"The project’s objective is to improve the research capacities and to reinforce the S&T potential of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) in its scientific excellence with the aim of unlocking its capacity and make it accessible for ERA; to strengthen LSIWC as a central part, which ensures the smooth integration of researchers from convergence and outermost regions in a field vital for the social-economic development of Europe and Latvia such as Forestry and Forest Products. The project embraces thematic priorities such as the investigation of the structure and biodegradation of wood as a construction material and a cultural historical object to ensure its durability and competitiveness in the changing climate and biodiversity conditions; interdisciplinary theoretical wood studies on the molecular and nano-level, and development of technologies for chemical compounds, production of composite materials and energy from wood, its components and other types of biomass; rational utilization of woodworking and wood processing residues for the development of innovative multifunctional products for agriculture, forestry and environment protection. The project will promote the exchange of know-how and experience, formation of strategic co-operation partnership between the related leading European research centres. It will activate the dissemination of scientific information and joint results, will expand the involvement of young researchers in the scientific environment. The project envisages the acquisition of unique research equipment and upgrading of the existing one, which will extend the research potentialities, strengthen the Institute as an international research centre and make it attractive for the co-operation partners. 51 institutions as provisional cooperation partners from 24 countries will predicted: 41 from 20 ERA countries (between them 14 from 9 new EU countries); 10 from 4 ICPC (Eastern European and Mediterranean) countries."