The Czech Days for European Research (CZEDER) is the largest conference dedicated to the European Framework Programmes for research, technological development and innovation (FPs) in Czechia. It is yearly organized by the Technology Centre Prague (formerly Technology Centre CAS) in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.
The first CZEDER took place in 2002 with a primary objective to familiarize Czech research community with possibilities of involvement in European research collaborations through FPs: the financial and strategic tool supporting and implementing the EU research and innovation policies since 1980s. Although Czechia could already fully participate to the 5th Framework Programme given its status of an EU candidate country, overall awareness of the FP was rather low.
The first conference was held on the occasion of a launch of the 6th FP with the goal to inform participants about the structure of the Programme including the conditions and rules for participation. All speakers emphasized the range of new possibilities that opened to Czech research institutions in the field of international cooperation.
In the following years, CZEDER reflected on the novelties in FPs and provided updates on the participation of the Czech teams in project proposals as well as in successful consortia. With its growing importance, the conference became thematically more and more focused on specific areas not only of the Framework Programme but also of the broader system of the European Research Area.
In 2023, we proudly celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Czech Days for European Research.