The first of the prestigious centres under the umbrella of the Cyprus Research and Educational Foundation/ Cyprus Institute could be founded as soon as the summer. The Cyprus Research Centre for Energy, the Environment and Water is expected to be located in the Limassol area and has already signed a co-operation agreement with the University of Cyprus.
The aim is to attract high quality international researchers from across the globe and to put Cyprus on the map in terms of research.
The Cyprus Research and Educational Foundation, founded in January 2004, is administered by a high-profile international committee of scientists and other prominent leaders in the scientific field.
Its aim is to create as many as seven research centres in Cyprus, focusing on different science, technology and economic fields.
These are 1) Energy, Environment and Water, (2) Biological Sciences and Human Health, (3) Economic Development and Conflict Resolution, (4) Technology in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, (5) Information, Communication and Computation, (6) Technology Management and Finance, (7) Computation-based Science and Technology.
In an interview with the Financial Mirror, the Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, José Mariano Gago, who chairs the scientific committee of the Cyprus Institute, explained the next steps for the Cyprus Institute.
Finalising location is important
“First, very quickly the creation of the research centre for managing energy, environment and water. In the next few months the research centre will be practically established and a Director will be appointed, chosen by international competition,” he said.
One of the prominent members of the board of trustees of the Cyprus Institute (the body created by the CREF) is Ernest Moniz, a Professor at MIT and former Under-secretary of State of Energy under President Bill Clinton.
“He is one of the best persons in the world that there is and has been very active in building this centre,” said Gago.
The energy, environment and water research centre is expected to attracted post-doctoral researchers.
Funding is expected to come from government, research grants and the sales of research services to the private sector.
Gago said that the research centre will be the Cyprus Institute’s first centre and that it could have huge impact.
“The area of energy, envrionment and water is an area of enormous economic impact. A large number of companies operate in that area and I hope these companies in this large region of the Mediterranean will want to influence the centre and to ask the centre to research for them.”
However, he added that it was “essential” that governments also supports research centres when they are established.
Location must be finalised
Although Gago would not be drawn on the row between the government and the Mayor of Limassol over where the research centre or the related technology park will be located, he was keen that the location be finalised soon.
“It’s absolutely crucial that the institute is practically established this year if possible before summer,” he said.
“You cannot hire international staff and attract good experts to come if you don’t solve these problems beforehand.”
Combining higher education and science
As well as attending meetings on the foundation of the energy, environment and water research centre, Gago also gave the first of the Research and Educational Foundation’s Hubert Curien lectures on Friday.
Hubert Curien, a prominent French scientist who passed away last year, was heavily involved in the creation of the Cyprus Institute.
Portugal is just one of many European countries which has decided to combine the ministry of science and technology with higher education. “If you are in a period where your policy is the reform of higher education, then it is good to combine higher education with science and technology because you are able to reinforce the research basis of higher education,” said Gago.
“You can connect higher education more easily with the outside world — with the economy with employers, with research itself.”
“Nowadays in Europe as the Bologna process — the reform of higher education institutions in progress from now until 2010 — almost all European countries have policies for reforming the higher education sector.”
S&T needs to be comprehensive
Asked how Portugal is tackling the Lisbon Agenda — doing its part to turn the EU into the world’s most competitive economy by 2010 — Gago said that what was needed was a comprehensive policy.
“Science and technology policy must be a comprehensive policy, starting with human resources and attracting young people to study science and technology and ending with incorporating new ideas and interesing results into innovation and production.”
“Our policy is much in line with the Lisbon agenda itself. First, it’s part of the science policy to strengthen the constituency of science, to raise the awareness of the importance of science in the general public and in families so that there is general positive support for studying science and technology.”
This means creating science centres throughout the country, networking scientists and research organisations with the schools.
Scientists also run awareness programmes, for example for astronomy during the summer.
Other incentives include promotion of collaboraion between companies and research institutes, a very generous tax break for investment in research, and government funding for small and micro companies to invest in IT and equipment.
The government also invests a great deal in “information society”, ensuring not only that schools are connected but also helping to fund IT systems for small and micro companies.
Internationalisation is key
Gago said that Portugal, as a comparatively small country with a population of 10 million, has placed a great deal of emphasis on internationalisation of research.
All funding for post-doctoral research is open to international competition, for example.
“The need for internationalisation and proper evaluation is critical,” he said.
This includes ensuring international evaluation of research done in Portugal, as well as an open immigration policy for researchers “from anywhere in the world.”
Fiona Mullen
