The project aims at developing research capacity of the major biodiversity research centre of the Podlasie Region - Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences (MRI), EU’s Centre of Excellence (since 2002). The project will implement the MRI’s Action Plan for 2010-2012, prepared on the basis of SWOT analysis. The project foresees coherent set of measures, which will reinforce MRI’s potential in biodiversity research and conservation as well as strengthen its impact in terms of promoting regional sustainable development. Under the project, MRI will develop new strategic partnership with 6 high-level research centres in Europe; support and mobilise human resources by two-way secondments of staff with nine prominent European scientific institutions; reinforce its scientific potential by recruiting experienced foreign researchers; support its material resources by acquisition of research equipment, software, and on-line access to scientific information; disseminate the results of research and share knowledge by organising 4 conferences and workshops, and by sending staff to international congresses and conferences. Furthermore, the project will enable MRI to better contribute to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development of the Podlasie region – the EU convergence region with outstanding natural resources - by establishing a Regional Forum for Environmental Knowledge Transfer, with the aim of transferring knowledge from RTD sector to regional authorities, stakeholders, enterprises, and the public. In the last 6 months of the project, an independent expert evaluation of MRI’s research quality and capability will be performed. As a result of the project, in 2013 MRI, which so far took advantage of the Supporting Measures and Marie Curie Actions of FP5 and FP6, is expected to participate in the FP7 programme “Cooperation”. The project will also increase MRI’s contribution to the economic and social sustainable development of the Podlasie region.