Promotion and Focussing of Current Research Activities of Membrane Technology in Water Treatment in the Mediterranean Region

The primary objective of ProMembrane is to support the current research and development activities in membrane technology focussed on water treatment in the Mediterranean area, providing an international stage to local research organisations and universities devoted to the development of membrane technologies in the following areas: municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, surface water purification and brackish and sea water treatment for drinking purpose.

The general objectives addressed in PROMEMBRANE are:
To support the current research activities in membrane technology for water treatment in the Mediterranean region
To promote and facilitate the dissemination, transfer and exploitation of results of current and past research, by the organisation of regional fairs and a final conference.
To encourage the permanent participation of young scientists in the field of membrane technology.
To promote the establishment of permanent communication links between research centres in the Mediterranean region, promoting the know-how exchange and expertise in relation to membrane technologies.

The specific scientific and technologic objectives of PROMEMBRANE are:
To identify and map the on-going research activities in the field of membrane technology in the Mediterranean region.
To assess on-going research in membrane technology, identifying the gaps in knowledge and the barriers for the cooperation of R&D activities in a Mediterranean scope.
To develop adequate recommendations for future research activities in order to fulfil the scientific and technological needs for the further implementation of membrane technologies in the Mediterranean region.
To encourage young scientific in the membrane technology by the organisation of two regional scientific contests �PROMEMBRANE Young Scientist Award�.

The first stage will cover the identification, mapping and evaluation of the on-going research, in order to propose future research and cooperation strategies. The second stage, will focus on the diffusion and dissemination of successful experiences and research activities in membrane technology for water treatment in the Mediterranean region, through the organisation of the contest "Young Scientist Award", two  Regional Fairs and an International Conference, encouraging and promoting further research activities in membrane technologies.

The principal outputs of this Specific Support Action will be:
The identification and mapping of the research organisations in the field of membrane technology, which focus on solving major problems with water supply and scarcity.
A clear guideline of action regarding the future research and development in the field of membrane technology to overcome the needs of the Euro-Mediterranean countries.
A project web-site and database platform to provide a conduit for international dissemination.
Two regional PROMEMBRANE Fairs in Syria and Egypt, which will be the scenario for the regional researchers to present their work and results in posters and papers. Lectures will be also given by members of the consortium.
�PROMEMBRANE Young Scientist Award�, a contest among researchers will also take place in each regional Fair, where the best 5 work of will be invited to the International conference.
The International PROMEMBRANE Conference in Sfax-Tunisia, which will gather the most relevant actors in the membrane and water treatment field, such as research institutes and universities, manufacturers, SMEs, governmental authorities, end-users and specialists, to increase the awareness on research activities carried out in the Mediterranean Area, as well as the development of this technology to propose solutions to the water scarcity of the region.