A key thrust of FP7 is to promote international collaborative research with third countries. The EULASUR project will address the Call for Co-ordination Action in Materials by creating a cooperation platform for forming strategic research partnerships between scientists, policy makers, technology transfer and industrial experts in the EC and 3 Latin-American countries belonging to MERCOSUR: Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina (BRAU). Research topics will be identified within the fields of i) advanced functional ceramics and ii) hybrid materials and nanomaterials where significant opportunities exist for mutually beneficial actions between the two regions. The goals are designed to gain first hand knowledge of the state of the art research in these fields through summer schools, exchanges and partnership actions. The project will also address the social, political and cultural factors impacting technology transfer and collaboration between the EU and BRAU countries. The core activities of EULASUR are based on some research Groups of Excellence that already cooperate bilaterally and will integrate them with additional groups to generate a stable, integrated scientific platform of international excellence interested to collaborate in the development of materials research in specific topics of interest to both regions. The EULASUR partnership is composed of 15 research centres, 8 from Europe and 7 from BRAU countries selected on the basis of: excellence in research, complementary skills and access to national and international R&D policy makers. Government representatives will participate in the EULASUR Advisory Board. Industrial companies and technological centres are expected to take part in the project activities. EULASUR has 5 WPs. 3 designed to build contacts and identify opportunities, 1 to disseminate results to key stakeholders and policy makers and 1 management and progress measures. Each WP has two WP Leaders: one from BRAU and the other from the EU.