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Date: June 8, 2006
Time: 10:00-12:00 EDT (16:00-18:00 CET)
Locations:
Croatia, Zagreb: Institute Rudjer Boskovic (www.irb.hr)
Croatia, Split: FESB, University of Split (www.unist.hr)
Croatia, Rijeka: Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka (www.uniri.hr)
USA, Seattle: University of Washington, Department of Astronomy
USA, Princeton: Ithaka, Science Initiative Group (www.msi-sig.org)
Contact: Dejan Vinkovic, +1-609-734-8086, dejan_at_ias.edu
This panel brings together representatives of:
Science Initiative Group (SIG, msi-sig.org)
Croatian Ministry of Science and Education (www.mzos.hr)
Rudjer Boskovic Institute (www.irb.hr)
University of Rijeka (www.uniri.hr)
University of Split (www.unist.hr)
Croatian National Foundation for Science (www.nzz.hr)
Mediterranean Institute for Life Sciences (www.medils.hr)
Astrophysics Program at the University of Split (fizika.pmfst.hr/astro)
SIG is a non-profit organization with extensive experience in facilitating startup institutes in
developing countries. The SIG board and staff provide advice to governments, scientific organizations,
and others based on their expertise and experience in scientific capacity building. SIG also works
closely with the World Bank, which has recently approved a total of $133 million loans to the Republic
of Croatia for extensive reforms in the education, science and technology sectors.
Croatia is entering a period of transforming its educational system to cope with current and future
demands for highly skilled workforce. It is also trying to revitalize its science and technology
infrastructure, aiming at caching up with knowledge-based economies of the 21st century.
This is a highly challenging undertaking, where difficulties are starting to shift from financial
problems toward capacity building in science management, investment strategies, administrative
flexibility, science-policy design, implementation of world-class standards, transformation of science
into technology, "brain gain", etc.
Amid discussion on the role of start-up institutes in these processes,
representatives of SIG will provide their view on related topics such as:
- how to set up realistic goals for a new institute
- who needs to participate in the fostering of a new institute
- how to evaluate an institute
- advantages and disadvantages of affiliating the institute with a university
- how to organize the institute governance structure
- is it better to invest into a big institute or into several small
ones or an intermediate structure, e.g. a network of linked
institutes?
- how would new institutes fit into plans for reforming the existing
institutes ?
- what preparatory work does a successful institute need?
- how to approach prospective donors and financiers
- how to assemble the institute trustees board
Meeting Agenda
Introduction of the participants
- Brief description of events that led to the organization this
video-conference
(Dejan Vinkovic, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton)
Presentation of SIG, its beginnings, methods of work, current and
planned initiatives
(Phillip A. Griffiths, Chairman of SIG)
Presentation on the current state of science and technology in
Croatia
(Pero Lucin, President of the Board of the Croatian National Foundation for Science)
Presentation given by Dr.Zelenika.
Open Forum Discussion
(Moderator: Dejan Vinkovic)
Following are some of the questions and issues that SIG has encountered in helping establish centers of
excellence programs and in which it has developed some expertise.
Participants are encouraged to focus their questions and comments within the areas listed below,
providing background as appropriate on Croatia's particular circumstances.
CONTEXT/RATIONALE
Why create institutes/centers of excellence? Reasons for establishing/upgrading centers may include
building the country's scientific capacity, raising the overall level of science, connecting science
with the private sector, connecting science with elementary and secondary education, expanding public
awareness, better connecting scientists with counterparts abroad, introducing/improving the peer review
process, etc.
Are centers of excellence an appropriate instrument for accomplishing Croatia's goals for scientific
development?
PROCESS
Whose participation is needed? How should selection and evaluation be carried out? Should centers be
affiliated with universities or other institutions? Is it better to invest in a single large institute
or a network of smaller ones? How would new institutes affect plans for reforming existing institutions?
How are centers/institutes financed?
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