“Imagine, Create, Innovate” is the EU Commission’s motto for its initiative to name 2009 as the year of innovations and new ideas. The initiative’s goal is to foster and support innovative and ground-breaking ways at all levels of society to better prepare the European Union to met the challenges of a world that is becoming more networked and globalized.
The European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009 (EYCI 2009) will unfold with a number of debates to assess current trends, exchange ideas, discuss opportunities, and most importantly, emphasize creative and innovative ideas and their implementation.
The EU Commission along with the European Policy Center (EPC) will host six series of debates called the “Brussels Debates” throughout 2009. The European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, Ján Figel, opens the first debate on Feb. 16 at the Residence Palace in Brussels. The debate is titled “Boosting Europe’s Knowledge Economy.”
The debate will center on advancing creativity and innovation to supplement Europe’s rich and diverse cultures in order to foster economic development. The old continent hopes to stay afloat during the current economic crisis and future turbulent times by leveraging its rich diversity with innovation.
Speakers at this forum include: Martin Schuurmans, Chairman of the Governing Board of the European Institute for Innovation and Technology; Bengt-Åke Lundvall, Professor at the Department of Business Studies, Aalborg University in Denmark; Jan Muehlfeit, Chairman of Microsoft Corporation in Europe; Maria João Rodrigues, Professor of Economics at the University of Lisbon; and Hans Martens, Chief Executive of European Policy Center.
The successive debates will move onto topics such as sustainable development, education, cultural diversity, the public sector, and creative arts and industries.
Some EU country members have already taken the initiative to advance the EU’s goals. Last week, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation launched a nationwide program to encourage culture of science and innovation funded by 13 million Euros. Part of the money will also go to the EYCI 2009 initiative.
The EU believes that investing in innovation and technological advances is the key factor to economic upturn. According to European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering, the EU would add additional funds into the 2013-2021 budget for scientific research to support the development of innovative ways to outrun economic turn downs.
According to “Europa”, the official website of EYCI 2009, the EU Commissioner for Science, Research and Technology, Janez Potonik, said that “Investment is vital if Europe wants to emerge stronger from the economic crisis and if it wants to address the challenges of climate change and globalization.”
The European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009 (EYCI 2009) will unfold with a number of debates to assess current trends, exchange ideas, discuss opportunities, and most importantly, emphasize creative and innovative ideas and their implementation.
The EU Commission along with the European Policy Center (EPC) will host six series of debates called the “Brussels Debates” throughout 2009. The European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, Ján Figel, opens the first debate on Feb. 16 at the Residence Palace in Brussels. The debate is titled “Boosting Europe’s Knowledge Economy.”
The debate will center on advancing creativity and innovation to supplement Europe’s rich and diverse cultures in order to foster economic development. The old continent hopes to stay afloat during the current economic crisis and future turbulent times by leveraging its rich diversity with innovation.
Speakers at this forum include: Martin Schuurmans, Chairman of the Governing Board of the European Institute for Innovation and Technology; Bengt-Åke Lundvall, Professor at the Department of Business Studies, Aalborg University in Denmark; Jan Muehlfeit, Chairman of Microsoft Corporation in Europe; Maria João Rodrigues, Professor of Economics at the University of Lisbon; and Hans Martens, Chief Executive of European Policy Center.
The successive debates will move onto topics such as sustainable development, education, cultural diversity, the public sector, and creative arts and industries.
Some EU country members have already taken the initiative to advance the EU’s goals. Last week, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation launched a nationwide program to encourage culture of science and innovation funded by 13 million Euros. Part of the money will also go to the EYCI 2009 initiative.
The EU believes that investing in innovation and technological advances is the key factor to economic upturn. According to European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering, the EU would add additional funds into the 2013-2021 budget for scientific research to support the development of innovative ways to outrun economic turn downs.
According to “Europa”, the official website of EYCI 2009, the EU Commissioner for Science, Research and Technology, Janez Potonik, said that “Investment is vital if Europe wants to emerge stronger from the economic crisis and if it wants to address the challenges of climate change and globalization.”
