Forthcoming Foresight events

EUROPEAN FORUM ON NANOSCIENCES: A CONVERGING APPROACH ACROSS DISCIPLINES, 19-20 OCTOBER 2006, BRUSSELS

The field of nanosciences is now advancing rapidly thanks to the strong synergy among disciplines, with increased connections with biotechnology and biomedicine, information technology and computing science, as well as with cognitive science and cognitive neuroscience. The “European Forum on Nanosciences” aims to explore the wide range of new possibilities, underlining the international and interdisciplinary character of this field.

The event is organised by COST (European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research), with the support of the European Commission (EC), the European Parliament / Scientific Technology Options Assessment (EP/STOA), the European Science Foundation (ESF), and the ERA-NET Consortium on Nanoscience in the European Research Area (NanoSci-ERA).

The target audience comprises researchers working in nanosciences, scientists operating in multidisciplinary environments, politicians, policy- and decision-makers in public and private research, representatives of funding agencies for research and technology, representatives of education and training institutions, journalists, stakeholders from industry, as well as representatives from the civil society.

Four thematic sessions will integrate recent scientific achievements as well as societal and environmental aspects:

• Session 1: How can nano-scale research improve the quality of life?
• Session 2: Will future energy problems be powered on nano-scale?
• Session 3: How will converging nanosciences transform the information society?
• Session 4: Sharpening the cutting edge of nanoscience: how to structure the research community?

A round table discussion will take place on "The converging approach and nanoscience: what's new, where to proceed in education, research and industrial application?".

For more information and registration, visit the forum website at www.cost.esf.org/nanosciences

A NEW REPORT "EUROPEAN RESEARCH OUTLOOK 2006" IS BEING PREPARED BY DG RESEARCH AND IS EXPECTED TO BE ISSUED BY THE END OF THE YEAR

Emerging economies such as China and India will reshape the world economy over the coming decades. An expanding global economy and rising population will challenge our planet in terms of the environment, and will also increase the demand for energy, food and water. In addition, the expanding global economic and cultural divide increases the threat of political instability, conflicts and terrorism. These changes will affect an ageing Europe in future years; research and technology will be part of the response to these challenges.

The report "Europe in the changing geography of research - Trends and perspectives" will review current and prospective technological capacities in different world regions. It will study Europe and its main competitors' positions in RTD, with particular attention for newly emerging economies and technologies. Their impact on Europe's (and the world's) critical societal challenges of today and tomorrow will be highlighted. The report concludes that Europe has a comfortable RTD position in the world, but warns against complacency. Europe needs to open up to the rest of the world in order not to miss the technological opportunities arising outside its borders.

The results of the work of the expert group "The future of key research actors in the ERA", as well as the prospective studies of the S&T Knowledge Sharing Platform, will contribute to the production of the "European Research Outlook 2006" report.