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Research and Technology - The Priorities of the Ministry of Development (February 2002)

1. Increasing the demand for new knowledge and research results in Greece

For both business and the public sector (central and local services, organisations), in practice, this translates into the following activities:

  • Increasing investment in knowledge-intensive sectors in Greece, and re-orientating of productive forces towards high added value products and services that require the support of research and technology (including defence systems)
  • Creating new business activities through mainly young, highly educated entrepreneurs to exploit knowledge and research results
  • Attracting business activities from abroad, exploiting the new knowledge and producing high added value products and services
  • Increasing the employment of research personnel in businesses
  • Improving the collaboration of public research organisations with businesses and manufacturing organisations in general: collaboration may be on the basis of long-term agreements for programmes providing services and knowledge-intensive products or on the basis of specific projects, where the results of which would be of interest to business
  • Understanding the general public of scientific and technological developments and their impact on everyday life - projecting of positive models of science and technology

2. Reorganisation of the research system and provision of knowledge in Greece

  • Reorientation of priorities of those research organisations under the wing of the General Secretariat for Research and Technology (GSRT) towards efforts on economic and social development: distinguish between the research mission of the GSRT bodies and the Higher Educational Institutions, and selecting goals in accordance with the medium and long-term needs of businesses and public bodies.
  • Strengthening academic research in universities to support the education process (Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs) and the training of young researchers
  • Increasing the "critical mass" of research units in supervised organisations through a restriction on the number of organisations, and centralising resources in the most appropriate of these
  • Improving the quality of research being carried out and ensuring "excellence" at a global level
  • Improving the management of the effectiveness of research organisations

3. "Freeing-up" the Greek research system and opening it further to the international field

  • Increasing collaboration of Greek research teams from public research foundations and businesses with sister organisations abroad
  • Ongoing qualitative improvement in the participation of Greek organisations in projects within the European Union Framework Programmes and opening up programmes of national importance to international collaboration
  • Increasing the participation of Greek teams and organisations in the activities of European and international scientific and technological bodies (ESA, ESF, etc.).

4. Development the technological infrastructure in the context of a policy for science and technology

  • Ongoing modernisation of electronic networks and procedures for access to networks and data bases, as well as the improvement of other material infrastructures (buildings, instruments, etc.)
  • Upgrading of the system for granting patents and other industrial property rights, adoption of Community Patents, facilitating access of researchers and the public to the information contained in international patents
  • Upgrading the standardisation certification validation system (General Secretariat for Industry/Ministry of Development)

5. Thematic/sector priorities for a policy on science and technology

  • Selection of sectors for public financing on criteria which combine Greek financial and social interests with the global perspectives for scientific and technological development. Those sectors chosen for financing by the 3rd Community Support Framework are: renewable energy sources; food and hydroculture; knowledge-intensive culture and tourism; sport; sea transport; health, biomedical,diagnostic and therapeutic methods; natural environment (atmospheric, sea, water dynamic, forest fires, recycling etc.); structured environment and earthquake protection; new forms of organisation for businesses; labour and training; e-learning; e-business.
  • Creation of stable organisational structures for technological forecast research activities (technology foresight) and selection of priorities through social consent.

6. Quantification of goals

The European Commission uses an important tool to mobilise the potential of the member states by publishing regular comparative statistical data and indices (about 20 indices of inflows - outflows) which include other countries (USA, Japan). In this way, each country can assess the effectiveness of its policies and take appropriate measures. The European Council has also adopted quantitative targets which show policy commitments for the coming years. The table below contains the targets expected to be adopted by the Barcelona Council Summit and the goals proposed by the GSRT for Greece.
Index Year EU mean Greece
Gross Domestic Expenditure on Research and Development in relation to GDP Today 1,9% 0,7%¹
2010 3,0% 1,5%
Business contribution to the Gross Domestic Expenditure on Research and Development Today 55% 25%¹
2010 65% 40%
1 1999 data
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