Prague hosts conference on support for innovation, science and research

18 May. 2006 | CzechInvest | Conference entitled “Support for Innovation, Science and Research” will take place on the premises of CzechInvest. The Czech Republic is the third country of the former eastern block to host such an event. Similar projects have already taken place in Poland and Hungary.

“The conference was initiated in summer last year by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which proposed to the then Deputy Prime Minister Martin Jahn a half-year project focused on the sharing of experience and establishment of cooperation in the area of innovation and research-and-development between the United States and the Czech Republic,” explains Tomas Hruda, CEO of CzechInvest. “For example, thanks to a similar event in Hungary, cooperation in research was successfully established between American and Hungarian universities and a joint enterprise for the development of medications was founded by American and Hungarian firms,” he adds.

Today’s programme will be focused on the discussion of four topics in the form of workshops focused on the development of human resources, cooperation between research-and-development laboratories and industry, financial and legal aspects, and international cooperation in the area of biotechnology. The conference will continue with talks at the Hotel Ambassador on Friday, May 19th.

“Further economic and social development is unthinkable without the quick and effective use of the results of research-and-development in practice. The United States is one of the most successful countries in this field. Becoming acquainted with their experience will be one of the main goals of the conference. Another goal will be to establish direct contacts between American and Czech research-and-development laboratories,” says Pavel Komarek, adviser to the CEO at CzechInvest.