the role of engineering schools in fostering european competitiveness

The role of engineering schools in fostering European competitiveness

Riccardo Pietrabissa, Politecnico di Milano

19th Seminar

Riccardo Pietrabissa © - CESAER Seminar 13|11|08

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The role of the universities in the Europe of knowledge

1. how to achieve adequate and sustainable incomes for universities, and to ensure that funds are spent most efficiently;

2. how to ensure autonomy and professionalism in academic as well as managerial affairs;

3. how to concentrate enough resources on excellence, and create the conditions within which universities can attain and develop excellence;

4. how to make universities contribute better to local and regional needs and strategies;

5. how to establish closer co-operation between universities and enterprises to ensure better dissemination and exploitation of new knowledge in the economy and society at

large

6. how to foster, through all of these areas, the coherent, compatible and competitive European higher education area called for by the Bologna Declaration, as well as the European research area set out as an objective for the Union by the Lisbon European Council, in March 2000.

The European university world is not trouble-free, and the European universities are not at present globally competitive with those of our major partners, even though they produce high quality scientific publications. The Communication notes a number of areas within which reflection, and often also action, is needed, and raises a series of questions such as:

Communication from the commission (2003)


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The new challenges facing European universities

To develop effective and close co-operation between universities and industry

Co-operation between universities and industry needs to be intensified at national and regional level, as well as geared more effectively towards innovation, the start-up of new companies and, more generally, the transfer and dissemination of knowledge. From a competitiveness perspective it is vital that knowledge flows from universities into business and society. The two main mechanisms through which the knowledge and expertise possessed and developed by universities can flow directly to industry are the licensing of university intellectual property, and spin-off and start-up companies .

Communication from the commission (2003)

The role of the universities in the Europe of knowledge


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Europe is one of the industrial economy of the world.

The challenge of the next decades is to be able to maintain a role for Europe as a world-leading economy.

Some questions arise: are the engineering schools able to define their role for this challenge? are the governments able to give the engineering schools the tools to play

their role? are the other actors (enterprises e financial bodies) conscious of the role of

the engineering school in the European future?

The answer to these and other possible questions may be found in the responsible partnership of different actors.

Considerations


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Research & DevelopmentDevelopmentS&T Research

ScientificResearch

TechnologicalResearch

A possible viewpoint


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DevelopmentScientificResearch


University IndustryUniversity + Industry



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DevelopmentScientificResearch


University IndustryUniversity + Industry

knowledge exploitationtransfer

science productiontechnologyphysics

chemistry

biology

mathengineering market


engineering schools in the Universities have acentral role for the KT from research to market


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Which are the tools to link R & D?



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Prof. Alfio Quarteroni, Politecnico di Milano & EPFLThe role of science in the technological trends

Prof. Bart De Moor, K.U.Leuven, Department of Electrical EngineeringThe technological drivers

Prof. Paul Zagamé, Ecole Central Paris, ERASME Research Group R&D in the European Strategy, the case of the 3% effort of

Barcelona

Prof. Giovanni Colombo, Member of the EIT Governing BoardEurope and the technological challenge

Prof. Michel Bernasconi, Director CERAM Engineers as entrepreneurs: strengths and weaknesses

Ms. Josefine Åhl, Oricane ABFrom research to market: the role of the engineer

Prof. Augusti Sarti, Politecnico di Milano, Department of ElectronicsPromoting spin-off companies from engineering

Prof. Adriano De Maio, Former Rector, Politecnico di Milano Territorial competitiveness: the role of technical universities

Chair: Prof. Francesco Profumo, Rector Politecnico di TorinoRound table discussion

Prof. Riccardo Pietrabissa, Politecnico di MilanoConclusion: the European strategy and responsible partnership

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The seminar agenda

the role of engineering schools in fostering european competitiveness

Documents