Implementing CIPRE

Until recently, Al Teich said, the role of R&D systems in economic recovery was poorly understood in Eastern and Central Europe.

"Science, technology, and innovation have either been regarded as relatively unimportant aspects of the transition process or have been left to take care of themselves," said Teich, CIPRE co-director.

He noted that he and his colleague and CIPRE co-director, Annamaria Inzelt, face daunting challenges in their efforts to change prevalent attitudes toward R&D, but added that without support for science and technology, long-term economic growth will continue to elude the nations of the region.

The CIPRE website states that it will take the following actions to accomplish its goals:

CIPRE is undertaking a coordinated program of training and research, including mid-career seminars for industrial and government executives, policy fellowships for young scientists and engineers, graduate programs for educating S&T policymakers, and studies of policy issues of special importance to the Central and Eastern European nations. The aim of all these activities is to develop and strengthen the innovative capacities of Central and Eastern European countries in order to enhance their international competitiveness and economic performance. In addition, CIPRE serves as a forum for collaboration with countries outside the region dealing with similar problems.

The website (www.cipre.org) notes that the organization was set up to serve the following purposes:

• To provide a setting where researchers and policy makers from the nations of Central and Eastern Europe can pool their resources, expertise, and knowledge to advance the state of science, technology and innovation policy in this region.
• To serve as a mechanism through which scholars and practitioners from the European Union, North America, Japan, and other industrial nations can share their expertise with colleagues and students from the CEE nations.
• To serve as a means of disseminating the latest and most advanced ideas and methods in S&T and innovation policy throughout the nations of Central and Eastern Europe.
• To help researchers and experts in the CEE nations overcome their isolation and reach the critical mass necessary to offer a high quality training program for mid-career people as well as graduate education at the Master's and PhD levels.

More information about the program is available on the CIPRE website, www.cipre.org.

—Kathy Wren

31 July 2002

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