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In 2012 the Commission is launching an initiative to implement a user-driven multidimensional university ranking
and transparent information tool, with first results expected in 2013. In this regard, Greece should encourage
universities and research organisations to make very special efforts to attract, repatriate and retain excellent
scientists and scholars as the main tool for increasing the quality of their research and their attractiveness, their
ranking position at International level and to avoid a bigger gap between them and those Member States that
lead the EU Research & Innovation (R&I) landscape. Indeed, excellent young talents are to become the Greek
research leaders of the future, and will represent the core of the new national research & technological units
of excellence. In this context, Greece could follow the best practices of countries such as Ireland that provides
economic incentives (from the Structural Funds) to the organisations hosting ERC grantees.
Ground-breaking research and innovation also require world-class research infrastructures. The Innovation Un-
ion aims to complete or launch the construction of 60% of the priority European research infrastructures identi-
fied by the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) by 2015. With a view to redressing the
existing and widening gap in research capability, the Scientific Council has suggested the development of strong
research programmes funded through Structural Funds (European Regional Development Fund - ERDF) that
could exploit a significant part of the investment in research infrastructures. An increase in the quality of research
infrastructures and the quality of their management, combined with an increase in the resources channeled into
the best researchers and innovative ideas would greatly increase the quality - in terms of competitiveness and
attractiveness - of the national research systems of lesser-performing R&I countries such as Greece.
Greece has much to gain by offering a more creative, attractive and competitive environment - based on the suc-
cessfully tested ERC model - in which Research and Innovation can flourish. In this regard, Greece should aim to
attract, retain and repatriate top talent, support and finance the development of established and emerging Greek
centres and units of excellence, prioritise R&I investments based on excellence and curiosity-driven exploratory
research, and finally, take the practical, concrete steps necessary to translate into positive action those existing
political commitments that are aimed at boosting the effectiveness of the Greek R&I system.
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the
case of
GREECE
5
years of
Excellence in
the European
Research Area
2007-2011