1	NOVA-BOVA Conference �Building up International Study and Research Networks between the NOVA and BOVA Universities� Background of the development of �Food Hygiene and Safety Education Network � for Reliable Food Control in the Nordic and Baltic countries� and the future initiatives Aivars B�rzi�� Institute of Food and Environmental Hygiene Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LUA Latvia
2	"Origin of the project (..." Origin of the project (network) was bilateral Norwegian- Latvian program �Food Production, Agriculture and Society� (part at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LUA) (1999- 2003) Partners: Agricultural University of Norway, Noragric The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science The main idea was to use already existing Nordic competence and cooperation to support Baltic institutions and professionals in the area of food hygiene education/ research (not only at Universities, but also involving state laboratories, and some of governmental institutions involved in food control)
3	"Application to Nordic Grant Scheme..." Application to Nordic Grant Scheme for Networking Co-operation with Baltic countries and Northwest Russia (February, 2001) Application draft written January, 2001 (Helsinki, Finland)- Prof. Lars Sj�flot, Prof. Magne Yndestad Statement letters (!) as annexes to the application performed by each participant country
4	"Competence building in the issues..." Competence building in the issues of Food Hygiene/ Food Safety (incl. food control) in the Baltic countries Form a basic network between the governments, institutions and key-persons responsible for the education/ research, regulation and food control in the Baltic countries with direct network links to professional expertise in the Nordic countries
5	Institutions and responsible persons and the Work Group in the Network Norwegian School of Veterinary Sciences (NVH) Prof. Magne Yndestad; Prof. Yngvild Wasteson (?) Agricultural University of Norway, Noragric Prof. Lars Sj�flot (?); .. The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, KVL Prof. John Elmerdahl Olsen; .. University of Helsinki (HU) Prof. Hannu Korkeala; Riikka Laukkanen Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) �Prof. Marie Louise Danielsson-Tham (?) Estonian Agricultural University (EAU) Mati Roasto; Katrin Laikoja (?) Lithuanian Veterinary Academy (LVA) Prof. Grazina Januskeviciene; Mindaugas Malakauskas, Loreta Serniene Latvia University of Agriculture (LUA) Prof. Edgars Liepi��; Aivars B�rzi�� Other institutions in the future�???
6	Main activities: Meeting in Helsinki in January, 2001 (application) Establishing of the network contacts (since January, 2001) First Network Workshop in J�rmala, Latvia, (November, 2001) 35 participants from Norway, Finland, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia Meeting and establishing contacts Training course �Food microbiology and principles of PCR diagnostics� Helsinki, Finland 12 participants (4 from each Baltic country and teachers from Nordic) Instructors from University of Helsinki
7	Main activities: �Food Safety Network Meeting� Tartu, Estonia March, 2003- as first NOVA and BOVA activity in the Network: Participants from Estonia, Lithuania and Finland NOVA and BOVA Conference, Vilnius, Lithuania October, 2003 Coming activities: Training (research) course �Molecular typing methods in food microbiology and evaluation of the microbiological quality of water� Helsinki, Finland (19- 23.01.04) ~12 ordinary participants Instructors from Norway and Finland Regional courses in the Baltic countries (under planning) Instructors from Baltic and Nordic countries Network meetings (1 x a year)
8	Finances of the Network Mostly financial resources used in the Network coming from Nordic Grant Scheme for Network cooperation with Baltic Countries and Northwest Russia In the future � Nordplus Neighbour (NCM) The Norwegian billions: Poland 927 mill NOK Lithuania 112 Latvia 89 Estonia 54