Benchmarking groups turn to next stage of work
Now that the European Commission has published its first benchmarking figures for research and development (R&D) in Europe, attention has turned to what the next stage in this project will be. In a working paper, the Commission states that 'the ultimate goal of benchmarking research policies is not simply to produce indicators or to identify best practice. Nor does benchmarking imply the transfer of practices directly from one national situation to another. [...] The lessons learned from the identification of good practice can be applied to improve the policy implementation process,' states the paper. Policies in four areas have so far been benchmarked, with five indicators being used for each theme. Thus far, quantitative indicators have been used, but the expert groups responsible for compiling the data have now begun identifying the qualitative issues relevant for the benchmarking of national research policies. The expert group working in the area of human resources in research and technological development (RTD) has stated its intention to explore the following areas in the next stage of its work: - the attractiveness of the scientific professions - stemming the 'brain drain' - mobility - social discrimination - the role of the public and private sectors - education and training The expert group examining public and private investment in RTD has thus far sought to understand the motivations behind and limitations on public and private operators investing in RTD. In order to understand how public and private investment in science and technology can be increased, how available resources can be utilised more efficiently and how major players behave, the group intends to carry out a deeper analysis of: - the role of public policy - the impact of institutional change - globalisation The expert group on benchmarking scientific and technological productivity intends to give particular focus to: - the role of incentive structures - the state of resource endowment and resource organisation - the social and productive structure for scientific and technological activities. The work of the expert group on the impact of RTD on competitiveness and employment has raised a number of issues, which the group intends to tackle in the next stage of its work. These include: - the impact of technological change - the integrated nature of the innovation environment - understanding new areas of economic activity. The candidate countries, as well as those countries with an association agreement with the Fifth Framework programme will participate fully in the benchmarking exercise when the project is next repeated, which is expected to be in July 2002.