14.07.2010 [News]
<--Participants of the III Astana Economic Forum:
Zygmunt Krasinski, Deputy Director of the National Center for Research Programs of the Institute for Basic Research Programs of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Kamila Magzieva, Director of InExCB-Kz, FP7-NCP-Kz
Krzysztof Gulda, Chairman of experts group of UNECE on innovations and competitiveness, Director of Strategy Department of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland
III Astana Economic Forum took place in the Palace of Independence in the beginning of July
The forum was attended by over 2000 representatives of business and political areas from more than fifty countries.
For the first time this year V Innovation Congress became a part of the Forum’s program, and the main theme there was the "The model of efficient and well functioning national innovation system is the basis of economic recovery in post-crisis period."
Current Congress covered a wide range of questions on economic topics and included unique exhibition of innovative developments to demonstrate advanced scientific ideas and his-tech developments of Kazakhstani scientists.
Delegations from France, Poland, Germany, UK, Ukraine, Switzerland, Finland, USA, Israel and Norway participated in the Congress. It was also attended by representatives of the World Bank, the World Innovation Foundation, the heads of UN agencies, the World Centre for competitiveness, the European Commission at the European Parliament, government authorities of several states.
Known international experts, representatives of leading research centres made presentations at the Congress.
On the first day of the congress there was a discussion of innovative development models in Germany, Israel, Finland, USA, Poland and Ukraine. The same day National Innovation Fund signed memorandums of cooperation with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Policy (STEPI), the Institute Fraunhofer IFF (Institute of Automation of factory production), Fraunhofer Center for Central and Eastern Europe (Fraunhofer MOEZ), the World Innovation Foundation (WIF).
Sessions on the following topics were organised on July 2 within the frames of the Congress: the role of key institutions of the national innovation system in implementing the state innovation policy, promotion of innovative activity of small and medium-sized businesses, the role of entrepreneurship in the creation and formation of high-tech and high-tech sectors of the economy, international cooperation, transfer of modern foreign technologies, education, science and research in the field of innovation.
During 5th Innovative Congress guest speakers and experts from the organizers were asked what sort of advice they could give to Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries to enhance the process of innovation.
Professor Suzanne Rosselet (Switzerland), Deputy Director of the World Centre for Competitiveness, co-author of the annual report on competitiveness. Partner in the process of covering Kazakhstan within the competitiveness ranking of countries:
- The government should make efforts to improve the innovation climate, to stand on a par with countries such as Czech Republic (26th in the ranking), Turkey (29th), or those that have a high innovation capacity: Taiwan (5th place), Germany (3rd place). With its emphasis on scientific foundations, research centres and technology parks, Kazakhstan has the potential to improve their scientific and technological system. These initiatives should contribute to more favourable conditions for innovation and thereby increase the country's capacity for innovative products, infrastructure and services.
Professor Peter Heydebrek (Germany), the founder and Managing Director, Inno AG:
- First of all it is necessary to further increase funding for research and education. These are: strengthening the structures of legalization and valorization of their activities, attracting foreign expertise, increased graduation opportunities for venture capital, as well as participation in public-private partnership. Furthermore, financial support cooperation between industry and public research. Further enhancement of IP transparency (intellectual property). Promotion of professionals in IP area. The development of a strong EurAsEC. Use existing experience, for example, EU approaches, such as the European Institute of Technology, basic programs, coordination of national and supranational policies. Promotion of the cluster and intercluster cooperation. Finally, providing an infrastructure for start-up companies.
Peter Volfmayer (Germany), Director, ZENIT GmbH, Center of Innovation and Technology of North Rhine - Westphalia:
- Innovation processes can flourish only if the entire economy is stable. Our recommendations may include establishing a solid foundation of small and medium-sized enterprises, training of public disciplines, future-oriented, and permanent disciplines, focused on high technology. There is no need to reinvent the wheel - there is already considerable experience in Germany, EU that may be useful in Kazakhstan. Member-states of the EU, for example, are still undergoing extensive and dynamic process of establishing and expanding the innovation process with low growth and improvement. Kazakhstan may use existing know-how and ideas, for example, through educational and training programs. E.g., Kazakhstan may join the European network of entrepreneurs and use the opportunities offered by the EU framework program for research.
Dr. Kurt Hornschild (Germany), Deutsches Institute of Economic Research, Dr. Karl-Heinz Klinger (Germany), Director General TECHNOSTART, ex-Vice Minister of Science and Technology of the GDR:
- To develop effective innovation systems, countries need to build on recent and effective innovation systems. The challenge is to find the right strategy to build a modern economy based on knowledge. Our experience shows that cooperation with other countries and foreign experts is very useful. Kazakhstan has already begun this process and is on the right track."Roadmaps" modernisation, innovation, human resources training, innovation management are key elements for successful innovation strategy. It’s also important to choose regions with potential for development as pilot projects in specific areas of innovation and technology. At first glance, Kazakhstan has great potential as it takes a leading position in energy and other industries. There is a need to develop other economic sectors such as biotechnology and food technology, logistics, IT and communications.
Peter Lindholm (France), CEO of Lindholm-Consult:
- First of all, Kazakhstan needs a continuous stimulation of entrepreneurship. This implies that future entrepreneurs can make mistakes, failures and try again. Such measures are foreseen for the entire economic system (for young and mature scientists to "natural" business and for people working in organizations and who are willing to open their own business). Secondly, we must envisage the establishment of an increasing number of pilot projects, which are most suitable for the Kazakhstani culture and the local economy.
Third, there’s a need of intensive promotion of cooperation with technology-based international companies. This can be done through a policy that ensures that such cooperation is beneficial for Kazakhstan. Such policies may promote the mechanisms for co-incubation, which promotes the establishment of start-up companies based on technology.
And finally, there’s a need to reorganise academic centres with a focus on the technology industries that can be implemented in a short period of time. It entails a paradigm shift for many scientists: they need to transfer knowledge to society.
Bong Kiya Park (South Korea), President of the Korean industrial complex (KICOX):
- Kazakhstan is trying to improve its economic structure by promoting high-tech industry and the development of special economic zones and continues to strengthen national competitiveness through the establishment of national innovation system. We can give advice based on our experience, it is very important to develop an effective strategy that suits the social and economic conditions in Kazakhstan. However, it’s necessary to establish and promote an individual strategy, which will be developed in accordance with local socio-economic conditions, when one of the policies is carried out.
Matthias Rauch (Germany), FRAUNHOFER Center for Central and Eastern Europe:
- One of the main issues is the appropriate funding for the existing structure of research and development of the country. The second question is the improvement in the process of technology transfer between public and private sector, and therefore the further development and commercialization of research and development. Some work, such as research and development was undertaken in this sphere. But in the future there is a need to develop other incentives such as tax preferences and transfer structures. Introduction of technology transfer centres, business incubators and the like through government funds, aimed at the cooperation of public and private organizations will also help to maintain and increase the percentage of innovative projects.
Kamila Magzieva (Kazakhstan), National Coordinator of the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Union's scientific and technological development and innovation (FP7-NCP-Kz), director InExCB-Kz, Independent Expert Consulting Board to Promote Scientific Research Activity in Kazakhstan:
- We must use the example of the EU on implementing the world's largest framework program on research and technological development and innovation that have been created with the efforts of all EU member states and nearly 15 countries that have contributed to the program for specific research results. The main purpose of these framework programs is to strengthen European competitiveness through the introduction of the triangle: knowledge - education - innovation.
Based on this example it is possible to create a Central Asian framework program that will enhance the competitiveness and accelerate innovation and technological development of Central Asian countries through bilateral and multilateral agreements.
Clara Ohren (Israel), Founder and CEO LN Center for Innovative Technology for the development of high-tech companies:
- Under any circumstances stop becoming a country that only supplies raw materials to developed countries. Every effort should be undertaken to develop private initiative in implementing innovative technologies, create innovation support centres, provide government assistance in commercial projects, encourage private entrepreneurs to finance innovation projects via cutting taxes or freeing from taxation the amount invested in innovative projects, etc.
All these expert opinions were taken into account by the organisers of the V Innovation Congress.
Source: Dr. Kamila Magzieva, PhD, National Coordinator FP7-NCP-Kz
