The events of recent years have shown us that the world is rapidly changing. Existing military alliances are being questioned, trade agreements are being redefined,
geopolitical conflicts are taking on an supranational dimension through a shift in the international balance of power. Moreover, we see that climate change is becoming
more and more evident. The current world order, which resulted from the outcome of World War II, is no longer a certainty. Such changes can be seen as part of historical
cycles in which people faced with changed societal and climatic challenges seek alternative responses. Since research, technology and innovation policy has had a strong
international dimension in recent decades, with all actors strongly believing that international cooperation is a necessary condition for success, international events
will inevitably impact the way we approach research and innovation in the coming decades. While this does not have to lead to a definitive break with the past, we note
that countries are becoming increasingly aware of their dependence on other countries in terms of supply chains, critical materials and high-tech products.
To reflect on the future impact of recent events and how to adapt research and innovation policies accordingly, BELSPO's department MERI invites you to a conference on
Monday morning, October 6, at the WTCIII building (near the North Station in Brussels). The preliminary program can be found below.
To ensure you have a seat in the room and for ordering sandwiches, please register using the form.
| 8:30-9:00: | opening doors |
| 9:00-9:15: | introduction by the president of BELSPO, Arnaud Vajda |
| 9:15-10:00: | keynote presentation by Koen Schoors, Professor of Economics at Ghent University |
| 10:00-10:30 | presentation EU commission: new policies in a changing world |
| 10:30-11:00 | coffee break |
| 11:00-11:30 | presentation EU commission : how to position Europe in a changed power balance |
| 11:30-12:00 | presentation MERI: what can we learn from the past |
| 12:00-13:30 | networking event with sandwich lunch |
On April 25th, 2024 MERI - a Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO) department – is organizing a conference in the framework of Belgian’s Presidency of the European Council. This event will take place at the Museum of Art and History, located in the Cinquantenaire Park (www.kmkg-mrah.be/en).
In recent years, R&D and innovation have become key elements in shaping policies to meet future challenges. Two elements are central to this policy debate: sustainability and the societal impact of new technologies. Developing new indicators will be essential to help countries shape their science and innovation policies in relation to these two elements. This April conference will bring together a diverse group of experts who will seek to provide answers to the challenges ahead and the monitoring mechanisms needed.
The conference agenda is available below.
If you would like to register, please complete the form below. Due to the capacity of the conference room, seating is limited to 200 people. Registrations will be processed on a first come first served basis. If you are unable to attend after registering, please deactivate your registration using the link in the automatic confirmation e-mail you will receive after your registration. This will allow us to release unused places to others.
| introduction (9:00 - 9:30) |
Thomas Dermine - State Secretary for Economic Recovery and Strategic Investments, in charge of Science Policy Arnaud Vajda - President BELSPO (Belgian Science Policy Office) summary Karl Boosten - Head of MERI-BELSPO presentation |
| keynote speaker (9:30 - 10:15) |
Luc Soete - Professor emeritus Maastricht University and Brussels School of Governance, Free University of Brussels Science, technology and innovation in a new geopolitical landscape: a wake-up call for Europe presentation summary |
| coffee break (10:15 - 10:30) |
|
| thematic session 1: sustainability (SDGs, biodiversity, ...) (10:30 - 12:30) |
Johan Albrecht - Professor Environmental Economics - Ghent University Radical innovation and energy system inertia; can the mission economy solve the climate puzzle? presentation summary Julie Callaert - Senior Research Expert - ECOOM / KU Leuven Technologies for circularity: Challenges in mapping and monitoring presentation summary Alain Henry – Expert Sustainable Development - Federal Planning Bureau Sustainable development indicators for Belgium. presentation summary Peter Benczur - Scientific Officer - Directorate for Fair and Sustainable Economy - Joint Research Centre of the European Commission Beyond GDP, sustainable wellbeing and resilience. presentation summary |
| lunch break (12:30 - 13:30) | |
| thematic session 2: societal impact (labour market, skills, ...) (13:30 - 15:30) |
Kris Boudt - Professor of Econometrics - Ghent University and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) Attention to SDGs in EU funded research since 1983. presentation summary Bernhard Dachs - Senior Scientist, Innovation & Industrial Dynamics - Austrian Institute of Technology Some thoughts on the societal impact of Multinational firms presentation summary Zsófia Bárány - Professor of Economics - Central European University The implications of AI for employment and inequality presentation summary Elfie Baillien - Full Professor psychosocial risks and digital well-being, Research group Work and Organization Studies, KU Leuven Stumbling over wireless internet – towards digital well-being for employees. presentation summary |
coffee break (15:30 - 15:45) |
general session: policy implications (15:45 - 17:30) |
Alexandr Hobza - Chief Economist DG Research and innovation - European Commission Research and innovation policies in the EU: where we stand and where we go presentation Reinhilde Veugelers - Professor of Economics - KU Leuven and Senior Fellow at Bruegel and PIIE An EU Innovation Policy fit for purpose? presentation summary Michele Cincera - Professor of Economics - Science and Technology, Digital economics, Applied Econometrics and Data Analytics - Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) Innovation and sustainability : Rethinking economic policies for the future. presentation summary Walter Ysebaert - Associate Professor, Co-Promotor ECOOM VUB and Head of the VUB Data Office (Strategy & Policy Department), VUB (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) Between ideals and realities: challenges in creating societal impact metrics. presentation summary |
drink and networking (17:30) |
