Impact of EU innovation
In a position paper initiated by Neth-ER they point out its vision that “enhancing investments in knowledge and innovation by funding education and research at both national and European level is essential. These investments should be made throughout the entire knowledge chain of education, skills, and fundamental and applied research.”
“The effectiveness of knowledge and innovation lies in its impact. This impact should be visible at global and European scale, but it is even more important that it is tangible in the regions and for its citizens.”
Societal impact and added value
Last Monday this paper was offcially presented to the new Commissioners in the Juncker Team responsible for education and R&D, Tibor Navracsics and Carlos Moedas. The main thrust of the Dutch document is that “Innovation – through research, education and industry – creates growth, jobs and solutions to societal challenges. Europe is increasingly facing a number of major societal challenges, which need to be addressed jointly, with research institutions, businesses and government working closely together. It is important that one invests in the entire research chain, fundamental as well as applied research, as the complementarity within the chain is so important for innovation to thrive.”
The effectiveness of EU policy should be found “in the form of new products or services. Only in this way it can be underlined the legitimacy of publically funded activities and European cooperation in the knowledge sector and prove its added value to (European) society,” Neth-ER writes.
“And exactly for this reason, the members of Neth-ER put several aspects of ‘societal impact’ at the core of their joint multiannual priorities. These aspects are Digital Access to Knowledge, Smart Impact and Innovative Skills.”
