On 19 September 2022, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development organized a round table: “Science and technology development and technology transfer” in the Crowne Plaza. The event was supported by the project “EU Support to Science and Technology Park Belgrade for Services to Innovative Companies”, funded by the European Union.
In addition to the host, representatives of the Public Policy Secretariat, Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia, the Development Agency of Serbia, representatives of NALED, directors of Serbian science and technology parks, representatives of the scientific community and the economy also took part in the round table.
“The state should play a more significant role in the development of new innovative solutions and thus contribute to faster development and a safer market for innovations,” said Bojana Tošić, director of the Public Policy Secretariat.
The main topic on the agenda was the dialogue on current and future policies related to technology transfer and more efficient linking of science and economy in order to improve public policies in this area and achieve better results in the field of commercialization of scientific research.
The Director of Public Policy Secretariat, Ms. Bojana Tošić, pointed out that the state should take a more significant role in the development of new innovative solutions by defining the needs of the public sector and nurturing the investment culture. It would be the way to contribute to faster growth and safer market for innovations for important social needs. The development of the public procurement system designed for innovative solutions procurement is outlined as one of important measures economic growth through research, development and cooperation of all participants is also pointed out in the Smart Specialization Strategy.
“Policy makers are often forced to make quick decisions, i.e. provide solutions to social challenges.” Sometimes, there is not enough time to conduct scientific analyses. Bearing that in mind, it is important that the scientific community is well informed about the Government’s priorities and the requirements of our society. And this gives rise to the question of mutual communication. As the analyses and studies prepared on certain topics often do not correlate with the needs of policymakers. On the other hand, policy makers often do not have sufficient knowledge to recognize and apply scientific knowledge and achievements in certain fields. That is why it is important to communicate more and expand our knowledge and competences,” said Tošić.
The main conclusion of the meeting is that the opinions and experiences presented should serve as basis for the proposals for improved policies and strategies regulating technology transfer in the Republic of Serbia.