Education in science key to innovation, says Verheugen

The EU Commissioner for enterprise and industry has praised a Dutch public-private partnership on education in science for young people as a ‘best practice’ to be picked up under the Lisbon competitiveness goals.

Speaking at a side event of the European Business Summit (EBS) on 16 March, Commissioner Günter Verheugen said public-private partnerships on science education such as Jet-Net in the Netherlands was to be cited as an example of ‘best practice’ in recommendations to EU member states due in the second half of 2006.

The recommendations are currently being prepared by the Commission on the basis of national action plans submitted by the member states last year. They will be discussed at the Spring Summit on 23-24 March and finalised in further detail later in the year by the Commission. The recommendations are non-binding and serve mainly for comparison and as an exchange of best practice among EU member states.

“We do not believe in name and shame,” said Verheugen at the Jet-Net side event, adding that the future of Europe depended on the commitment of younger generations to science and technology.

Jet-Net is a network supported by some 20 companies, the Dutch ministries of Education and Economic Affairs, NGO’s, universities and employer associations. It organises lectures and classroom projects to introduce school kids and students to science and help guide them in their career choices.

Jeroen Van der Veer, Shell CEO and a partner of Jet-Net, said Europe needs to keep R&D within its borders if it is to raise its competitiveness standards. Young people, he said, need to realise that science offers exciting careers. 

Gerard Kleisterlee, CEO of Philips, – also a Jet-Net partner company – said Philips has a direct interest in participating in science education. “We spend 17% of our revenue on R&D,” he pointed out, “so we have a direct interest” in promoting science and technology among young people.

Read more with Euractiv

Energy issues dominate eco-innovation debate at European Business Summit

EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas exchanged views with top business leaders and academics on how to turn green investments into profits.