VARIO colloquium 2020. Flanders to the top of knowledge and innovation regions in 2030.

In line with the VARIO memorandum, the Flemish Government wants Flanders to join the top innovation regions in Europe by 2030. In corona times, the government continues to uphold this ambition as the best guarantee for a resilient society and economy. At the request of Minister-President of the Government of Flanders Jan Jambon and Flemish Minister of Economy and Innovation Hilde Crevits, VARIO issued a triptych advice to realise this ambition and monitor its progress. During the e-colloquium, VARIO will examine in more detail the weak links in the Flemish innovation system that must be given absolute priority over the next ten years in order to raise the entire innovation system to a higher level.

Programme (15h – 16h10)

• Explanation VARIO advisory project by Lieven Danneels (chairman) and Danielle Raspoet (director). Testimonials from Ludovit Garzik (Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development), Edith Wolf (National STEM Forum, Germany), Marion Debruyne (Vlerick Business School) and Claire Tillekaerts (Flanders Investment & Trade).
• Reaction Minister-President of the Government of Flanders Jan Jambon and Flemish Minister for Economy and Innovation Hilde Crevits.
• Inspiration from Brainport Eindhoven, with Prof. Erik Stam (Utrecht University School of Economics).
• Panel discussion with Robrecht Bothuyne (Flemish Parliament, Commission for Economy, Work, Social Economy, Science and Innovation), Françoise Chombar (STEM platform, Melexis) and Johan Merlevede (Leuven Mindgate).

Moderator: Xavier Taveirne