The first objective of Join-MED is to create a sustainable network of ICT research organisations in the Medi-terranean Partner Countries (MPC) and Europe, reinforcing the Research Cooperation between these two regions on a wider scale. To achieve this, Join-MED will organise a series of networking events in the MPC that will bring researchers from different MPC and EU together. Furthermore, it will support the creation of institutionalised networks on a cross-regional basis, suggesting appropriate methodologies for accomplishing this.To support all networking activities Join-MED will develop an interactive web-based directory of research organisations from both regions, the MPC and EU.To help unfold the potential of the research capacity across the MPC, where R&D is still driven by national initiatives with very little cross-regional co-operation, Join-MED will promote closer research co-operation across the region. This will achieved by moving from country-focused networking events to cross-regional ones.The second objective of Join-MED is to support the Information Society policy dialogue and the co-ordination of national policies on international S&T co-operation in the MPC. This will be achieved by for-mulating a harmonised MPC ICT policy and through an open dialogue, among the MPC as well as with Europe.Join-MED will establish close links with existing and emerging co-operation projects addressing the MPC, in particular the NCP Network, to exploit synergies with the different objectives they pursue, maximise impact and contribute to the definition of co-operation strategies.