International cooperation

The international cooperation comprises the following thematic areas:

• the realisation of applied research and implementation in the cooperation with foreign partners and based on their experience,
• the participation in the realisation of international projects and programmes (mostly financed from the EU funds), including the preparation of project proposals and common submission of applications,
• the execution of export contracts,
• the organisation of abroad trips of Institute’s employees and arranging the visits of foreign partners from cooperating countries, connected with the realisation of programmes, contracts, as well as with conducting of scientific advice and obtaining scientific degrees,
• participation of Institute’s employees in international conferences, seminars and scientific symposia connected with the publication of the results of scientific and research works and taking part in fairs and exhibitions,
• staff participation in the activities of research organisations and structures of the European Union,
• conducting common methodical and publishing operations.

So far the Institute has conducted over 50 projects within international programmes, including:

• financed from the EU funds: 5^th and 6^th Framework Programme, PHARE: TESSA, SMART, SIERRA Apple, FIESTA, Jean Monnet, Leonardo da Vinci, Socrates, E-training, EQUAL,
• realised under the auspices of the European Union within COST Programme, Actions: 516, 532, A11, A17, A23, and EUREKA Programme,
• executed by G-7 countries: Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards VAMAS,
• conducted within the framework of international agreements: with Ukraine and China.

The cooperation within the realisation of applied research, development works, educational studies and publishing is conducted within the framework of bilateral agreements, for example:

• Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials on common organisation of scientific seminars in the field of surface engineering,
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Department of Mechanical Engineering (USA) on scientific-technological cooperation within the framework of tribochemical testing,
• Kharkov National University (Ukraine) on the cooperation in the field of education and the development of new technologies,
• Scientific Centre of Physical Technologies, Ministry of Education, National Academy of Sciences and Institute of Surface Engineering on the development of common basic and applied research in the field of plasma methods of surface engineering,
• International Key Laboratory for Remanufacturing in China on the establishment of common research laboratories in the Institute in Beijing, equipped with research testing and technological devices, designed and manufactured by the Institute in Radom,
• Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Universidad de Monterrey in Monterrey in Mexico on the cooperation in the course of creation of the National Tribology Centre in Monterrey in the field of consultancy, technological and training services.

Since 1997 numerous machines and technologies developed in the Institute were exported to the following countries: USA, Israel, Hungary, Vietnam, China, Pakistan, Greece, Belarus, Macedonia, Australia and Mexico. Furthermore, the Institute signed a contract granting TriboSolution Corp. the right of exclusive sale on the territory of South Korea of the apparatus for tribological investigations, developed and produced at ITeE-PIB.

Every year the Institute’s achievements are presented at international fairs and scientific exhibitions, such as:

• The Word Exhibition of Invention Research and New Technology – Eureka in Brussels,
• International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva,
• INNOVATION International Fair for Inventions in Gdansk.

Scientific staff of ITeE-PIB participates in the works of the EU research structures and organisations. The director of the Institute, Prof. Adam Mazurkiewicz is an expert in the COST Programme in the domain: Materials, Physical and Nanosciences and was an expert in the 6th EU Framework Programme (Advisory Group – Priority Area 3). Four employees are scientific experts of the EU and evaluate project proposals within EU Framework Programmes, four are representatives of Poland in Managemnet Committees of COST Action, two are UNIDO experts and several are the representatives of Poland in the management structures of European programmes (COST,  Leonardo da Vinci, PHARE). Moreover, Institute’s employees also participate in the activities of international networks, e.g. European Virtual Tribological Institute and International Network of Modular Training Providers and they are also active in numerous associations and foreign councils, e.g.:

• European Materials Research Society (France),
• Society for Tribology and Lubrication Engineering (USA),
• Gesellschaft fuer Tribologie (Germany),
• International Tribology Council (Great Britain),
• European Education Research Association (Great Britain),
• The European Network for Friction, Wear and Lubrication (Belgium).

The international cooperation of the Institute encompasses also education and training activity. The Institute is the organizer and co-organiser of large number of cyclic international conferences and symposia, e.g. Polish-American Workshop on Tribology (every 2 years, together with Virginia State Polytechnic, USA), International Symposium INSYCONT (together with AGH, every 4 years), International Conference SLOVIANTRIBO (together with Rybinsk State Academy of Aviation Technology, Russia, every 3 years), Polish-Chinese Workshop on Tribochemistry (every 2 years, together with the Institute of Chemicals Physics, Lanzhou, China), DIDMATTECH (every year, with Univerzita Konstantina Filozofa, Nitra; Prešovská Univerzita, Prešov; Univerzita Palackého, Olomouc, Slovakia). Moreover, numerous scientists from many countries visit the Institute.

The cooperation also comprises publishing activity. About 50 of 200 scientific papers of the Institute yearly are published abroad.