Science & Technology Policy in Cyprus: Economic and Political Aspects of the European Science and Technology Policies for the 21st Century

Abstract

Research, Technological Development and Innovation (RTDI) are high on the European Agenda, and it comes as no surprise the Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin has been outlining plans to exploit the potential of science and technology in the Member States through increased collaboration in a communication entitled "Towards a European Research Area". Within this framework it is important for Cyprus to develop a comprehensive Science and Technology policy which will be examined in the pre-accession framework. This paper examines the evolution of S&T policy framework and institutions in Cyprus, the containing factors and proposes guidelines for policy improvements. A short version of this paper was presented at Fourth Semmering Science and Technology Forum on "Institutional Changes: Efficiency and Effectiveness, Economic and Political Aspects of the European Science and Technology Policies for the 21st Century" organised by the Interdisciplinary Centre for Comparative Research in the Social Sciences (ICCR) and the European Association for the Advancement of Social Sciences (EA), in Vienna (3-5 December, 1999).