Strengthening the Strategic Cooperation
between the EU and Western Balkan Region
in the field of ICT Research
Key Barriers & Challenges in ICT Research: Regional and EU context
Soumi Papadopoulou, PLANET & René Wintjes, MERIT
Conference “Towards an Information Society for the Western Balkans”, Belgrade, 11-12 December 2008
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Barriers and challenges to ICT research
● The Regional context
● The EU context
● The EU FP7 context
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The Regional Context
● Research capabilities in the Western Balkan region have been severely affected by the rapid political changes and transformation from state run to market economies
● What are the barriers faced by Western Balkan research institutions in their R&D activities and their efforts to participate in EU Framework Programme projects?
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Institutional barriers to ICT research
● Lack of defined government policies for ICT research
● Weak communication channels between policy makers and researchers
● Insufficient encouragement policies for the collaboration between business and academic communities for ICT research
● Difficulties with researchers’ mobility exchange (i.e. visa, residence permits, work permits etc.)
● Political instability in the countries/region hinders cooperation within the region and with the EU
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Financial barriers to ICT research
● Low level of national funds for ICT research (significantly lower than EU average)
● Absence of defined financial support policy for participating in FP projects
● Lack of investments from the business sector in R&D
● Lack of financial incentives for collaboration between universities and businesses
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Education related barriers to ICT research
● Low motivation for students who could be involved in FP projects.
● Lack of willingness by academic leadership to engage in FP projects
● Lack of specialized ICT professors
● Education system not in line with needs of ICT industry
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Human resource barriers to ICT research
● Skilled ICT researchers leaving the country (brain drain).
● Weak local and regional organised ICT research networks
● Lack of professionals able to provide assistance on FP proposal writing and project management
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ICT business sector related barriers
● Limited ICT research in the business community / private sector.
● Insufficient collaboration between the ICT industry and universities.
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Infrastructure barriers to ICT research
● Insufficient ICT research infrastructure, both o basic infrastructures: e.g. broadband coverage across
country
o More specialised infrastructures:● business incubators, innovation centres, centres of excellence
etc.
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Cultural & other barriers to ICT research
● Lack of familiarity with FP and other funding programs.
● ICT R&D projects, after being completed, disappear without producing a real impact.
● Low appreciation of international cooperation in R&D (resulting in low levels or EU-regional and intra-regional R&D collaboration).
● Low international reputation of the “scientific image” of countries.
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The EU context: characteristics of ICT, trends
● Pervasive, general purpose technology (ICT research and innovations are important to all sectors);
● High degree of globalisation;
● Most innovative EU sector;
● Very short product life-cycles;
● shift from manufacturing towards ICT software and services;
● Importance of networking, clustering;
● Growing importance of innovative SMEs
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EU context: National drivers of ICT innovation
R&D activities
Skills
Small Average firm size
Inter-national
orientation
Venture capital
Testing independency National ICT sector innovation performance
Innovation performance - Levels
*** *** ** ** ***
Innovation performance - Growth
** ** ***
ICT Innovation performance based on: export, patents, factor productivity
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EU context: barriers to ICT research & innovation
● Lack of high-educated human resources;
● Regulatory incoherence, lack of European integration, fragmented ERA;
● Financing research and innovation
● Poor valorisation of research, insufficient commercialisation of results
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EU context: drivers and barriers at firm level
Drivers for innovation Barriers to innovation
Internal
1- management /leadership 2- in-house R&D 3- special knowledge 4- capacity for building partnerships
1- resources for testing new ideas 2- organisational structures 3- IP management
External
1- customer involvement in R&D 2- international partnerships with firms 3- cooperation with research institutes
1- appropriate regulation at EU level 2- access to top-HR 3- Innovation culture for ICT in EU
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EU context: 4 future ICT trajectories (EU ICT Task Force)
● 1) Networked, Mobile, and Scalable;
● 2) Embedded and Invisible;
● 3) Intelligent and Personalised;
● 4) Content-rich, Interactive and Experiential.
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EU context: challenges for research policy
● To increase ICT research in Europe in view of the gap vis-à-vis other parts of the world.
● To reduce fragmentation of public funded research and to promote co-operation and coordination in order to increase focus and critical mass.
● To develop the ERA; promote mobility of researchers, more excellence in universities, grants for research co-operation, improvement of the linkages between Science and Industry
● To develop more effective systems for technology transfer, research exploitation and valorisation.
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EU context: challenges in systemic policy making
● Systemic forms of governance are most relevant policy tools to promote ICT research & innovation.
● Good practice policy formats are: o cluster policies, technology platforms, thematic collaborative
research programmes, Lead Market Initiatives, Joint Technology Initiatives, etc.
● Such systemic tools facilitate: o demand-driven co-operation,
o open innovation;
o alignment of strategic research agendas;
o thematic focus to research;
o and interaction between ICT producers and users.
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The FP7 context: Challenges to EU-WB collaboration
Key findings from SCORE project consultations with over 320 ICT stakeholders in Albania, BiH, FYR of Macedonia and Serbia:
● Although a number of support actions have been completed in the region, there is still a need for support to organizations with regards to understanding the FP programme and procedures.
● Need for stricter evaluation and review procedures with regards to the sustainability and impact of ICT R&D projects (both at the proposal and project implementation phases).
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The FP7 context: Challenges to EU-WB collaboration (cont’d)
● Need for targeted FP calls in the Region: In previous FP6 calls, targeted objectives for the region enabled Western Balkan organisations to participate more successfully. The same approach should be retained in future FP calls.
● Need for research & development in ICT application areas such as eGovernment, eBusiness and eLearning which are key common priorities for the region.
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Discussion: your views
● What other barriers should be included?
● What are the 3 top barriers to EU-WB research collaboration?
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Thank you
● For further information:o René Wintjes ([email protected])
o Soumi Papadopoulou ([email protected])