The major concern of the event, held every year since 1945, is to inspire thousands of scientists, politicians, professionals and students, to find science-based answers to the latest challenges. Two weeks of this year's series of sessions, debates and cultural events focused on the topic of “InEquality”. Does the very presence of inequality stimulate or destabilise the society? Does it harm the economy, or is it a main driver of development? How much of inequality is “needed” in Europe that would serve competitiveness?
An interdisciplinary discourse evolved among the participants of the Technology Symposium, on the societal role of research, innovation and technology. József Pálinkás drew attention to the importance of recognizing the right balance of competition and cooperation: “Nowadays innovation is one of the purest manifestations of competition, which by its very nature creates inequalities. These inequalities are beneficial for development, but only to a certain limit. The art of policy is to find the toolkit that may create and maintain that balance.” – explained the President of the NRDI Office. As to the regional characteristics of Central and Eastern Europe Pálinkás said: these Member States definitely benefited from the European enlargement, in terms of research, development and innovation opportunities, since they won access to advanced research infrastructure and the European system of subsidies, yet it is a real risk that the best of our researchers leave and pursue their work abroad.
Further symposiums of Health, Education, Economy, Policy, Built Environment, Law and Financial Markets reflected on the roots and possible consequences of inequality, from their own professional aspects. One of the many reputable contributors, Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, President of the European Research Council (JRC), Brussels, construed on how science was trying to understand and map the effects of ongoing societal changes. Ludovit Garzik, Managing Director of Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development, in his speech emphasised the significance of knowhow exchange between research groups and economic institutions, as well as the necessity of cooperation among the innovation drivers.
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