SABAH- Columnist Sukru Elekdag writes on Turkey’s participation in the European Union’s sixth framework program for scientific and technological development. A summary of his column is as follows:
Truly we are coming to inhabit a new world order, one usually defined as the ‘post-industrial information age’ marked by revolutionary developments in science and technology, which also have drastic repercussions on both politics and economics. It’s clear that countries unable to keep up with these developments are bound to lag behind in economic and social development.
There is a merciless rivalry in the technological race between the United States, European countries and Japan, all of which are well aware that the new source of power and wealth in our age is knowledge. The EU set out an objective at its Lisbon summit in 2000 to strengthen the scientific and technological bases of European industry and encourage it to become more competitive at international level. In line with this, the Union also put into effect the European Research Area Project, under which the utilization of research results will be aided out and disparate research and development resources will be brought together. The Sixth Framework Program for Scientific and Technological Development, a multiyear program adopted for the period 2002-06, puts forward all the objectives of the European countries in their rivalry with the US and Japan. The program aims at facilitating important contributions to the development of scientific and technological excellence and to the coordination of European research, stressing the importance of involving the associated candidate countries.
Seven priority thematic areas are identified in the Sixth Framework Program:
Biotechnology for health - Information society technologies - Nanotechnology and nanoscience - Aeronautics and space science - Sustainable development models and ecosystems - Food quality and safety Citizens and governance in a knowledge-based society
Now, Turkey is the only candidate country which to date hasn’t been fully included in the EU framework program. That’s why the Turkish government recently decided to take part in the sixth framework program, with an eye on preventing Turkey being left behind in recent technological developments.
I’m sure that Turkey will reap great advantages from this program. Turkey’s participation in the sixth framework program will provide the Turkish government with important reservoirs of knowledge to keep up with the demands of our age, and then with the opportunity to develop short- and long-term strategies to boost its industrial production.
In addition, the program will definitely help Turkey strengthen its industrial infrastructure and develop innovative systems. Cooperation in research and development between our universities and industrial sector will be fortified via joint projects to be developed under the program.
Our industrialists are well aware how difficult it can be to access detailed, reliable information concerning recent technological development. The program will also help them to address this problem of inaccessibility. Since the program places special emphasis on the needs of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Turkey will also be able to strengthen the competitiveness of its SMEs and increase their efficiency.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION