October 17, 2011 Innovation strategy and its implementation in the Czech Republic

2 Strategic Studies in the TCASCR Mission and team Our mission: To provide quality professional analytical and conceptual basis for strategic decision making in R&D and innovation at four levels: -European, -national, -regional, -at the level of individual research organizations. Our team: 15 people with different professional background (chemists, physicists, regionalists, economist, medical doctor, mathematician (ICT), social scientist

3 Strategic Studies in the TCASCR We … …coordinate national and regional projects on identifying research priorities …prepare background analyses and proposals for research and innovation policies and innovation strategies …systematically develop methodologies for strategic studies focused on research, development and innovations …organize international training courses focused on technology foresight …cooperate with leading foreign institutions in strategic studies for STI policy

4 Strategic Studies in the TCASCR Our main clients State administration: International organisations:

5 Innovation strategy Implementation

6 Two main policy documents  Reform of the RDI system in the Czech Republic Approved by the Czech Government in March 2008 To create an innovative environment through reforming the system of research, development and innovation in the Czech Republic in order to be held true that “Science makes knowledge from money, innovation makes money from knowledge.”  National RDI Policy of the Czech Republic 2009 – 2015 Approved by the Czech Government in June 2009 The main tool for implementation of the Reform

7 Main areas of action GOVERNANCE & FINANCING SCIENCE- INDUSTRY LINKS HUMAN RESOURCES COOPERATION & SOCIETY Simplification, Efficiency Strengthening Quality and accessibility Openness

8 9 key objectives Improve international cooperation in RDI Create RDI stimulating environment Establish strategic RDI governance Focus RDI support on priority areas Improve the efficiency of RDI support Ensure effective links to policies (concepts) in other areas Set up periodic evaluations of the policy Use of R&D results in innovations as an indicator of the effectiveness of support and improve science industry links Ensure quality human resources for RDI

9 Responsibility  Research, Development and Innovation Council  Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports  Technology Agency  Ministry of Industry and Trade  Academy of Sciences

10 I. Governance and financing Implementation and achievements  Role of RDI Council has been strengthened (based on the amendment of the RDI Support Act approved in 2009)  Number of budget chapters has been reduced  The new Technology Agency has been launched  Result-based system of institutional financing has been introduced  Priority setting process has been launched (still on-going)  Proportion of project based funding (competitive funding) has been increased

11 I. Governance and financing Comments  Simplification of the RDI governance system  RDI Council = executive body X not suffucient personal capacities, paralyzed by debates about budget (lack of strategic thinking)  Weak links between innovation policy making and societal needs (low involvement of Ministries)  Pure results-based system of institutional financing (short termism, mechanistic)  Lack of stability in the system (changes in the methodology used for distribution of institutional financing, relatively high proportion of project based funding)  Promising priority setting process (problem oriented RDI priorities)

12 II. Science-industry links Implementation and achievements  Technology Agency and its programmes (mainly Centres of competence)  Guiding methodologies for creation of systems at public research organisations for technology transfer and collaboration with industry  Introduction of strategies for SIL at some public research organisations  Programmes for pre-seed and seed financing (seed fund)  Proposal for extension of tax relief to R&D results purchased from public research organisations

13 II. Science-industry links Comments  Steps in a right direction  Too early to evaluate effectiveness  Modest improvement in openness of public research organisations to collaboration with industry  Low embeddedness of MNEs in the national innovation ecosystem

14 II. Science-industry links Comments HERD and HERD+GOVERD financed by industry

15 III. Human resources Implementation and achievements  Preparation of the Reform of tertiary education (research universities)  Support of re-/integration of the top researchers in the Czech Republic (Programme „Návrat“)

16 III. Human resources Comments  Low international and horizontal mobility (improvement in international openness of public research organisations)  Fragmentation of research persists (small research groups)  Low proportion of women in R&D

17 IV. Cooperation and society Implementation and achievements  Creation of Committee for European Research Area (information, opinions, positions, negotiations)  Support of activities and services that help involve in international cooperation in R&D  Support of activities aimed at popularisation of R&D in the society

18 IV. Cooperation and society Comments  Increasing participation of the Czech research teams in FP and other initiatives (but still comparatively lower)  Increase in the number and quality of the Czech co- publications  Lack of explicit strategies for internationalisation (at national and institutional level)  Need for better coordination of internationalisation policies at the national level (Ministries, Agencies)

19 Summary  National RDI Policy is respected and particular measures are implemented  Half-time of implementation  Improvements are needed mainly in RDI governance (at national and institutional level), science-industry links (incl. embeddedness of MNEs), strategies for internationalisation (incl. HR), reform of tertiary education  Update of the National RDI Policy in 2012 (incorporation of recommendations made by International Audit)

20 Thank you Any questions? Michal Pazour Technology Centre ASCR