Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-09-25-Speech-2-387"
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"en.20070925.34.2-387"2
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"Mr President, the rationale behind the European Institute of Technology is a fair one: namely that research is central to any economic progress. Research depends on scientists educated at leading universities. Universities must be able to count on significant and foreseeable public and private funding.
The European Union is lagging behind in all of these areas. Our funds for research are, on average across the EU, way below the public – and especially private – research budgets of Japan and the US. The EU – population 500 million – employs 1.2 million scientists. The US – population 300 million – has 1.3 million. On average in Europe, public and private funding for higher education represents 1.3% of GDP, compared with 3.3% in the US. Europe spends less than EUR 10 000 per student, the US more than EUR 35 000. However, all is not a bed of roses on the other side of the Atlantic. Out of 2 500 universities, only around 100 are truly excellent and these share EUR 32 billion each year of research funding. This figure should be compared with the paltry funds proposed for the EIT. If our governments do not set aside more money for research, the EIT and other schemes will fall by the wayside. Each year, the US produces some 40 000 doctors. One third come from the rest of the world. In physical and life sciences, the proportion of non-Americans is more than 50%.
Why is this the case? Because the US still believes in scientific progress. Where Europeans are quick to see risks and hide fearfully behind the precautionary principle, Americans see new opportunities. This applies to biotechnologies, nanotechnologies, even when it comes to tackling climate change. While Europe focuses on regrets, the US extols technological and scientific progress. Fear of the future and fear of progress are at the root of Europe’s failings. Without a change in attitude, Mr President, the EIT will not make any difference."@en1
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