40% increase to EU R&D budget
Last week, the European Parliament and the Austrian Presidency reached a compromise on the financial perspective of FP7 (that is the framework programme for the period 2007-2013).
Here are some figures I found at http://www.euractiv.com/
- 2007: 5.170
- 2008: 5.552
- 2009: 6.028
- 2010: 6.644
- 2011: 7.426
- 2012: 8.110
- 2013: 8.851
- Total 47.781 million euro
In 2006, the R&D budget of the EU was 5.044 million euro, so this is a substantial increase until 2013.
What I would like to express here: I believe in R&D-based based innovation (combined with excellent marketing) to be a good strategy for Europe overall and Austria/Salzburg in particular to remain competitive. Therefore, realising the European Research Area and trying to achieve the 3 per cent investment in research by 2010 (as outlined in the Barcelona council) is a good indicator and therefore we also need European, high quality framework programme(s) – and the respective funding.
I also believe – and I know from personal experience – that requiring researchers who acquire and implement the necessary research work is extremely difficult. For instance, an article at science.orf.at refers to a study that argues that 800 graduates of technical faculties are missing every year (in Austria) to achieve the 3 per cent investment in research by 2010 (To give an indication of that size: Salzburg Research is about 65 employees, Joanneum Research, the second largest non-University research organisation in Austria is about 380 employees).
So, here is my personal list of what makes a researcher and looking at the entries, I think it is obvious that achieving all (or most of) these criteria is difficult:
- Have publications (relevant ones, good ones)
- Participate in conferences, workshops, etc. (not just by being present but by presenting your paper)
- Organise conferences, workshops, etc. (contribution to the community, visibility, being recognised by the community)
- Be part of editorial boards, programme committees, etc.
- Know your peers
- Know the journals and communities that you are working in
- Supervise diploma and PhD theses
- Teaching/Lecturing
- Be abroad/sabbatical
- Acquire (and run!) research projects, e.g. from the national science foundation, or also industry
And of course, curiosity, creativity and other skills are at least helpful. See Brian Lin’s Report (University of British Columbia).
Add comment April 27th, 2006
