A key aspect of the JUMPING JIVE project was building new partnerships by (i) supporting new countries to become JIV-ERIC members, (ii) establishing and enhancing existing “seed” VLBI groups and/or facilities, and (iii) supporting existing radio astronomy facilities with new VLBI potential.

JUMPING JIVE success stories for building new partnerships included:

• Efforts related to support new countries to become JIV-ERIC members, which resulted in the formal adoption of Latvia (2017) and Italy (2021) as JIV-ERIC member;
• Assistance to established and new VLBI groups and facilities in several countries around the world, most notably the signature of Memorandum of Agreement between JIVE and NARIT (Thailand) to establish a consolidated level of collaboration that eventually support NARIT to initiate the process to become a participating institute in JIV-ERIC, as well as actions to support of the radio astronomical community in Portugal, with efforts linking the Portuguese interests (and membership) in SKA and those of the EVN expansion in Azores and Africa.
• Liaising with existing radio astronomy facilities with new VLBI potential, such as the Memorandum of Understanding signed between JIVE and the University of Tasmania on cooperation in the PRIDE-JUICE near-field VLBI studies as well as the discussions with the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) in India about the prospects of involving Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope in the international VLBI networks. 

JUMPING JIVE has contributed to elevating the profile of JIVE and the EVN, creating a solid basis for strengthening European and global cooperation in VLBI research.

Deliverables

• D3.1: Inventory of state of VLBI involvement
• D3.2: Progress report on working with national representatives
• D3.3: Final report on JIV-ERIC memberships