Orienting European innovation systems towards grand challenges and the roles that FTA can play Cristiano Cagnin1*,Effie Amanatidou2 and Michael Keenan3 1dg Joint research Centre Institute for Prospective and Technological Studies
the supporting roles that FTA might play, especially in relation to newly established EU instruments. Reflecting the above considerations,
In this regard, FTA as a tool of governance could have a promising role to play in reorienting innovattio systems towards grand challenges. 5. FTA for orienting innovation systems towards grand challenges Th paper takes FTA to refer to systematic processes
Thus, FTA can play a number of important roles (see Fig. 1) in orienting innovation systems
These roles can be grouped under three main headings: informing decisionmakkin processes, structuring and mobilising actor networks,
Fig. 2 illustrates the inter-relatedness of these FTA roles with the innovation system functions outlined earlier in the paper (see Table 1). The inter-relations are summarised in the sub-sections that follow. 5. 1 Informing decision-making
The informing role of FTA most closely relates to the innovation system functions of facilitating experimentatiio and learning, knowledge development,
and mobilising actor networks The structuring role of FTA relates to the aim of identifyiin
This role most closely corresponds to the innovation functions of knowledge diffusion, mobilisaatio of resources, and creating spaces for market formatiion FTA PROCESSES lead not only to new combinations of Table 1. Innovation system functions
The collective knowledge creation enabled by the structuring role of FTA PROCESSES enables the articulation of market-shaping expectations and visions,
which contribuut to creating spaces for market formation. 5. 3 Building organisational capacity The capacity-building role of FTA refers to the enhancemeen of strategic capabilities and the responsiveness of individuals and organisations to emerging
This capacity-building role sees FTA PROCESSES potentially contributing to all innovation system functions by directly affecting the mind-sets and attitudes of individuals and the routines and capabilities of organisations.
Hence, there is a potentially important role for international organisations to play in this regard. Addressing grand challenges is at the core of EU policies for research and innovation as illustrated by the latest EU strategic policy documents.
mobilise resources FTA informing role FTA structuring role FTA capacity building role Innovation system functions FTA roles Figure 2. Contributions of FTA roles
FTA has played already some role in the old instruments, e g. in setting the strategic research agendas in ERA NETS and the European Technology platforms,
In this regard, the old instruments mainly exploited the informiin role of FTA. FTA also has a role to play in the new instruments.
The identification of grand challenges and the corresponding priorities for research and innovation through the use of forward-looking activities is mentioned explicitly in the Council's conclusions (December 2009) 7 on guidance on future priorities for European research.
In this regard, the importance of the informing role and benefits from FTA are recognised already in the new instruments.
Especially in relation to knowledge productiion the role of FTA is seen to be important for encouraging the multi-disciplinarity needed both in terms of research focus as well as in the identification of policy implications given the interdependencies of grand challenges
Nevertheless, FTA could also play other potential roles in the new instruments dealing with grand challenges through better exploitation of its structuring and capacity-building roles
With regards to its structuring role, FTA could be useful in facilitating experimentation and learning,
Such a role could be accommodated in the stages of shaping a common vision for the selected theme or challenge at hand,
Additionally, the role of FTA in developing and mobilising resources becomes relevant in identifying the most relevant actors
This role could be enabled in a step prior to setting the governance structures and bodies of the instruments to be created.
In its role in knowledge diffussion FTA can enable a range of communication 148. C. Cagnin et al. channels that allow cross-disciplinary coordination
Finally, the role of FTA in creating spaces for market formation, by means of articulating market-shaping expectations
and the Table 2. FTA roles in innovation functions and their integration in EU instruments Innovation system function FTA roles Integration of FTA in EU instruments Facilitate experimenttatio
thereby contributing to the creation of variety in innovation systems Informing role of FTA facilitates building of a common vision for a specific theme or challenge,
and in defining a common strategic research agenda amongst involved stakeholders Capacity building role of FTA supports stakeholders to engage,
and impacts of grand challenges as well as their possible solutions Informing role of FTA can be embedded within EU instruments in the steps of challenge/problem identificatiion prioritisation of associated themes and areas for research,
and setting strategic research agendas Capacity building role of FTA supports building skills for engaging in multi-disciplinary teams
while also bringing public concerns and interests into debates Structuring role of FTA can be enabled within EU instruments
and in setting strategic research agendas among different actors Capacity building role of FTA supports collective learning and knowledge creation Guide direction of search and selection FTA tends to lead to articulation
and priorities Informing role of FTA can be embedded within EU instruments in the steps of challenge/problem identificatiion
and prioritisation of associated themes and areas for research Capacity building role of FTA supports diverse expectations to be framed
through articulation of market-shaping expectations and visions and conditions for coordination of market actors that these provide Structuring role of FTA allows consideration of future market applicability of different alternatives alongside with research excellence needed to foster their development Capacity
building role of FTA supports articulation of market-shaping expectations and stakeholders'visions and in coordinating actors Develop
the FTA PROCESS and its products can mobilise those involved to reassign resources Structuring role of FTA enables definition of governance structures
and bodies Capacity building role of FTA supports teams of diverse actors to engage and join forces for designing common desirable futures Orienting European innovation systems. 149 contributions these would make to various innovation system functions. 7. Conclusions This paper has outlined the contours of an emerging mission-led approach to innovation policy that is more global
This can be thought of as the information role of FTA. Taking a systems of innovation approach,
In this sense, it can perform a more structuring role for innovation systems in need of reorientation.
With regards to its capacity-building role FTA can contribute to the articulation of strategic visions that can guide search and selection processes,
Current EU programmes and initiatives mainly exploit the informing role of FTA in knowledge development and in providing guidance for direction or prioritisation of research areas and themes.
The structuring role that FTA could provide and where much benefit might be obtained, in effectively orienting innovation systems towards grand challenges remains under-exploited.
At the same time, the capacity-building role of FTA should be enabled to benefit all innovation system functiion as this would lead to the accumulation of expertise
However, this role of FTA, i e. in relation to capacitybuilldin is acknowledged the least in joint programming activities.
and trust building through regular interactions among stakeholders that would allow an understanding of foresight philosophhy roles and practices.
and contribute to a better appreciation of the roles FTA can play in reorientiin innovation systems towards grand challenges.
In the context of this intricate web of disruptive, natural and planned transformations FTA has a critical role to play in defining effective policy responses.
and understand highly complex and often uncertaai future developments by way of addressing, in the same exercise, alternative forms of transformation and the conseqquen roles of different stakeholders.
Addressing grand challenges requires public appreciattio of the important role played by R&i in meeting social, environmental and other needs.
In response to these systemic and structural transformations, FTA systems play a critical anticipatory and early warning capacity-building role,
Cagnin, C.,Amanatidou, E. and Keenan, M. 2012)‘ Orienting European Innovation systems towards grand challenges and the roles that FTA can play',Science and Public policy, 39: 140 52.
Giving innovation a central role in European policy',Farhorizon project report.<<http://farhorizon. portals. mbs. ac. uk/Portals/73/docs/Farhorizon%20dynamising%20inno vation%20policy. pdf>accessed 15 dec 2011.
michael. keenan@oecd. org Over the coming decades, science will play a key role in society's response to emerging global‘grand challenges'.
In turn, the complexity of grand challenges and the need for cross-country responses point to the signifiican role of international cooperation in science.
From an organisational perspective, it is designed to test the role and mission of ICSU and guide long-term strategic choices aimed at strengthening internatioona science for the benefit of society.
UNESCO plays an imporrtan role at the governmental level while ICSU coordinaate international programmes across its scientific unions and national members.
Since its creation in 1931, ICSU has played an important role in facilitating major international science initiatives.
if it is to continue to play a leadership role for the global scientific community. 3. Foresight approach
such as cognitive neuroscience and nanoscience, in which the role of ICSU was less obvious but where ICSU member organisations, could make a significant contribution.
and the roles ICSU might play. Given the uncertainties involved a scenario approach that captures multiple futures was embraced.
and the role ICSU would play in its achievement. Given these tasks, a scenario approach was preferred from the outset,
For ICSU, such a process was intended to inform collective strategic choices about its future role. There are many different approaches to building scenarrio (for a useful short overview,
companies or new hybrid institutions may start to impact on this role. Within any of these structures the way science is organised could be different,
The traditional path of science education could be challenged by the role of new organisations, business and communication technologies.
The CSPR played an important role in further sharpening the scenarrio at its September 2010 meeting, after
spending Concept of scientific integrity expands to include wider societal role scientists expected to play Strong cooperation between natural
The resulting success scenario has a 20-year time horizon outlining the contours of a desirable state of international cooperation in science in 2031 and ICSU's role in its achievement.
These included key roles for ICSU to play in achieving the success scenario by 2031,
and the role it and its members can play in achieving that vision. The exercise and its results were debated extensively at ICSU's General assembly in September 2011,
By 2031 global science (natural sciences, social sciences, engineering and humanities) has played a significant role in helping to build a more sustainable world by working with society to address the major challenges associated with sustainable development.
and civil society now play a key role in addressing complex global issues. These new fora have brought in a wider range of scientific expertise.
ICSU has developed also a‘think tank'role, working with its members and other organisations, to rapidly assess new areas of scientific advance that have implications for the benefit of society.
In this context, ICSU now plays the central role in communicating the results of interdisciplinary global research to international fora.
ICSU has played also an instrumental role in developing education materials and activities for schools and has promoted actively the involvement of practicing scientists in science education.
foresight has a catalysing role. Foresight is about the formation of‘process benefits, 'about aligning expectations and building a‘self-fulfilling prophecy'.
In our approach, foresight has a specific role and thus one could talk about forward-looking policy design.
yet in some cases the market development and actors play more imporrtan roles. In the first level, technology-based solutions, specific developments of technological solutions are depicted on a level that is assessed as necessary.
In the long term, drivers other than just climate change will play a larger role globally. The scarcity of some critical resources, such as fresh water and rare earth metals, will have major effects.
Innovation policy roadmapping. 187 role. The utilization of smart metering and sensor technologies could result in more elaborate energy consumpptio information,
The role of embodied metaphors',Long Range Planning, 41: 309 25. Kostoff, R. N. and Schaller, R. R. 2001)‘ Science and technoloog roadmaps',IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 48: 132 43.
This provides some evidence on a potentially significant role for foresight in facilitating and integrating different functions of programming
We also consider the potential role of foresight in joint programming in Europe and in transnational research programming elsewhere.
as well as the role foresight can play as an integrator of programming functioons The paper also looks at the implications for transnatiiona programming in Europe and elsewhere.
given the role of time lags in transnational policy-making contexts. Table 3 links the four dimensions of policy co-ordination, as described above
In this paper we explore the possible role of foresight in transnational research programming and how it can respond to systemic, horizontal,
and facilitating the different functions of programming described in Table 2. 3. Empirical observations on recent foresights in connection with transnational research programming In this section we describe three European cases of transnatiiona research programming in terms of the role foresight
and piloting of the proposed approach. 3. 1 Foresight processes case by case The cases were handpicked principally because of the explicit role of foresight activities in their implementation as well as the fact that the present authors had access to the information
and to show the different roles that foresiigh plays (see Table 4). A more detailed analysis of the Table 3. Dimensions of policy co-ordination
T. Ko nno la and K. Haegeman specific processes and roles of foresight in each of these cases is given below and in Fig. 2. 3. 1. 1 Wood Wisdom-net24.
The main role of foresight in this case is to support the joint programme preparation of Member States
Stakeholders25 had specified roles and responsibilities in each consecutive phase of the foresight process. Their inputs were solicited
The main role of foresight in this case is to develop, maintain and update the strategic research agenda (SRA),
and respective foresight roles Case Partners Timing Goal Role of foresight Wood Wisdom-net20 18 partners from 8 European countries 2004 8 Establish
foresight activities can find different roles and forms when dealing with co-ordination challenges. Such diversity of foresight activities indicates that it is relevant to tailor the foresight design
In particulaar the role of a supporting tool like foresight for engaging and mobilising the innovation communities can be crucial for understanding
and then explore more in detail how foresight can play a role as an integratto of different functions of transnational research programming.
Stakeholder participation was also based on the definition of explicit roles and responsibilities for the different phases of the process. 4. 1. 3 Flexible and responsive management to accommoodat with stakeholder expectations.
and implementation plans'depends on the envisaged role that is ascribed to a specific foresight activity in an evolving innovation environment.
which are apparent in the implementation of transnational research programming and the consequent roles for foresight..
34 Furthermoore foresight plays particularly a relevant role in learning on future developments in the areas where there is little
Hence, foresiigh can play a significant role of interface and sense-making between diverse sources of information and the decision-makers..
and the respective roles of foresight activities can be seen from the viewpoints of an individual programming project, of an instrument,
The argument for using foresight as an integrator of transnational programming functions pleads for giving a more promineen role to forward-looking activities as an integrator of other framework conditions.
This provided some evidence on a significant role for foresight in facilitating and integrating different functions of programming.
Towards this end, the further piloting of the principles and roles for foresight in transnational research programming should be enhanced,
amana@otenet. gr. Future-oriented technology analysis methods can play a significant role in enabling early warning signal detection and pro-active policy action
whereby the role of such methods is to foster sense-making (but not to overrule it).
and the role of EU in relation to global governance. Table 2 provides an example of such a crosscutting challenge that synthesizes issues from different thematic areas.
'and the role of strategic R&d planning at the corporate level within this system. With a total budget of E1. 65 billion in 2010, Fraunhofer is the largest contract research organisation in Europe.
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