Sustainable growth through innovation has become even more relevant with the unfolding financial crisis in Europe. With this firmly in mind, acatech – the German Academy of Science and Engineering – hosted the Euro-CASE Annual Conference of the European Academies of Engineering, Applied Sciences and Technology on 2nd December in Berlin. In her concluding speech to the conference, Lena Treschow Torell, Chairman of Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, IVA, and Chairman of Euro-CASE advised that the task of fostering innovation requires, and will require, a multinational effort.
At the Euro-CASE Annual Conference 2010, representatives from partner academies of acatech, as well as experts from science, economics and politics, focused on innovation and value creation, discussing practical examples, various approaches, potential action and recommendations.
Lena Treschow Torell, Chairman of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, IVA, and Chairman of Euro-CASE: “Together we want to ensure that the impact of technological change on society is given proper attention, with environmental and sustainability aspects receiving full consideration. The Euro-CASE Annual Conference is an important event for fostering international cooperation in European science and engineering.”
Reinhard Hüttl, President of acatech: “In my opinion, the time is now right to reflect on a number of questions. Today, Europe is at the crossroads of its future: did we choose the right tools in the crisis? Have our recovery programmes had the intended effects? How can we secure lasting and sustainable growth? How do we produce long-term value creation? acatech’s answer has been and will be: through innovation.”
The open space conference enabled a discussion between the international experts and the audience: in a “Policy Session”, the audience was given the chance to air its views with the experts and, together, find possible policy recommendations with the aid of a voting tool.
In her conclusion, Euro-CASE Chairman Lena Treschow Torell recapitulated five recommendations:
- to encourage universities to foster innovation and entrepreneurship
- to support pre-commercial public procurement of R&D
- to promote a higher degree of risk-taking by research funding agencies, governments and public procurement agencies
- encourage increased “seed” capital for early stage "proof of concept” prior to commercial investment
- to support result and risk-oriented funding, the EC’s dominant funding of R&I
The Euro-CASE Annual Conference is organised by an international advisory board set up by acatech. Chairman of the committee is Reiner Kopp, an acatech board member and Vice-President of Euro-CASE.
Conference voting, background information and pictures: www.acatech.de/euro-case2010
Kontakt
Jann Gerrit Ohlendorf
acatech Head of Communication
Tel.: +49(0)89 5 - 2030 - 940
Fax: +49(0)89 5 - 2030 - 99
Mobil: +49(0) 176 - 1520 - 3095
E-Mail: ohlendorf(at)acatech.de
