How they work
When they join the Policy Bridge, members sign up for a series of high-level, exclusive Brussels events, and access to a Web portal of new innovation ideas, analysis and news.
- During each event, 5 proposals for policy implementation will be presented and discussed.
- Each event will conclude with recommendations for action, for publication and dissemination.
- Opportunities at these events go beyond classical networking to include the gathering of high-level political intelligence and contributing to policy development. Science|Business takes care of reporting on event conclusions and recommendations
- These are collected in a report and disseminated to our network of policy makers
- The debate continues on the Policy Bridge portal
At the end of each year, the Policy Bridge will organise a major conference that brings together the conclusions of earlier events and identifies short, medium and long term priorities for innovation policy. This will evolve into a rolling programme, adjusted and updated each year as the Policy Bridge continues. This annual road map for innovation policy will be published by Science|Business and widely circulated.
For more information on how to attend or sponsor these events, call Luca Segantini on +32 473 682484 or email luca.segantini@sciencebusiness.net
POLICY BRIDGE EVENTS
(click on an
event to find out more)
New Perspectives on Education and
Skills for the 21st Century
An open discussion of new ideas for reforming Europe’s
knowledge base
EFTA Secretariat, Brussels - 28 November 2007
New Perspectives on R&D Strategy
An open discussion of new ideas on priorities for EU research
spending.
Brussels - 17 January 2008
Who will lead the Lead Markets?
An open discussion on the development of innovative markets in Europe
Brussels - 12 March 2008
Champagne with the Chef de Cabinet: Framework 7 - A Progress Report
A discussion with Peter Dröll, chief of staff for Commissioner Janez Potočnik
Brussels - 13 March 2008
New Perspectives in Intellectual Property
An open discussion of new ideas for reforming the IP system in
Europe
Brussels - 29 May 2008
New Perspectives in Fiscal Reform for Innovation
An open debate on new ideas to improve the tax climate for
R&D and investment in Europe
Brussels - September 2008
The Science|Business Summit
New ideas to bridge the gap between academia and industry in Europe
How to design incentives for innovation. During this
conference, the ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARD 2008 ceremony will take place
Brussels - December 2008
New Perspectives on Education and
Skills for the 21st Century
An open discussion of new ideas for reforming Europe -
knowledge base
EFTA Secretariat, Brussels - 28 November 2007
Supported by
Keynote speaker: Odile Quintin, Director General for Education and Culture, European Commission
A fundamental weakness of European innovation lies in its academic sector. It is under-funded, over-regulated, inflexible and, in the end, not very productive. Just two EU universities rank among the world's top 20; and the EU's share of Nobel prizes is sinking to less than one in four. Inflexible tenure and pension rules make it difficult for academics to move to industry and back. And in the broader society, not enough people are learning the new skills needed for a competitive economy. The meeting will solicit and debate new proposals aimed at reforming the way education and academic research works in Europe. Likely topics:
- Proposals to improve researcher mobility
- University reform - governance and financing
- New initiatives: the European Institute of Innovation and Technology
- E-Skills and continuing education for EU competitiveness
Event size: max 30 participants
Location: Brussels
Participation fee: €500
Get involved
How should the EU spend its R&D money?
An open discussion of new ideas on priorities for EU research
spending.
Mission of Switzerland to the European Union, Place du Luxembourg 1, Brussels - 17 January 2008
Supported by:
Mission of Switzerland to the European Union
A roundtable discussion on future priorities for EU R&D spending. January 2008 will mark the opening of an important, multi-pronged effort to change how and where the EU spends its billions in R&D subsidies. First, the European Commission - under the leadership of the new EU presidency from Slovenia - will start unveiling its proposals to make a reality of its long-imagined "European Research Area", an effort to knock down the borders that make it difficult for researchers and their ideas to move from country to country. Second, a mid-term budget review announced by President Barroso is in full swing, pitting against each other for more funding such EU constituencies as researchers, farmers and regional-development authorities. And lastly, it marks the first full year of the new European Research Council, the latest Brussels experiment in awarding research grants. This session will hear from two of the key officials involved in this R&D strategy: Zoran Stancic, deputy director-general for DG Research, and Ernst-Ludwig Winnaker, secretary general of the European Research Council. It will also, following the normal Policy Bridge format, include ample opportunity for roundtable participants to air their own suggestions for R&D priorities.
Keynote speaker: Zoran Stancic, Deputy Director General, DG RTD, European Commission
Keynote speaker: Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker, Secretary General, European Research Council
Participants will be:
- Senior DG Research and DG Education representatives
- Corporate R&D heads
- Researchers from the Science|Business university network
- Human resources executives
- Public affairs professionals
- Employment lawyers
Science|Business will consolidate the discussion highlights into a report which will be widely distributed across all relevant stakeholders in Europe.
Event size: max 30 participants
Location: Brussels
Participation fee: €500
Get involved
Who will lead the Lead Markets?
An open discussion on the development of innovative markets in Europe.
12 March 2008, 10.30 to 1.30 - EFTA Secretariat, Brussels - Rue Joseph II, 12-16 B1000 Brussels
Supported by:
Commission Vice President Günter Verheugen is determined to repeat the GSM standard success story. To do so, the European Union must step in to help bring innovative products and services to market. "The lead market initiative (LMI) has identified promising emerging markets in which the EU has the potential to become world leader and where coordinated action is urgently needed," he said. The six markets are eHealth, protective textiles, sustainable construction, recycling, bio-based products and renewable energies. Although in their infancy, the chosen areas already generate over €120 billion in sales and employ over 1.9 million people in the EU. All six of the chosen areas promise lucrative returns to companies that get established quickly.
The opportunity to take the lead in these areas has "a rather short time span", Verheugen said, adding that Europe's small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) are well placed to be among the market pioneers because of their ability to move fast.
This session will hear from two of the key officials involved in the LMI: Jiri Plecity, from Mr. Verheugen's Cabinet, and Pierre Vigier, from the Directorate-General Enterprise & Industry, European Commission. It will also, following the normal Policy Bridge format, include ample opportunity for event participants to air their own suggestions for LMI priorities.
Participants will be:
- Senior DG Research and DG Education representatives
- Corporate R&D heads
- Researchers from the Science|Business university network
- Human resources executives
- Public affairs professionals
- Employment lawyers
Science|Business will consolidate the discussion highlights into a report which will be widely distributed across all relevant stakeholders in Europe.
Event size: max 30 participants
Location: Brussels
Participation fee: €650
Get involved
Champagne with the Chef de Cabinet: Framework 7 - A Progress Report
A discussion with Peter Dr&oulm;ll, chief of staff for Commissioner Janez Potocnik
13 March 2008, 17:00 to 19:00 - Brussels, 98 rue du Trone, 6th Floor, Helmholtz Association
The European Commission's premier R&D initiative, Framework Programme 7, is now more than a year old. So how is it doing? Is the paperwork any easier for participants? Is the selection of projects any fairer? Is the quality of R&D better? And is the potential economic impact any greater than prior Framework programmes?
Peter Dröll, chef de cabinet for the EU’s research and science commissioner, would like togive a short outlook on the next policy projects andhear preliminary feedback from the Brussels R&D-funding community from the national research agencies, the Brussels liaison offices and project participants.
Science|Business, an independent R&D-investment news service, and the Brussels representation of the Helmholtz Gemeinschaft, one of Germany's leading research organisations, invite you to join in a live roundtable discussion and reception.
By invitation only.
New Perspectives in Intellectual Property
An open discussion of new ideas for reforming the IP system in
Europe
29 May 2008, 10.30 to 1.30 - EFTA Secretariat, Brussels - Rue Joseph II, 12-16 B-1000 Brussels
Supported by:
In autumn 2007, the French Senate at long last ratified the London Protocol, ending a requirement that every EU patent be translated into French. The development, in one stroke, ended a 30-year logjam in intellectual property reform in Europe and opened the door to even greater changes. This roundtable will air new suggestions for the future, to make the IP protection system in Europe more competitive on the world stage. Ideas under discussion:
Event size: max 30 participants
Location: Brussels
Participation fee: € 650 (€ 495 until 15 April)
- An insurance scheme for IP protection
- A two-speed Europe solution to IP reform
- A bigger role for arbitration
Get involved
New Perspectives in Fiscal Reform for Innovation
An open debate on new ideas to improve the tax climate for
R&D and investment in Europe
Brussels - September 2008
Smart tax policy is fundamental to fostering innovation in an economy. But the tax system in Europe is a patchwork of conflicting, counter-productive and constantly changing ideas. In addition, on an EU-wide level, the possibilities of coordination are legally limited by treaty. Nevertheless, there are many ways to move forward – either by encouraging the spread of best practice from one EU member-state to another, or from creative use of existing treaty powers by the European Commission. This roundtable will explore some of the newest fiscal ideas in innovation policy - ideas that could, if implemented, make a material difference in how hard it is to start or maintain a tech company in Europe, or for a multinational to pursue effective R&D.
Event size: max 30 participants
Location: Brussels
Participation fee: €500
Get involved
The Science|Business Summit
New ideas to bridge the gap between academia and industry in Europe
How to design incentives for innovation. During this
conference, the ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARD 2008 ceremony will take place
Brussels - December 2008
Great ideas come from Europe - but a great deal money is made from them elsewhere. That's the story of the MP3 format, the World Wide Web, the memory chips inside the Apple iPod, and many other fixtures of our modern society - and collectively, the problem is often called "the European Paradox". This high-level conference will discuss and set a road map for resolving the paradox - through new policies for IP, SME, university governance and taxation. It will also provide an opportunity for investors to meet Europe's hottest new spinout companies. Among the conference highlights:
- The University Enterprise Awards 2008 - recognising the men and women who have done the most to break the old moulds for industry/academic relations.
- High-Growth Entrepreneurs - The Way Ahead. A special report, based on work of the Science|Business Innovation Board, on what Europe needs to do to create its own high-growth start-ups
- A pan-European AIM to ease financing
Event size: max 250 participants
Location: Brussels
Participation fee: €1,200
Get involved
