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The FNR Foresight

A participative Process

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Aims of the Foresight exercise

Identification of National Research Priorities in the public sector with short-term and/or long-term socio-economic interest for Luxembourg

• Scientific and political rationale for this choice of priorities

• Shared understanding of stakeholders

• Proposal of set of priorities to government

Identification of research priorities for future FNR programmes

Consolidation of communication networks among stakeholders

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Models of Science Production and Exploitation

This strategy is based on the linear model (Mode 1) of knowledge production

Mode 2 knowledge production:• transdisciplinary• back and forth between:

fundamental and applied theoretical and practical

Mode 1 and 2 co-exist today

Pure opportunistic strategy would not work• Need residential expertise to absorb new knowledge• Science is a (constantly changing) networking activity

The question remains the same for small or big countries: in which areas should Government concentrate public funding for science?

Applied research

Development

Basic research

Technology

Application

Mode 1

Mode 2

Luxembourg should not invest in basic research but implement ideas generated abroad

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The Exercise

Online Questionnaire

Exploratory Workshop

‘Long list’ of research domains

Initial assessment

Selection of broad research fields

Stakeholder Workshops

No formal input

General Challenges for Luxembourg

Expert workshops per field

SWOT Analysis

Initial assessment of domains

Future trends

Luxembourg context

Research priorities candidates

Conclusion and recommendations

Identifying Priorities

Setting a Context

Interviews

Data collection

Bibliometrics

International research trends

Evaluation of FNR programmes

Mapping of Lux. Research landscape

‘Long list’ of possible research domains

Aims:

Method:

Input:

Results:

Creating a Baseline

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Phase 1

• Interviews (50 2-hour interviews + 9 phone interviews)•Young researchers workshops (97 participants, 57% public, 8% private, 35% abroad)•Exploratory Workshop

Participants

Minister & Secretary of State, Members of Parliament (Lux. and EU), Ministries, Agencies

12%

CRPS, CEPS, University of Luxembourg, other public inst.: 58%

Private sector 16%

Universities abroad, Institutions abroad 14%

Online Questionnaire (298 questionnaires of 900 people contacted):

8 % Ministries/Agencies, 56% public, 14% private, 22% abroad

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Phase 2

13 workshops (approx 200 participants) + CS/CA meetings

Participants

Minister & Secretary of State, Members of Parliament (Lux. and EU), Ministries, Agencies

33%

CRPS, CEPS, University of Luxembourg, other public inst.: 23%

Private sector 21%

Universities abroad, Institutions abroad 24%

More than 300 individual participants (not including questionnaires) in whole exercise

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Prioritization Funnel

Phase 2: 19 Research Domains

+ 4 Technology Platforms

FNR CS CA prioritisation 6 Research Priorities

Rational based on 11 criteria

Phase 1: „Long List“: 56 possible research areas

with about 250 research issues

End of Phase 1:about 25 Research Domains

Official Presentation of the Final Report to the MCESR: June 18th, 2007

Further prioritization

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National Priorities

Innovation in Services

Sustainable Resource Management

New Materials, Surfaces and Sensing Devices

Biomedical Sciences

Labour Market, Educational Requirements and Social Protection

Identities, Diversity and Integration

Technology Platforms:•Modelling and Simulation

•High performance scientific computing and powerful computation infrastructure

•Information Infrastructure •Central infrastructure acquiring and managing scientific information/databases

•Tissue Bank•Systematic collection of human samples of tissue, cells or body fluids

•Other Technology Platforms like Proteomics, Genomics, etc.

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Added value of Foresight

6 Research priorities of great interest to Luxembourg• Existing synergies between priorities and various sub-domains

• Topics of great future scientific interest

• Based on the existing competences and new boundaries

Results generated by participative process• Many different actors of R&D environment

• Research priorities of particular interest for Luxembourg

• Important part of the process: wiring-up of the actors!

Momentum built & Leasons learned

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Presentations

• Innovation in Services

•Sustainable Resource Management

•New Materials, Surfaces and Sensing Devices

•Biomedical Sciences

•Labour Market, Educational Requirements and Social Protection

• Identities, Diversity and Integration

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Conclusion

Outlook

Next steps

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Innovation in ServicesBusiness Service Design and Innovation

Performance and Development of the Financial Systems

Fostering the Economic and Legal Environment for

Innovation

Information Security and Trust Management

Telecommunications and Multimedia

Sustainable Resource Management in Luxembourg

Understanding Ecosystems and Biodiversity

Sustainable Management of Water Resources

Sustainable Uses and Sources of Energy

Sustainable Agro-Systems Management

Spatial and Urban Development

Identities, Diversity and Integration

Labour Market, Educational Requirements and Social Protection

New Functional and Intelligent Materials and Surfaces, and new Sensing Applications

New Functional and Intelligent Materials and Surfaces

New sensing applications

Age-related Biomedical ResearchAge-related Diseases

Translational Biomedical Research

Public Health, including aspects of Environmental HealthBased on communication from www.gouvernement.lu

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Presentation of domains according to prioritisation criteria

Socio-economic contribution

C1. Environment

C2. Economy

C3. Society

C4. Accordance with the political agenda in Luxembourg

Feasibility C5. Public and political acceptance

C6. Private sector activities in Luxembourg

C7. Public research capacity in Luxembourg

C8. Infrastructure / Critical Mass

C9. International research context

C10. Contribution to national competences, scientific excellence and international reputation

C11. Cross-linkages with other

Priorities identified

Domain A

Domain B