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Technology Foresight in Europe (CEE/NIS)

This regional initiative responds to the Central and Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States need for a mid- and long-term development vision of the region as well as for bringing a more technology-oriented focus into the relevant national and regional knowledge-based institutions. The regional initiative has been instrumental to provide extensive capacity-building and networking of different actors applying foresight in policy making. One important component of the regional initiative is the establishment of a focused capacity in treating, storing and disseminating information through modern electronic facilities and internet.

Development Objectives

The regional technology foresight initiative assists countries with economies in transition. To achive more sustainable and innovative development, fostering economic, environmental and social benefits at national and regional levels.

Immediate Objectives

  • to raise awareness of the critical importance of technology foresight for improving the competitiveness of industry by exploiting emerging and future trends in science and technology;
  • to develop and adapt methodologies and tools for technology foresight in the region;
  • to establish and strengthen national and regional knowledge as well as the capability of using technology foresight for designing policies and strategies that focus on innovation;
  •  to undertake regional projects on the future of specific sectors or themes;
  •  to provide solutions to relevant problems in the region that can be addressed through the appropriate application of technology. Special attention will be given to pre-accession and late-accession countries to the European Union.

Eurasian Virtual Center

UNIDO in cooperation with the Hungarian and Czech governments established a Regional Virtual Centre on Technology Foresight for the Central and Eastern European region (CEE) and Newly Independent States (NIS) - Eurasian Virtual Center (EVC). In 2011 Board meeting of the EVC confirmed the need in conducting the transition phase:  towards the EVC 2.0

Training Programme on Technology Foresight

UNIDO is building capacity for implementation of Technology Foresight in the CEE/NIS Region since late 90th. This training programme is conducted regularly since 2001. Now it consists of 5 modules covering needs of all stakeholders in foresight process: organizers, practitioners, decision-makers, business representatives and trainers.

FutureFood6

This foresight project was a Specific Support Action (SSA) financed by the European Commission under the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). Its aim was to assist the total food chain in Central and Eastern European countries to reach international quality and safety standards, and in turn, enhance European competitiveness as a whole by developing an industry, which is synonymous with safety, diversity, sophistication and products of high quality.