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Suggested Citation:"II PROCEEDINGS & Welcome." National Research Council. 2008. Innovative Flanders: Innovation Policies for the 21st Century: Report of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12092.
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Page 33
Suggested Citation:"II PROCEEDINGS & Welcome." National Research Council. 2008. Innovative Flanders: Innovation Policies for the 21st Century: Report of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12092.
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Page 34
Suggested Citation:"II PROCEEDINGS & Welcome." National Research Council. 2008. Innovative Flanders: Innovation Policies for the 21st Century: Report of a Symposium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12092.
×
Page 35

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II PROCEEDINGS

Welcome Peter Spyns Department of Economy, Science, and Innovation The Flemish Government Dr. Spyns welcomed Flemish and U.S. attendees to the symposium with an introduction to his department and to the Flemish government’s innovation system. He said that the objective of his department was to build up strategic intelligence in the area of innovation policy preparation. One approach to this task is to exchange information with government agencies abroad, he said, and he described the current international conference as “a very good way of realizing this information exchange.” He noted that innovation theorists today speak in terms of an innovation sys- tem, in which knowledge is distributed among all participants. This was another good reason for organizing a bilateral conference, because it facilitated the shar- ing and disseminating of knowledge. Because the invitees included people from academia, government, industry, agencies, and advisory bodies, he said that the effective sharing of knowledge was already assured. He gratefully acknowledged the conference host, the Interuniversity Micro- Electronics Centre (IMEC) in Leuven, which he described as “one of our best world-wide research centers. The fact that we have this conference here under- lines their success in achieving international excellence, and therefore this loca- tion is very appropriate for this conference.” He gave a brief overview of the symposium sessions to come, and invited Dr. Spencer to offer introductory remarks on behalf of the U.S. delegation. 35

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Recognizing that innovation is the key to international competitiveness in the 21st century, policymakers around the world are seeking more effective ways to translate scientific and technological knowledge into new products, processes, and businesses. They have initiated major programs, often with substantial funding, that are designed to attract, nurture, and support innovation and high-technology industries within their national economies.

To help U.S. policymakers become more aware of these developments, a committee of the National Academies' Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy undertook a review of the goals, concept, structure, operation, funding levels, and evaluation efforts of significant innovation programs around the world. As a part of this effort, the committee identified Flanders, a region of Belgium with substantial autonomy, which is recognized for its comprehensive approach to innovation. Based on initial meetings in Washington and Brussels, and with the endorsement of Flanders Vice Minister-President Fientje Moerman, it was agreed to organize a conference that would review regional innovation policies in the context of the policies and programs of the Flanders government, and their interaction with those of the European Union. This book provides a summary of that symposium.

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