R&D and Innovation in

Wallonia-Brussels

BELGIUM, IN THE HEART OF EUROPE

3 REGIONS IN BELGIUM

WALLONIA -BRUSSELS: A COMMUNITY WITH A HIGH CAPACITY FOR R&D&I

• 300 public and private R&D units and over 11.000 researchers

• 9 university centers and more than 70 spin-offs in activity

• €480 million of public R&D expenditure (2006-2014)

• 130 fully-equipped Business Parks

• 6 Science Parks and 6 Competitiveness Clusters which are vectors for partnerships between research institutes and industry

• 2.22% of GDP engaged in Business R&D activities (2010)

THE WALLOON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Progressive building of an integrated and shared strategy, based on synergies and networking between actors and policies :

• industrial and RDI policies,

• training and education,

• employment,

• infrastructures,

• integration of the ‘green’ dimension.

THE WALLOON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Marshall Plan (2006-2009)

• Objectives : Create more enterprises, more competitiveness and more

attractiveness, strengthen the economic base

• Targeting of actions and resources on priority sectors, holders of

innovation and added value

• 5 priority axis:

1. To create Competitiveness Clusters (280 million €)

2. To stimulate the creation of activities : (872 million €)

3. To reduce and remove some taxes on companies at local level (147,3 million €)

4. To promote research and innovation, in close linkage with enterprises (150 million €)

5. To improve the skills of the workforce (160 million €)

• Results:11.000 enterprises beneficiaries, 27.000 direct jobs created,

115.000 people trained, 1.250 new researchers

THE WALLOON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Marshall Plan 2. Green (2009-2014)

• Continuation and reinforcement of the first Plan, with up-to-date priorities :

New challenges and opportunities: climate change and greening of the economy, globalisation

Europe 2020 Strategy

Stronger synergies between regional and community (education and learning) priorities

• Budget : 2,75 billion € (additional to regional « recurring » budget);

THE WALLOON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Marshall Plan 2. Green (2009-2014)

• 6 priority axis:

Human capital, an asset to develop (337 million €)

Competitiveness Clusters and business networks : a success to amplify (388 million €)

Strengthening scientific research as an engine for future development (142 millions €)

A favorable framework for creating businesses and quality jobs (592 million €)

Employment-Environment Alliances : a new strategy for the future (879,6 million €)

Mixing-up employment and social welfare (422 million €)

+ 2 transversal dynamics in public action :

public governance efficiency

sustainable development

COMPETITIVENESS CLUSTER POLICY

Competitiveness clusters = the mix of

3 actors enterprises research units training centres

4 areas of action : research training investment international development

3 decisive factors : partnerships joint innovative projects critical mass and international visibility

COMPETITIVENESS CLUSTER POLICY

Within the framework of the Marshall Plan 2.Green, priority is given to the 6 most promising growth sectors:

1. Life sciences (Biowin)

2. Aeronautics and aerospace (Skywin)

3. Mechanical engineering (Mecatech)

4. Transport and logistics (Logistics in Wallonia)

5. Food-processing industry (Wagralim)

6. Environmental technologies (Greenwin)

WALLOON INNOVATION STRATEGY SINCE 2000

Walloon Strategy:

Stimulate economic growth in a sustainable and inclusive way

Stimulate creation of high value

added activities and open innovation :

- Private R&D

- Innovative products and SME's

- Knowledge transfers

- Priority sectors

Encourage the development

of existing companies and

creation of new companies:

- Stimulation of private and

public investments

- Creation of networks

Facilitate the spatial

redeployment of

economic activity

Enhancing the

attractiveness

- Development of immaterial capital - Accompanying structures

- Development of physical capital - Development of infrastructures

- Development of human capital (competencies) - Greening economy

THE WALLOON INNOVATION POLICY

The Walloon Government is the relevant regional authority responsible for regional economic development and RD&I policies.

Mainly developed through Competitiveness and Business Clusters in strategic

economic sectors.

THE RESEARCH & INNOVATION PLATEFORM

Research and

Innovation

Platform

OPPORTUNITIES FOR COOPERATION :

1. WBI and MOST work together and focus on the following fields:

- Biotechnologies and Life sciences

- Agriculture : main projects on strategies to fight against parasites and on research of new methods to improve agricultural production.

- Microelectronics

2. Bilateral agreement on cooperation in the fields of education and scientific cooperation between the China Scholarship Council and WBI.

Scholarships for Masters, Phd’s or reasearchers are granted every year for chinese scholars in different fields.

3. Funding and scholarships are also available for projects focusing on the three main fields of interest! Write to us if you have a specific project or questions!

4. Of course, european funding can support cooperation with a WB partner!

LIVING, LEARNING AND SHARING

• Brussels, at the heart of Europe

• Cosmopolitan population • Multi-lingual

• Open-minded

• English in higher education and society

• Quality of life • Health care

• Safety

• Cultural heritage and cuisine

• Mobility

Belgium is a great place to live and study

RESEARCH: AT THE HEART OF UNIVERSITIES

• Research at the core of the education system in universities

• Research networks • World-class research institutes

• Members of leading global and Asian research networks

• Innovative fields of research

• Stem cell, regenerative medicine, nanotechnology, e-health, aging, energy, etc.

• Expertise in European joint research programmes (FP7, ERC, EIT, etc.)

• Know-how in technology transfer

RESEARCH: AT THE HEART OF UNIVERSITIES

• Euraxess :

• Universities adhere to the European Charter for Researchers

• Researcher’s status :

• Social security

• Fair pay

• Close link with social economic sphere

• Protection of intellectual property rights

RESEARCH: AT THE HEART OF UNIVERSITIES

• Main stakeholders : Universities & National Research Fund (FNRS) • 25% of universities public operating budget dedicated to research

• More than 30% of universities total research expenditures dedicated to fundamental research

• High Quality guaranteed by the close link between Teaching & Research

• National Research Fund (FNRS) : a label of quality • Presently ~ 92% of public funding

• Support and development of Fundamental Research in the 6 Universities of Wallonia Brussels, through various funding instruments through financing schemes :

• Fellowships & Grants for PhDs, Post-docs, Qualified Researchers

• Infrastructure

• International Mobility & Networking

• Coordination of Thematic Doctoral Schools

RESEARCH: AT THE HEART OF UNIVERSITIES

• Key issues • Freedom in research policy and research management; bottom-up

process!

• Long-term (funding and vision)

• Quality of ex-ante and ex-post evaluation procedures

• Level of funding (compare to applied research)

• Incomes : ~200 M€ (FNRS: ~150 M€)

• Outcomes • ~2500 F.R.S.-FNRS researchers hosted in universities of FWB, among

which ~1300 PhD students

• In the top ten European countries in # of publications - citations per inhabitant

Wallonia Brussels and China: mobility scheme for researchers in the

framework of the agreement between the FNRS/WBI/China Scholarship Council

VISIT OUR WEBSITE :

www.walbru.be

Contacts in Beijing:

Wallonia-Brussels Delegation

LB02-2-022 Liangmaqiao Diplomatic Compound 19,

Dongfangdong Road, Chaoyang District

100600 Beijing

Tel: (+86) 010-8532 5885

Email: beijing@walbru.be

Interested in studying in W-B ? Have a look at

www.studyinbelgium.be

Interested in researching in W-B ? Have a look at

http://www.recherchescientifique.cfwb.be/

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION !