Open Innovation, Open Science, Open to the World | PressReleasePoint

" ... On 25 April this year, an earthquake of magnitude 7.3 hit Nepal. To get real-time geographical information, the response teams used an online mapping tool called Open Street Map. Open Street Map has created an entire online map of the world using local knowledge, GPS tracks and donated sources, all provided on a voluntary basis. It is open license for any use. Open Street Map was created by a 24 year-old computer science student at University College London in 2004, has today 2 million users and has been used for many digital humanitarian and commercial purposes: From the earthquakes in Haiti and Nepal to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. This story is one of many that demonstrate that we are moving into a world of open innovation and user innovation. A world where the digital and physical are coming together. A world where new knowledge is created through global collaborations involving thousands of people from across the world and from all walks of life. Ladies and gentlemen, over the next two days I would like us to chart a new path for European research and innovation policy. A new strategy that is fit for purpose for a world that is open, digital and global. And I would like to set out at the start of this important conference my own ambitions for the coming years ... In June next year I will convene a meeting with all countries who have introduced national ERA action plans, to complete this first chapter.  At the same time, we must also open the next chapter. The first chapter was about the physical ERA and bringing together research and innovation. The next chapter must focus on opening up our research and innovation systems and bringing together the physical and digital.  Let me then turn to the challenges ahead ... I see three major challenges: [1] We are too rarely succeeding in getting research results to market. Technologies developed in Europe are most of the time commercialised elsewhere. [2] Although Europe generates more scientific output than any other region in the world, in some areas we fall behind on the very best science. At the same time, there is a revolution happening in the way science works. Every part of the scientific method is becoming an open, collaborative and participative process. [3] Europe punches below its weight in international science and science diplomacy. Our collective scientific importance should be matched by a more active voice in global debates ..."