| Courting the masterminds – the European Union’s efforts to attract researchers |
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bridges vol. 15, Sept 2007 / Letter from Brussels by Martin Schmid The recent publication of the 2006 Implementation Report of the European Commission on measures in the field of human resources in science and technology prompted the Letter from Brussels to take a quick look at the history and recent developments in this field in Europe. It is undisputed that sustainable economic growth in the post-industrial age can only be achieved by massive investment in science and technology (S&T). Consequently, we observe increased investment in S&T almost everywhere in the world. But evidently success can not be achieved simply by increasing investment. Structural and other complementary measures are also necessary. And of course one has to consider the most important prerequisite for successful R&D: the availability of a sufficient number of highly qualified researchers. The most obvious way to answer this need would be to educate more researchers. While this is undoubtedly one of the most important tasks, it is not enough. Since R&D expenditure is growing all over the world, we see competition among the large economies for highly qualified researchers. Good researchers are seeking the best environment for their work. A major task, therefore, is to create an attractive environment in terms of R&D – both to keep European researchers from going abroad permanently and to attract excellent researchers from outside. Access to the full article is free, but requires you to register. Registration is simple and quick – all we need is your name and a valid e-mail address. We appreciate your interest in bridges. |
