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European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research

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European COoperation in Science and TechnologyEuropean COoperation in Science and Technology

Global Challenges and the European Response Global Challenges and the European Response – the ERA concept and Australia – the ERA concept and Australia

Dr. Martin GrabertDr. Martin Grabert COST Office, BrusselsCOST Office, Brussels

COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme

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● Some global trendsSome global trends● Australia and the Australia and the

“European Research Area”“European Research Area”● Opportunities for linking and learningOpportunities for linking and learning

This presentation will touch uponThis presentation will touch upon

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Global trendsGlobal trends

0

20,000,000

40,000,000

60,000,000

80,000,000

100,000,000

120,000,000

140,000,000

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

China

India

Japan

Russia

USA

EU15

Australia

Development population group 20-24 years by regionsDevelopment population group 20-24 years by regions

Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division: World

Population Prospects. The 2006 Revision, Extended Dataset, New York, 2007

(ST/ESA/SER.A/266).

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Global trendsGlobal trendsGERD (Gross Expenditures in R&D) global distributionGERD (Gross Expenditures in R&D) global distribution

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics estimations, December 2004.

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Global trendsGlobal trendsResearcher ‘distribution’Researcher ‘distribution’

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics Estimations, December 2004.

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Global innovation trendsGlobal innovation trendsGlobal scoreboardGlobal scoreboard

Source: 2006 “Global Innovation Scoreboard”

(GIS) Report, Hugo Hollanders and Anthony

Arundel (MERIT – Maastricht Economic and

social Research and training centre on

Innovation and Technology)

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Global innovation trendsGlobal innovation trendsGlobal scoreboardGlobal scoreboard

1 INNOVATION DRIVERS1 INNOVATION DRIVERS1.1 New S&E graduates UNESCO1.1 New S&E graduates UNESCO1.2 Labour force with completed tertiary education World Bank1.2 Labour force with completed tertiary education World Bank1.3 Researchers per million population World Bank 1.3 Researchers per million population World Bank

2 KNOWLEDGE CREATION2 KNOWLEDGE CREATION2.1 Public R&D expenditures2.1 Public R&D expenditures2.2 Business R&D expenditures 2.2 Business R&D expenditures 2.3 Scientific articles per million population2.3 Scientific articles per million population

3 DIFFUSION3 DIFFUSION3.1 ICT expenditures3.1 ICT expenditures

4 APPLICATIONS4 APPLICATIONS4.1 Exports of high-tech products4.1 Exports of high-tech products4.2 Share of medium-high/high-tech activities in manufacturing value added4.2 Share of medium-high/high-tech activities in manufacturing value added

5 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY5 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY5.1 EPO patents per million population 5.1 EPO patents per million population 5.2 USPTO patents per million population5.2 USPTO patents per million population5.3 Triad patents per million population5.3 Triad patents per million population

Source: 2006 “Global Innovation Scoreboard”

(GIS) Report, Hugo Hollanders and Anthony

Arundel (MERIT – Maastricht Economic and

social Research and training centre on

Innovation and Technology)

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The “European Research Area”The “European Research Area”

Strategy to facilitate the “Lisbon Agenda’s” innovation Strategy to facilitate the “Lisbon Agenda’s” innovation objectives by creating:objectives by creating:

● Develop a single labour market for researchersDevelop a single labour market for researchers● Maintain world-class research infrastructuresMaintain world-class research infrastructures● Build on excellent research institutions and universitiesBuild on excellent research institutions and universities● Foster effective knowledge sharing and private sector Foster effective knowledge sharing and private sector

investments in R&Dinvestments in R&D● Establish well co-ordinated research programmes and Establish well co-ordinated research programmes and

prioritiespriorities● Open ERA to the worldOpen ERA to the world

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The “European Research Area”The “European Research Area”

Policy rationale for the ERA concept:Policy rationale for the ERA concept:

● Global problems demand global responses Global problems demand global responses (climate change, energy security, health …)(climate change, energy security, health …)

● Global shifts of centres of creativityGlobal shifts of centres of creativity● Increased mobility of researchers following Increased mobility of researchers following

opportunities on a global scaleopportunities on a global scale

Striving to overcome persistentStriving to overcome persistent

● Drawbacks of fragmented national and regional R&D Drawbacks of fragmented national and regional R&D systems, policies and programssystems, policies and programs

● Still-ailing business R&D investments in some EU statesStill-ailing business R&D investments in some EU states

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Australia and the ERAAustralia and the ERA

Multiple opportunities in the mutual interest:Multiple opportunities in the mutual interest:On the basis of the EU-AUS S&T agreement (building on 1997 On the basis of the EU-AUS S&T agreement (building on 1997

joint declaration) and FEAST as a catalystjoint declaration) and FEAST as a catalystEUEU● FP7 open for participation (“Cooperation”, ERC)FP7 open for participation (“Cooperation”, ERC)● Multilateral networking (COST, ESF, ESFRI)Multilateral networking (COST, ESF, ESFRI)● Bilateral networking schemes Bilateral networking schemes AUSAUS● DIISR international science linkages programmeDIISR international science linkages programme● ARC linkage programme / Internationally Coordinated ARC linkage programme / Internationally Coordinated

Initiatives + fellowshipsInitiatives + fellowships● Go8 fellowshipsGo8 fellowships

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Australia and the ERAAustralia and the ERA

Benefits:Benefits:

● Linking to one large research areasLinking to one large research areas● Access to ideas/references in an trans-sectoral contextAccess to ideas/references in an trans-sectoral context● Joining in agenda setting on the global scaleJoining in agenda setting on the global scale● Utilising the access to world class infrastructures/ Utilising the access to world class infrastructures/

gaining support for Australian infrastructure projectsgaining support for Australian infrastructure projects● Exchange of best practice helps to avoid unnecessary Exchange of best practice helps to avoid unnecessary

investments investments ● Lay the foundations for stable policy interactionsLay the foundations for stable policy interactions● Offer advice in unique areas of opportunitiesOffer advice in unique areas of opportunities

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Australia and the ERAAustralia and the ERA

Risks and prerequisites:Risks and prerequisites:

● Long term institutional strategyLong term institutional strategy● Definition of assets and mutual objectivesDefinition of assets and mutual objectives● Awareness of the respective dynamics of the research Awareness of the respective dynamics of the research

systemssystems

● Transaction costsTransaction costs● Time for travel and the necessary personal interactionsTime for travel and the necessary personal interactions● Balance of benefits from national/international activitiesBalance of benefits from national/international activities

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COST characteristicsCOST characteristics

• Co-ordinationCo-ordination through through cooperation in networkscooperation in networks

• Pan-European, beyond Pan-European, beyond the EUthe EU

• Multi-disciplinary,Multi-disciplinary,pre-competitive (pre-pre-competitive (pre-normative; public utility)normative; public utility)

• National financing of National financing of researchers and projects researchers and projects – national responsibility– national responsibility

• ““Bottom-up” –Bottom-up” –no fixed programme/prioritiesno fixed programme/priorities

• Flexible participation –Flexible participation –join in if you are interestedjoin in if you are interested

• ““Trans-disciplinary Trans-disciplinary Exploratoria”Exploratoria”

• Enabling agent –Enabling agent –focus on “early stage focus on “early stage researchers”researchers”

• Open to global cooperationOpen to global cooperation

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COST Actions: global participation COST Actions: global participation (March 2008)(March 2008)

165 non-COST country participations in 58 Actions

Australia - 23

Argentina - 1

China - 6Japan - 11

Canada - 18

New Zealand - 4

South Africa - 1

Tunisia - 2

Bosnia &Herzegovina - 2

Ukraine - 15 Russia - 40

USA - 22Rep of Korea - 2

Hong Kong - 1

Brazil - 1

Algeria - 2

India - 1

Egypt - 1

Cuba - 1

Malaysia - 1

Moldova - 2

Vietnam - 1Colombia - 1

Armenia - 1Georgia - 2

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COST Actions: Australian participationCOST Actions: Australian participation

Nr participations in COST Actions from Australia 2004-2008

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

2004sem1

2004sem2

2005sem1

2005sem2

2006sem1

2006sem2

2007sem1

2007sem2

2008sem1

pilot schemeactive

= approval pending (May 2008)

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ConclusionsConclusions

On the political level:On the political level:

● New concepts (in Europe arching beyond the concept of New concepts (in Europe arching beyond the concept of the nation state) need to be explored to face future the nation state) need to be explored to face future global challengesglobal challenges

● Stepwise, iterative approaches are appropriate to Stepwise, iterative approaches are appropriate to capitalise on global creativity and are cost-effectivecapitalise on global creativity and are cost-effective

● Networking of mobile researchers (trans-sector) is key Networking of mobile researchers (trans-sector) is key for joint achievements on a global scalefor joint achievements on a global scale• Knowledge transferKnowledge transfer• Peer review - Infrastructure coordinationPeer review - Infrastructure coordination• Efficient and sustainable innovationEfficient and sustainable innovation

● Adequate training (universities) schemes are essentialAdequate training (universities) schemes are essential

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ConclusionsConclusions

On the institutional level:On the institutional level:

● Definition of mid-long term strategic scientific Definition of mid-long term strategic scientific objectivesobjectives

● Establishing / joining alliances in pursuing these goals Establishing / joining alliances in pursuing these goals ● Networking support for researchers to enable objective Networking support for researchers to enable objective

driven interactionsdriven interactions● High quality training might complement the targeted High quality training might complement the targeted

research prioritiesresearch priorities● Adequate (joint) training schemes based on agreements Adequate (joint) training schemes based on agreements

defining the contents / quantity with quantifiable defining the contents / quantity with quantifiable outcome outcome

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ConclusionsConclusions

On the personal level:On the personal level:

● Curiosity, communication skills, cultural awareness and Curiosity, communication skills, cultural awareness and high frustration tolerance are key factors to successhigh frustration tolerance are key factors to success

● Funding opportunities need to be secured by the Funding opportunities need to be secured by the involved institutionsinvolved institutions

● Developing one’s perspectives of the core activitiesDeveloping one’s perspectives of the core activities● Openness to identify synergetic opportunities in the Openness to identify synergetic opportunities in the

mutual interestmutual interest● … … leading to new scientific revelations and personal leading to new scientific revelations and personal

satisfactionsatisfaction

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Let’s start now!Let’s start now!

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