different actors in the country, but also extending beyond national borders. Probably, Swedish innovation could also be favoured by complete organisational structures, where individual initiatives are encouraged.

CISB - How do you assess the results of the Science without Borders programme?

Magnus Robach - In figures, the Science without Borders project in Sweden is still quite modest. In the partnership with the Brazilian Government agencies, namely CAPES and CNPq, our focus is on quality. CISB has already shown the path of their grants project sponsored by high-level industry. Science without Borders has already added dynamism, apart from the large number of Brazilian grant recipients in Sweden, the contacts between Brazilian and Swedish upper learning institutions, which will be highly beneficial for the scientific and economic relations between the two countries in the future.

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Partnership makes studies feasible for the implementation of ‘Green Corridors”

A project involving the University of São Paulo (USP), the Swedish-Brazilian Research and Innovation Centre (CISB) and Lindholmen Science Park will study the implementation of green corridors in Brazil

Responsible for over 70% of all carbon monoxide emissions in the world, the transport sector has an immense impact on the environment. With a growing need to combine transport with sustainability, this heralded the advent of such initiatives as the Green Corridor project, idealised to ally intermodal transport with the concept of green corridors.
The project has just been made feasible through the formalisation of a partnership between the Swedish-Brazilian Research and Innovation Centre (CISB), the Centre for Innovation in Logistics and Port Infrastructure (CILIP), of the University of São Paulo (USP) and the Lindholmen Science Park (LSP), in Sweden.

Through CISB, the experience of the implementation of a Green Corridor in Sweden will be shared by LSP with the researchers from CILIP, under the leadership of Professor Rui Carlos Botter. The group, from the Naval and Oceanic Engineering Department of the Polytechnic School (Faculty of Engineering) of the University of São Paulo (USP), comprises people with doctorates in logistics, transport, and also port and environmental infrastructure.

Over the next two years, the group from USP will interact with the Swedes and study how the implementation of green corridors could be made in Brazil, to make transport more sustainable. The project will also involve researchers from the Federal University of the ABC Region (UFABC) and the Faculty of Industrial Engineering (FEI).

A professor of the Logistics and Transport areas at the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo (POLI-USP), Mr Botter has more than a quarter century of experience in port and maritime projects. In his opinion, the Green Corridor Project in Brazil has the purpose of creating routes for intense cargo transport using several types of transport, with integrated logistics solutions, in a way that is operationally and economically sustainable. “The sustainable corridors set up in Europe are more than just one-off actions like replacing trucks by trains. These are actions of planning, involving new technologies and new concepts of sustainable projects”, said Mr Botter.

These actions, according to Mr Botter, could be exemplified with a hypothetical construction of a new cargo terminal. “There would be a need to think of using everything possible, in order to be sustainable: from solar panels and wind energy, to the final lay-out that invites people to reduce their use of air conditioning”.

Mr Botter says that he will study the Swedes’ concept to discover if it is possible to establish a Green Corridor in Brazil. There will be an assessment of the conditions and also the structural and legal requirements. “On thinking of the concept of the complete system, one can then include the concept of sustainability. This corridor will integrate all the different means of transport, he stated.

The Swedish project, known as SWIFTLY GREEN (the English abbreviation for Sweden-Italy Freight Transport and Logistics Green Corridor), according to the LSP, seeks the development of a set of tools for green corridors, comprising guidelines, instruments and recommendations for the ecologisation of logistics and transport. The project is based on the best practices obtained based on analysis and complete mapping of previous projects among Swedish and Brazilian players, and will facilitate to exchange of knowledge in this area, thus boosting innovation in Brazil. According to Mr Botter, in Brazil there are still many structural deficiencies in areas such as urban transport, road and rail transport, seaports and air travel. However, in countries such as Sweden where the need for transport is largely supplied, people are now starting to consider the importance of combining transport and sustainability.

“In European countries and also in the United States, there is already a lot of pressure to rationalise costs and also some environmental restrictions that penalise people who do not think in a sustainable way. Here, as we do not have this pressure, no one leaves the comfort zone. However, we cannot expect that the infrastructure problem will be solved; it is necessary to start thinking about sustainable corridors right now”, says Mr Botter.

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Partnership between the CISB and the Brazilian Army starts to bear fruit

In March, nine members of the Brazilian military forces completed a training programme in Innovation and Technology Management, with the support of Swedish companies and institutions.

Last March, nine members of the Brazilian military forces completed a training programme in Innovation and Technology Management, with the support of Swedish companies and institutions. With ten modules, of which eight taken in Sweden and two in Brazil, the training programme included not only classes but also workshops and case studies, visits to companies such as SAAB and Scania, to technology parks such as Lindholmen and Mjärdevi, the Swedish Agency for Civil Contingencies and also the Ground Warfare Centre of the Swedish Armed Forces.

The training programme, which should be repeated twice more in 2014 with new classes, is well aligned with the plans of the Brazilian Army to enhance their processes for research and development (R&D) and establish the Technology Hub at Guaratiba, in Rio de Janeiro. This was the first result of a mutual co-operation agreement in science, technology and innovation, which was signed in August 2013 between the Swedish-Brazilian Research and Innovation Centre (CISB) and the Science and Technology Department of the High Command of the Brazilian Army.

The agreement plans the implementation of projects for research, development and innovation (R, D&I) in partnership with Swedish industrial firms and institutions, exchange of technical resources, and also exchange of students, researchers and teachers. Seminars, symposiums and meetings are also part of the activities to be carried out to promote the interaction between Swedish institutions and organisations of the Brazilian Army.

On Brazil’s side, the main aim of the co-operation agreement is the continuous enhancement of Army organisations, especially those related to the Programme for Transformation of the Science and Technology System of the Brazilian Army (PTSCTEx) and the implementation of the System of Science, Technology and Innovation of the Brazilian Army (SCTIEx). This programme sought to optimise the operational, tactical and strategic advantage of the Land Forces, so as to increase the combat power of the Brazilian Army.

In the opinion of Alessandra Holmo, the Managing Director (MD) of CISB, the establishment of this partnership was extremely important to CISB. “This has been yet another step given towards the narrowing of the innovation network opened between the countries that, without any doubt, will obtain good results. We believe that this exchange will bring significant contributions to the Science, Technology and Innovation System of the Brazilian Army.”

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Halmstad University is the most recent member of the CISB

Since February this year, Halmstad University is the most recent member of the CISB. This institution is recognised for its excellence in University education and also on research with a focus on innovation. In a ranking drawn up by the Confederation of Swedish Companies, this University has on several occasions been the leader when it comes to the best educational programmes aimed at industry. In the assessment of 2013, the co-operation with external partners was also one of the highlights mentioned by the evaluators.

According to the Vice-Dean of the University, Thorsteinn Rognvoldsson, one of the people in charge of the interface with Brazilian institutions, the undergraduate teaching programmes at Halmstad are highly focused on professional qualifications such as engineering and business management. At graduate level, the courses are centred in three main areas, namely: innovation science, information technology, and health and lifestyle (nursing, sports, programmes for the differently abled). “We have had good experience with Brazilian students, as the first two PhDs ever qualified at Halmstad University both came from Brazil”, he said.

In the field of research, Halmstad University has countless partnerships with companies with international presence such as Volvo, SAAB, Ericsson and Höganäs. Mr Rognvoldsson also remembers that Halmstad carries out research of the highest quality in production engineering (surface design), nanotechnology and information technology (wireless communication, integrated systems, artificial intelligence).

“The areas of application in which we lead the surveys largely coincide with the areas considered of strategic importance by CISB, and our aim is to increase contact with Brazil by means of this”, he said. “We want to attract talented students, who are interested in participating in new research projects in co-operation with industry, and develop new projects with Brazilian partners”, he added.

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CISB promotes a workshop on maritime transport

The event will deepen the discussions about two initiatives taken by the CISB to encourage partnerships between scientific, technological and innovation institutions with companies from both countries, in the area of maritime transport.

The Swedish-Brazilian Research and Innovation Centre (Centro de Pesquisa e Inovação Sueco-Brasileiro - CISB) will commemorate its third anniversary with the hosting of special workshop entitled “Swedish Brazilian Collaboration Opportunity in Maritime Logistics”, to be held on 20 May, on the premises of the University of São Paulo (USP). The event will deepen the discussions about two initiatives taken by the CISB to encourage partnerships between scientific, technological and innovation institutions with companies from both countries, in the area of maritime transport.

In the first phase of the workshop, there will be deeper discussions about maritime traffic management initially raised at the 3rd CISB, as well as an initiative being promoted by CISB in partnership with CILIP that aims to develop technology in this area and make it feasible the development of a demonstrator for a global Swedish project named MONALISA. There will be the presence of representatives from the Centre for Innovation in Logistics and Port Infrastructure (CILIP), of the University of São Paulo; of Oceânica, a Brazilian company offering technological solutions for the maritime segment; and of Swedish institutions such as the Viktoria Institute, the Chalmers University of Technology and Lindholmen Science Park.

According to Fellipe Sabat, the area coordinator for Project and Partnerships Portfolio of CISB, the global monitoring system in discussion was developed by Sweden and Denmark. Given the name of MONALISA (Motorways & Electronic Navigation by Intelligence at Sea), this project proposes the implementation of a new model for route planning, based on electronic nautical maps and a system for automatic identification. Each ship, with a pre-planned route, is visible for other vessels and also for the traffic control system on dry land. Among other advantages, the MONALISA system allows one to establish the best route, considering the conditions of navigation (currents, winds and waves, and the depth of the water), traffic, availability at the point of anchoring etc.

“This is a complex project which contributes to improving the efficiency of transport by sea while also optimising fuel consumption, reducing the emission of pollutants. Its adoption on a global scale, however, depends on the participation of several countries”, explains Fellipe Sabat.

The second part of the workshop will be dedicated to the proposal for implementation mapping of the green corridor concept in Brazil. This would be a system similar to the so-called green corridor that connects Sweden to Italy and uses sustainable technological solutions. “The green corridor will be used as a benchmark, based on which the diagnosis of demands and possibilities to implement a similar system in Brazil”, explains Fellipe Sabat. For this discussion, apart from representatives of the Swedish institutions, there will also be the participation of SAAB. On the Brazilian side, there will be the participation of researchers and professors from the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo (USP), from the Federal University of the Greater ABC Region (UFABC) and also from the School of Industrial Engineering (FEI).

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Creative Workshop Smart Living Challenge in São Paulo

Promoted by the Swedish Embassy, this competition involves 14 countries and has the main purpose of generating business opportunities that promote a sustainable lifestyle in city environments.

The Swedish-Brazilian Innovation and Research Centre (CISB), in partnership with the University of São Paulo (USP), is co-ordinating the creative workshop of the São Paulo Stage of the Smart Living Challenge (SLC). Promoted by the Swedish Embassy, the SLC is an international competition created to bring about business opportunities that promote a sustainable lifestyle in city environments.

Promoted by Swedish companies and institutions, the competition nurtures the development of innovative ideas in one of the three categories proposed by the challenge: “Supply of Foodstuffs, Housing and Urban Mobility”, with the last of these being the theme chosen for the development of the stage in São Paulo. The competition involves proposals made by 14 countries, made by teams organised in workshops or by direct submission made by the interested parties.

The workshop will be held on 19 May, in partnership with the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo (USP). According to Fellipe Sabat, the co-ordinator of the Portfolio and Partnerships Project of CISB, the event will gather players in start-up businesses; small-, medium- and large-sized companies; researchers; students and Government agents of various different areas, to discuss sustainable solutions in urban mobility – a critical problem in Brazil. The methodology used in the workshop was created in Sweden and will be applied by Johanna Olsson of Hyper Island, who will be the leader of the process. The main purpose of the methodology is to develop and create ideas that, indeed, become an innovative service or product.

The authors of the best 15 ideas, selected by the panel of judges, will have some help so their projects can be implemented. They will travel to Sweden, next June, to have meetings with angel investors and heads of incubator firms, technology parks and companies.

According to Mikael Stahl, counsellor to the Swedish embassy for the area of trading and culture, the partnership with the CISB is important as it expands the base of contacts with the players in the Brazilian system of science, technology and innovation. “This partnership will allows us to open a window of opportunities for innovation between Brazil and Sweden – a leading country in this area”, he concludes.

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One step forward in the Science without Borders Programme

CNPq, CISB and Saab launch a third call for support, through study grants, to post-doctorate projects and sandwich doctoral courses by Brazilian researchers in Swedish institutions.

On 17 May, the enrolment period for the third call for CNPq-CISB-Saab projects within the Science without Borders programme, of the Federal Government, will come to an end. In this call, there will be the selection of ten post-doctorate projects and five projects for sandwich doctoral courses. The respective authors will receive grants to carry out research projects in Swedish partner universities of in Saab’s centres for research and development (R&D) – Saab is a Swedish high technology company, specialised in defence and also in civil and military security.

The main areas of interest are aerospace, defence and security; energy and the environment; attractive and sustainable cities. The study grants are financed jointly by Saab and by CNPq, a Brazilian research funding institution. The ultimate target is to send 100 Brazilian researchers to Sweden, over the next few years, through calls like this.

For the disclosure of this call-up process, CISB has, among other actions, been organising talks at prestigious Brazilian universities, such as the University of São Paulo (USP), the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), the Aeronautical Technological Institute (ITA), the Federal University of the Greater ABC Region (UFABC), Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Faculty of Industrial Engineering (FEI) and the Mauá Institute of Technology (IMT).

Interested parties will be required to sign up by using the online proposal form that is available on-line on the Carlos Chagas platform (http://carloschagas.cnpq.br/). Before submitting the proposal, it is possible to interact with professors at Swedish institutions through the CISB collaborative portal (http://swbcisb.induct.no), through which the Brazilian researchers will have help to prepare a project that is relevant for both countries. “Since the opening of the third call-up, more than 1,800 researchers have ‘logged’ into the collaborative portal, and 28 ideas for projects have been presented”, says Alessandra Holmo, a director of CISB. “Our expectations are that the number of projects presented for this selection is higher than that of the previous call-up, when there were 31 formal proposals entered through the Carlos Chagas platform”, she says.

One of the projects approved in the last call-up is that of researcher Pablo Viana da Silva, a doctor in Computer Science from the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE). In Sweden, the theme of his post-doctorate will be the manufacture of FPGA flash circuits for interfaces of avionics systems. “Apart from the technological knowledge within the context of the research, which will enable the development of projects for cutting-edge avionics equipment, the experience of living in a developed country, well recognised for its social justice and considered one of the most innovative and sustainable countries on the planet, will help me to better understand the challenges facing Brazil and also to make the most of our potential of opportunities”, said the researcher. Mr Silva will be carrying out his research project at the University of Linköping, for a period of twelve months.

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VINNOVA announces a call-up for projects in partnership with Brazil

The projects should cater to the demands for innovation of companies’ business activities, and also be focused on areas such as environmental technology, sustainable urban development, and efficiency of resources.

VINNOVA, the Swedish innovation agency, has launched a call-up for projects in collaboration with Brazilian companies and institutions in the area of science and technology. The projects shall cater to the demands for innovation of companies’ business activities, and be focused on areas such as environmental technology, sustainable urban development, and efficiency of resources. The expected result is an increase in competitivity between the leading players in the consortium and also the reduction of the environmental impact internationally.

VINNOVA will support part of the expenses of the Swedish projects. The Brazilian participants in the consortium shall have their own resources of seek Government financing for the development of the project. The time frame for sending proposals will run until 28 May. The projects shall be started on 31 October, and have a duration of two to three years. Please read the full text of the call-up message.

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