Commission spells out plans for European Institute of Technology

Citation

(2006), "Commission spells out plans for European Institute of Technology", Education + Training, Vol. 48 No. 8/9. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2006.00448hab.010

Commission spells out plans for European Institute of Technology

Knowledge communities in such interdisciplinary fields as green energy and nano-technology are at the heart of plans for a European Institute of Technology (EIT), spelled out by the European Commission following wide-ranging consultation. Responding to the request made by the EU heads of state and government, the Commission has both clarified its proposals on the EIT and identified issues that must be tackled next. The EIT governing board would be responsible for identifying strategic scientific challenges and, on a competitive basis, selecting and supporting knowledge communities to carry out the tasks related to research, education and innovation in these areas. The knowledge communities would be integrated partnerships, consisting of teams put together by universities, research organizations and industry.

The Commission recommends that a wide range of staffing options be available for the EIT – including direct employment, secondment, dual affiliation and sabbaticals. Maximum flexibility should be given to the knowledge communities with regard to their own organizational structure. The EIT must have a strong identity and be able to pool and integrate existing teams from universities and research institutes across Europe. The institute must be a truly autonomous organization, able to set its own strategic agenda. The Commission believes that participants in EIT projects will stand to gain from increased visibility, greater research and development capacity, better financial incentives, and reduced costs of risk-taking.

European Commission president José-Manuel Barroso said: “The EIT is part of the Commission’s strategy to create a thriving and dynamic environment for research, education and innovation. We need a close connection between these three areas of the knowledge triangle. The EIT will be more than simply an operator in education, research and innovation; it will be a reference model for excellence at the European level. I would like to see the institute become a European symbol for our renewed effort towards creating a competitive knowledge society, delivering more and better jobs and prosperity.”

Ján Figel, European Commissioner for Education and Training, said: “As a flagship of excellence, the institute will be able to attract the best students and researchers world-wide, thereby consolidating Europe’s position as a global actor in education and research. Businesses will be core partners at the institute’s strategic and operational levels. Companies will be directly involved in research and education activities, thereby helping to nurture an entrepreneurial mindset among graduates and researchers. This is vital if Europe is to achieve its goal of being a dynamic, knowledge-based economy.”