Turning Technology into Profit, Growth and Jobs

The ninth annual conference of the German-British Forum examined the interaction between technology, innovation, competitiveness and economic growth in Europe, above all France, Germany and the UK.

The aim is to analyse how Europe’s leaders in politics, finance, business and academe can learn from the best international examples of turning innovation into profits, growth and jobs.

The political and economic environment has been influenced by the lack of substantive progress under the Lisbon process, launched in 2000 with the aim of turning the EU into the world’s leading knowledge-based economy by 2010. Yet these shortcomings can also – in the five years still available – catalyse change.

The conference looks at the financing of research and development (R&D) in the corporate and academic sectors and best practice in links between corporations and centres of educational excellence.

Authoritative speakers examine the role of government in directing research, assuring profits from start-up companies and the power of technology to drive economic and social change. Setting the conditions to allow technological excellence to flourish and bring practicl benefits is a significant challence for policy-makers as Europe struggles to sustain economic prosperity. As awareness grows of the importance of the Knowledge Economy, the conference lays out a road map for the journey ahead.