European Commission Activities

In 2009 Knowledge Exchange initiated a strand to raise awareness within the European Commission for Knowledge Exchange and its achievements and to increase strategic exchanges with relevant EC bodies.

National and EU policies both address IT infrastructure, Education and Research, but these policies are not connected. Opportunities for synergy and mutual strengthening are missed.

An open exchange at strategic planning level might help realise more of Knowledge Exchange’s strategic aims. Aside from IT infrastructure in general, priority areas where Knowledge Exchange has an interest in exchanging views with the European Commission are: Primary Research Data, Open Access and e-Publishing, European Digital Library, Interoperability of digital repositories and Virtual Research Environments.

Timely discussions on plans and strategies for Higher Education and Research concerning IT related issues would be of mutual benefit:

• to the EU, being advised by knowledgeable, national organisations that significantly influence national policies
• to Knowledge Exchange, being timely informed about developments initiated by EU policy with significant influence on national developments

Initial work was undertaken to engage with relevant European Commission key people and explore possibilities and potentials. The work continued by creating an increased visibility for Knowledge Exchange’s position and strengths e.g. by organising events in Brussels. 

By the end of 2009 it was decided that the European Commission was certainly an important partner to address, but this should be organised through each of the relevant areas of interest. So now Knowledge Exchange continues to engage with the EC, for example by providing relevant reports and studies and organising events also directed at members of the EC.

For more information

Contact Bas Cordewener, SURFfoundation, or the Knowledge Exchange office.