Rationale:

• EAS and ASTRONET are joining forces;
• Readiness to use of the next generation of large research infrastructures by the entire European scientific community;
• Gradual elimination of the imbalance between more and less developed regions in European astronomy;
• Initiate a set of pragmatic bottom-up actions to make visible progress wherever possible.

• To initiate an EWASS forum for discussing the progress of astronomy in small national communities;
• Help to develop and realign their human resources with large European projects;
• Inform more effectively on suitable visitor programmes and exchange schemes;
• To develop and maintain a plan for effective mid-term measures to promote progress.
• Starting documents:
  
  http://www.astronet-eu.org/IMG/pdf/Deliverable31-final-3.pdf,
  
  http://www.astronet-eu.org/IMG/pdf/ASTRONET_D3_2_rev-2.pdf,
  
  http://www.astronet-eu.org/IMG/pdf/WP3-D3-3corr-eglit.pdf.

• All EAS members and other participants of EWASS are welcome;
• Representatives of national communities nominated by EAS affiliated societies;

Programme
Session I: Setting the scene

• Jan Palouš & Sofia Feltzing: EAS collaboration with ASTRONET;
• Thierry Courvoisier: The EAS Contribution;
• Denis Mourard: ASTRONET: Status, progress and plans;
• Rob Ivison: The ESO perspective;
• Arvind Parmar: The ESA perspective;

• Andre Moitinho de Almeida: A&A publication policies;
• Laszlo Kiss: Writing Schools;
• Heidi Korhonen: OPTICON Schools;
• Rob van der Meer: Large and small collaborations; two examples;
• Jesús Gallego Maestro: Telescopes and Instrumentation.
• Sona Farmanyan: Development of Small National Astronomical Communities through Inter- and Multi- disciplinary Studies.

• National Fora, Visions and Roadmaps;
• Cooperation of Small and Big Facilities;
• Joint Actions and Approval of a Common Plan.

Invited speakers

• Jan Palous (CAS)
• Sofia Feltzing (EAS)
• Thierry Courvoisier (EAS)
• Denis Mourard (ASTRONET)
• Rob Ivison (ESO)
• Arvind Parmar (ESA)
• Andre Moitinho de Almeida (A&A)
• Laszlo Kiss (Konkoly Observatory)
• Heidi Korhonen (DARK, Niels Bohr Institute)
• Jesús Gallego Maestro (MINECO & Universidad Complutense de Madrid )
• Rob van der Meer (ASTERICS)

Scientific organisers

• Johannes Andersen
• Sofia Feltzing
• Lex Kaper
• Denis Mourard
• Birgitta Nordström
• Jan Palouš

Contact
Jan Palouš ( palous @ ig.cas.cz )