|
The Commitment of Institutions |
Clarify objectives, reward merit and simplify processes, these and more are the institutional means for an international challenge.
Three institutions contributed to the General Meeting, two government representatives and one representative of the Lombardy Region; three specific points of view, complementary in their topics.
|
We have to be attractive
|
Adriano De Maio, Under Secretary of the Presidency of the Lombardy Region |
The topic of internationalisation was introduced with no uncertainty by De Maio, Under Secretary of the Presidency of the Lombardy Region: "We must be attractive!", he exhorts with enthusiasm and then explains "In globalisation, which I see as a reduction of the barriers ofmobility, everything moves: finance, people, activities, industries, research laboratories. But the territory does not. And those governing the territory must absolutely hold on to their resourcesi n order to maintain and improve the characteristics of the territory, in fact they must attract people, investments in research and in productive activities with high added value".
Three are the key elements underlined by the former Dean of the Politecnico di Milano: first clarity in the objectives, not mistaking the object for the means and the menu for the meal, meaning models for reality; second clarity in telling the difference between competitors and allies, watching beyond rivalry; lastly clarity in rewarding merit, reinforcing the main strengths and avoiding lost battles. Luigi Vimercati, Under Secretary of the Ministry of Communication, agrees on this point: "We cannot think to spread innovation everywhere; we must concentrate our scarce resources on institutions and structures that can produce results".
|
|
The Government is conscious of the difficulties
|
Luigi Vimercati, Under Secretary of Ministry of Communications |
The Government, conscious of the difficulties, is decided to tackle them by engaging in coordination policies for technological innovation. The topics under discussion are the young, investments, productivity and strong public policies. We cannot expect miracles; resources will be assigned to projects with the best perspectives. In this context, ICT and converging technologies play the dual role of strategic sector and transversal instrument. Going even further, Beatrice Magnolfi, Under Secretary of the Ministry for Reform and Innovation in the Public Administration, does not hesitate to say that "ICT is a detonator for all innovations, not only the technological ones which indeed are a great drive to change". |
|
ICT as detonator
|
Beatrice Magnolfi, Under Secretary of the Ministry of Reforms and Innovation in Public Administration |
Beatrice Magnolfi believes that the international challenge must be managed improving the internal operations. In the proposal of Luigi Nicolais, Minister for Innovation in Public Administration, the e-government redefines and simplifies processes and removes the bureaucracy obstacles thanks to interoperability, integration and the right to access data. According to international benchmarks, starting up a new business in Italy costs 4000$ opposed to 350$ necessary in France and 200$ needed in the US. Furthermore, up to 80 different authorizations from 20 different administrations may be necessary to start a new business in our country. The Government is fighting against this highly unsustainable bureaucracy, assures Beatrice Magnolfi: after 90 days the company will be entitled to damages and an impact on the economic treatment of the public officers is foreseen. Will meritocracy enter the public administration? For all institutional representatives it is a cultural problem and it is necessary to workfor change and notonly to talk about it. As De Maio says, it is necessary to believe it with one's head, one's heart and one's guts.
|
|
CEFRIEL: a model to be followed
Everybody agrees that CEFRIEL is a model to be followed. As Luigi Vimercati says "CEFRIEL is a model of cultural contamination, ofmultidisciplinary need driven work, essential to innovation". Also Beatrice Magnolfi considers innovation as a horizontal asset and she does not hesitate to say "we need experiences such as yours". The problem which everyone sees is a cultural one and a collaboration procedure between the industry and the university is still missing. According to Vimercati it is necessary that the industry build a solid and long lasting relationship with the research world. Transferring technology is a key point, "I do notknow aboutapplied research" said De Maio synthesizing a famous sentence of Albert Einstein, "but about applying research".
|
|
