Share knowledge to survive, says new report

The report, "The Atlas of Ideas", is the outcome of an 18-month study. It charts the rise of innovation in China, India and South Korea, and sets out four key recommendations on how the EU could best respond to the challenges posed by these countries.

"We make the case that it is those who are good at sharing, not protecting knowledge who will do well," said James Wilsdon, one of the authors of the report, at the Atlas' launch in Brussels.

According to Simon O'Connor of The Centre, however, Europe needs to act now while Asia's innovation capacity is still developing. "In 10 years it will be too late," he warned.

The report's first recommendation for the EU is to "unleash mass collaboration". The report notes that with its increased funding levels and greater emphasis on international collaboration, the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) is a step in the right direction. The challenge now is to ensure that R&D is given an even higher priority under the EU's long term budget plans.

"The aim should be to double the share of the budget devoted to 'competitiveness for growth and employment' - and within that, to ensure that funding for FP8, which will run from 2014 to 2020, exceeds €100 billion," the authors write.

Furthermore, within the Eighth Framework Programme, international cooperation should be given a higher priority. Meanwhile, the effectiveness of the new international cooperation mechanisms introduced under FP7 should be reviewed in 2010. This will allow time for lessons learned to be incorporated into the next framework programme.

The second recommendation for the EU is to become a "magnet for talent". "Flows of scientists and entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of global innovation networks," reads the report. The first step for the EU is to carry out research into international talent flows in the EU Member States and the relationship between migration and innovation.

Improving the participation of Asian researchers in the EU's Marie Curie mobility programmes is one way in which the EU could attract talent to its shores. Currently Asian participation in the programmes is pitifully low. At the same time, the EU needs to send more of its scientists to Asia; currently almost all Marie Curie fellows going to third countries choose the US, Canada or Australia as their destination.

The third recommendation is to "build the knowledge banks". "New developments could happen at any time and the EU needs to be ready," commented Simon O'Connor. This means creating and strengthening links with the scientific and research communities of third countries. Currently, the Commission's representations in China and India have just one science counsellor each, yet many Member States have sizeable teams of science counsellors and advisors in these countries.

"Does this balance serve Europe's long-term interest?" asks the report. "Or does it encourage third countries to play off individual EU states against one another, and against larger partners such as the US?"

The final recommendation is to "lead global science towards global goals". The nuclear fusion project ITER and satellite navigation system Galileo are good examples of projects which pool global knowledge to solve global challenges. Other areas identified by the report which could benefit from this approach include low-carbon energy, sustainable transport and the prevention of pandemic diseases.

Mary Minch, Director of International Cooperation at the European Commission's Research Directorate General, welcomed the report, pointing out that the question of how to boost cooperation globally is a key part of the recently published Green Paper on the European Research Area.

"International cooperation will be an important part of the debate," she said.

For further information, please visit:
http://www.atlasofideas.org

International cooperation under FP7:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/capacities/international-cooperation_en.html