Dear Academicians,
The European Commission invites the European Academy of Sciences to participate to the workshop: “The Future and Emerging Technologies unit (FET Flagship)” (Brussels, April 29th, 2014).
Professor Charles Joachain, Head of Physics Division and Prof. Peter Zoller, member of the Physics Scientific Committee took the initiative to mandate Prof. Tommaso Calarco to represent the Academy to this workshop. Indeed, Prof. Tommaso Calarco is one of the best experts in the field.
We asked to Prof. Calarco to describe the stakes of this workshop.
“The Future and Emerging Technologies unit (FET) of the European Commission has launched at the end of 2013 two FET Flagship initiatives, the “Human Brain Project” (HBP) and Graphene. FET Flagships represent a new model for research and innovation in Europe: they are large scale, long term, science-driven and roadmap-based initiatives that are supposed to have the potential to bring transformational impact on science and technology, as well on economy and society at large. The EC is now undertaking a consultation in preparation for a policy working paper on the FET Flagships model for European Research and Innovation, whose purpose will be to:
- Present what FET Flagships are about and what are the lessons learnt so far
- Provide their implementation model in Horizon 2020 and the key issues for their success
- Describe how can industry and society benefit from such initiatives
- Strengthen the support for the FET Flagship concept among all relevant stakeholders, including the Member States, so that National and European research policies can be aligned.
- Serve as background for the preparation of potential future new flagship initiatives.
In this context, the EC has invited EURASC, among other key science and technology stakeholders, to a workshop on 29th April 2014 to gather feedback on the FET Flagship scheme, in view of its future evolution. This is a major opportunity for the scientific community to give direct input not only about topics to be considered for possible upcoming Flagships, but also – and perhaps most importantly – about the ways in which the FET Flagship program should be structured to better serve the needs of science and society, building on the lessons being learned throughout the initial stage of the program itself. The outcome of the workshop could bring about a significant improvement in this strategic funding scheme, and therefore EURASC has decided to delegate a representative to participate in the workshop.
I am very honored by being indicated as the EURASC representative, and I am fully aware of the need to do my best in order to be up to the task.”
Prof. Dr. Tommaso Calarco
Institute for Quantum Information
Universität Ulm
Germany