S&T co-operation between the EU-Russia: status and prospects
On June 28-29, 2012 a meeting devoted to conditions and implementation prospects of the Seventh EU Framework Programme’s project ERA.Net RUS took place in the Austrian Ministry of Science and Research. A wide range of issues was discussed at the meeting, including results of the pilot joint competitions for Science and Innovation, protection of intellectual property created within the framework of joint projects, measures to increase effectiveness of scientific co-operation, etc.. Representatives of the EU evaluated effectiveness of the pilot competitions and came out with recommendations for improving the competitive procedures.
The event brought together experts from European organizations financing scientific research, including the CNRS (France), Federal Ministry of Education and Science (Germany), Academy of Finland, National Science Council (Switzerland), Federal Ministry of Research (Austria), Austrian Science Fund, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Directorate for Scientific Co-operation with Europe (Israel), as well as governmental organizations and scientific foundations of Estonia, Romania, Hungary, Turkey and other countries.
Representatives of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Russian Foundation for Humanities, Foundation for Promotion of Small Enterprise in Science and Technology took part in the event from the Russian side.
Manfred Spiesberger from the Center for Social Innovation (Austia) described the complex Foresight project devoted to prospective scenarios of development of S&T co-operation between Russia and the EU.
The topic was continued by Dr. Alexander Sokolov, Deputy Director of the Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge, National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE ISSEK); Director of the HSE Foresight Centre. Dr. Sokolov presented results of the first round of the Delphi survey which is a central component of the project. Delphi survey that covered thousands of Russian and European researchers includes a description of four scenarios, which can develop scientific contacts between Russia and the EU. Views of Russian and European respondents diverged substantially when assessing the prospects of S&T co-operation. For example, European scientists are much more optimistic concerning such issues as increase in expenses on science (including from private sector), increasing mobility of European scientists in Russia, increasing quality of Russian science education, integration processes in the field of science and technology policy, convergence of education systems. They are more than Russians inclined to a possibility of increasing role of bilateral co-operation with individual EU countries (as well as with the third countries, including Asian countries) due to reduction of multilateral contacts within the European program Horizon 2020.
During the discussion it was suggested to use the results of the Foresight Project for thematic priorities setting and organizational scheme of joint tenders which are to be conducted within the framework of the project ERA-NET PLUS.