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Opinion

Increasing digitisation will get rid of boring tasks and free people up for creativity and empathy, according to one young leader's vision of industry in 2050. Image credit - ICAPlants, licensed under CC BY-SA3.0
industry | opinion
06 February 2019

Creative, egalitarian, carbon-neutral – the future of industry?

In 30 years’ time, industrial companies will have a social purpose: be completely carbon neutral and give everyone the opportunity to fill their unique potential. At least, that’s what five young industrial leaders hope. We caught up with them as they attended the EU’s Industry Days in Brussels, Belgium, on 5-6 February to find out what needs to happen to fulfil this vision.

Collaboration between schools and industry could help align curricula to develop skills needed for jobs, says Marc Durando. Image courtesy Marc Durando.
opinion
17 March 2017

Schools and industry should join forces to reduce skills gap – Marc Durando

Schools and industry should join forces to increase the level of skills in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and better prepare pupils for careers in the sector, according to Marc Durando, Executive Director of European Schoolnet, a network of 31 European ministries of education.

It's important to better understand which features of engineered nanomaterials could be harmful, says Kai Savolainen from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.
opinion | industry
07 January 2015

Safety: an opportunity, not an obstacle, for nanotechnology - Prof. Kai Savolainen

Professor Kai Savolainen, director of the Nanosafety Research Centre at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in Helsinki, coordinates the NanoSafety Cluster. He believes more needs to be done to understand the risks of nanotechnology.

The executive director of the Innovative Medicines Initiative, Professor Michel Goldman. Image: Arnaud Ghys
public–private partnerships | opinion | health
09 May 2014

Uniting 6 000 researchers to crack medicine’s toughest nuts – Michel Goldman

The challenge of tackling some diseases is too great for just one institution, company or country. The Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) is showing that by bringing people together, real progress can be made, according to Professor Michel Goldman, the initiative’s executive director.  

Dr Phil Reeves, managing director of Econolyst, a 3D printing consultancy.
opinion | ict | industry
04 April 2014

The promise of mass personalisation, on demand

Dr Phil Reeves, managing director of Econolyst, a global 3D printing consultancy, believes research needs to be coordinated across the EU to push forward 3D printing and give us mass-personalised goods made locally, on demand.

Bunker Roy, founder of Barefoot College.
innovation convention | opinion | innovation union
05 March 2014

Altruism as innovation in practice – Bunker Roy

Bunker Roy is the founder and director of Barefoot College, a non-governmental organisation offering training to rural communities. He believes that establishing a sense of community, as well as a culture that encourages people to learn from failure, can help drive innovation and productivity. Roy, who was selected as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential figures, will be speaking at the EU’s Innovation Convention on 10 March, 2014.

Didier Schmitt, Scientific Adviser, European Commission.
opinion | environment | innovation convention
31 January 2014

Arctic: the challenges of opening up the northern route

As the northern route opens, the melting ice will have a significant impact on the transportation of goods around the world, and the consequences are manifold, said Didier Schmitt, a scientific adviser at the European Commission.

Dr Marc von Hobe, coordinator of the EU-funded RECONCILE project, believes more work needs to be done to control greenhouse gas emissions.
opinion | environment | horizon 2020
10 January 2014

Ozone depletion and climate change – a continuing challenge

Dr Marc von Hobe, from the German Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH research centre, is coordinator of the EU-funded RECONCILE project. The project contributed to the first detection in 2011 of a hole in the ozone layer over the Arctic. Dr von Hobe believes more work needs to be done to control greenhouse gas emissions.

Professor Bruno Siciliano, professor of control and robotics at the University of Naples Federico II, believes that robots can make Europe more competitive and create jobs.
opinion | horizon 2020 | ict | policy
04 December 2013

Robotics 2020: a challenge and a target for Europe

Professor Bruno Siciliano specialises in control and robotics at the University of Naples Federico II and is a past president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Robotics and Automation Society. He believes that robots can make Europe more competitive, creating jobs.

Dr Tim O'Higgins is coordinator of the KnowSeas project, led by the Scottish Association for Marine Science. © SAMS
opinion | environment | bioeconomy
24 July 2013

The value of the sea can’t just be measured by markets

Dr Tim O'Higgins, coordinator of the EU-funded KnowSeas project, based in Oban, Scotland, argues that implementation of the EU Integrated Maritime Policy will require a delicate balance between the use of Europe’s seas and conservation of the maritime ecosystem.

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