Mit - Index

Mit - UVK_Sinfo_2008_04April_1 - Index

should participate. The development of the European Research
Area is taking too long, as was stated by the Irish Minister of
Innovation Policy, Michael Ahern, who participated in the
discussion as invited spokesperson. Furthermore, Ahern thinks
that European Research Area policy must not become isolated,
but has to be included in the broader policy of competitiveness,
in particular to the Lisbon Strategy.
whEN COuLD ThE vISION OF A COMMON
RESEARCh AREA bE FORMED AND whAT
wOuLD IT INCLuDE?
The Member States hope that the first version of the vision for
the common research area could be implemented by the end of
the year. It would facilitate the quick formation of the policies
and action plans required for its implementation. There will be
ongoing discussions after it is adopted, so that it will be possible
to renew and enhance it. The characteristics of the mentioned
vision should represent the free flow of researchers and attractive
jobs offered to them. This is based on the free flow of knowledge,
or the so-called “fifth freedom”. Furthermore, it should entail
free universities and research organizations that would ensure
excellence in science and technology across all Europe, as well
as a coordinated strategy for international cooperation in science
and technology. The vision should also mention access to highperformance
research infrastructure. It would be the basis for
a more long-term process, bringing about improvements in
managing the European Research Area. In order to achieve this,
the following principles need to be considered, such as closer
relationships of the European Research Area with the Lisbon
strategy and other policies, greater inclusion of all participants
to the common Research Area, the implementation of control
indicators and measures used in assessments, as well as a
developed information system.
whAT IS ThE LONg-TERM gLObAL
vISION FOR ThE Eu?
Expectations of the global public regarding the role Europe
should have are great, and together with the common efforts,
we have yet to fulfil them. Europe is a team made up of stars
having potential of becoming a true dream team.
hOw DO YOu COMMENT ON ThE bRAIN
DRAIN FROM ThE Eu TO uSA?
We are trying to reshape the concept of the brain drain into a
concept of so-called brain circulation. Brain circulation is of vital
importance for the European Research Area and for the work of
its researchers. It is just like their blood circulation. That is why we
have implemented different measures for maintaining contacts
with European researchers working abroad with their domestic
environment, as well as for their cooperation on projects
within the European Research Area itself. Furthermore, we are
developing projects in order to attract foreign researchers to
the EU such as research visas that Member States would already
have to have integrated in their legislation but not all have done
so. And this is not all. In the end it all depends on the cultural
environment, tolerance in society, attractive salaries, possibility
of the transfer of social and pension rights, that is, whether the
person has the feeling they are wanted and that their profession
is valued. This year we plan to focus on the following five crucial
things: research passports, joint programming, infrastructure,
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INTErview
intellectual property in public institutions which carry out
research, and international cooperation strategy.
DO YOu ThINk EuROPE hAS DONE
ENOugh FOR ThE DEvELOPMENT OF
ThE COMMON RESEARCh AREA AND
huMAN RESOuRCES?
Europe does not make full use of its potential in the field of
human resources or in the field of institutions. That is, mostly
when it comes to joint and synergetic cooperation between
them.
Human resources are the most important field when discussing
the common European Research Area. Now is a great
opportunity for countries to prepare their national programmes
for coordination, and for them to reach agreements on priority
tasks with which they want to create international links and
support them through their own budgets. It is crucial to bring in
line the financial resources, so that countries that are nowadays
at a lower development stage will also be able to compete for
excellent projects.
A complex approach is needed for the EU to succeed in the field
of science and research, which would include all crucial sectors
of both the individual governments of the Member States and
the European Commission as well - tax policy, forming of more
flexible job markets, adequate intellectual property protection,
the search for efficient financial instruments, etc.
Europe has the tradition and knowledge; however, the world is
constantly changing. New economies surface and new strong
scientific actors appear. At the same time, our societies are more
vulnerable than in the past. Europe in the 21st century is faced
by numerous new challenges.
ThE PATh TO REACh ThE kNOwLEDgE
SOCIETY IS COMPLEX. EACh REFORM
OR ChANgE IS AT ISSuE. whAT IS
TRuLY NEEDED bY ThE Eu IN ORDER TO
REALIzE ThE kNOwLEDgE SOCIETY TO
ThE FuLLEST?
Each subject can establish two strategies: defending the
current state or creating of a new one. And each of them has
its consequences. We have to establish an adequate balance
between them and constantly make efforts in order to correctly
consider all the circumstances.
whAT IS YOuR TAkE ON ThE SLOvENIAN
Eu PRESIDENCY hALFwAY ThROugh ITS
TERM?
I think that the Presidency has, in general, been conducted well.
The events in which I participated were also excellently organized.
They represent a continuation of the traditional well-organized
presidencies. It is, however, still too early for a final assessment,
but at this moment we could already say that after the Presidency
is completed, at least one of Slovenia’s problems will be solved,
that is, the issue of Slovenia’s recognisability on the European
and global map. This is probably the most important side effect
the Presidency shall have.
april 08 sinfo