Minister Damjanović presents SEEIIST project at the International Conference for Research Infrastructures in Vienna

At the invitation of the Federal Minister of Education, Science and Research of the Republic of Austria, Minister of Science of Montenegro, Dr. Sanja Damjanović, presented the project of the South-East Europe International Institute for Sustainable Technologies, which envisages the implementation of hadron cancer therapy with research in biomedicine, at the renowned International Conference for Research Infrastructures 2018 in Vienna.

The ICRI 2018 Conference is organized within the Austrian Presidency of the European Union and has also been attended by Carlos Moedas, Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, and Jean-Eric Paquet, Director-General of DG Research and Innovation.

Within the introductory panel entitled “Sustainable Research Infrastructures on the global arena: policy developments, lessons learned and strategies”, during which Minister Damjanović presented the SEEIIST project, the participants discussed the sustainability and the need for research infrastructures on the global scene, as well as the scientific strategies and policies that help their implementation and contribute to the overall socio-economic progress of countries.

In addition to Minister Damjanović, participants of this panel were: Jan Hrusak, Chair-elect of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), Phil Mjwara, Director-General, Department of Science and Technology, South Africa, Karina Angelieva, Counsellor, Head of Sector Education and Research, Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria to the
EU, Sean Dougherty, Director General, Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), Tony Donné, Chair, EIROforum, Ilaria Nardello, Executive Director, European Marine Biological Resource Centre, (EMBRC-ERIC) and Luca Pezzati, Scientific Coordinator, European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science (E-RIHS). The session was moderated by Mr. Jean-David Malo, Director, Open Science & Open Innovation, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission.

In her presentation, Minister Damjanović pointed out that the South East Europe region needed a large scientific research infrastructure that would trigger scientific excellence, prevent talent outflow, stimulate innovation, mobility, internationalization and knowledge transfer, as well as other complementary technologies. All of these are ways in which science can improve socio-economic conditions and enable young people an attractive environment in which they want to work and create in their own country. This project, Minister Damjanović added, although fifth in Europe, will be unique in the world as it envisages that 50% of the operating hours would be spent on research, which would attract researchers from Western Europe.

The establishment of the SEEIIST project, i.e. the state-of-the-art scientific infrastructure, would also help reduce tensions and contribute to better cooperation between the countries of the region, as demonstrated in the case of the SESAME project in Jordan, recognized as a true example of “science for peace”. In addition, the project would enable this region to regain the scientific excellence that existed in the past and would accelerate the technological development of the countries.
Panelists have agreed that scientific infrastructures help reduce social differences, initiate international partnerships and represent the right way to invest in human capital and knowledge, which is one of the postulates of a knowledge-based economy.

One of the conclusions of the session was that science ought to be open and offer solutions to societal challenges and problems, which is also reflected in the policy of the European Commission, i.e. institutions in the field of science and research, which organized this conference.

This was the fourth edition of the ICRI Conference, after Copenhagen in 2012, Athens in 2014 and South Africa in 2016. ICRI gathers policy-makers on research infrastructures and more than 50 participants worldwide have attended the event this year.
During her stay in Vienna, the Minister of Science will also hold two meetings at the International Atomic Energy Agency, with Mr. Dazhu Yang, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Technical Cooperation, and Mr. Aldo Malavasi, Deputy Director General of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, to discuss further support of IAEA to Montenegro, especially in the context of the regional project for the South-East Europe International Institute for Sustainable Technologies – SEEIIST.