Belgian Presidency workshop 2010

The Role of Philanthropy in Supporting Research and Innovation in Europe

Brussels 13 October 2010

This workshop was hosted as part of the Belgian Presidency of the EU and was jointly organised by the Belgian Federal Science Office, the European Commission, the European Foundation Centre (EFC), and the King Baudouin Foundation. The workshop was hosted at the offices of the Belgian Federal Science Office in Brussels.

The inspiration for the workshop came from a number of successful initiatives in EU member states which had demonstrated the scope for public authorities to strengthen philanthropic funding of research through improved framework conditions and specific incentives.

The aim of the workshop was to raise awareness amongst representatives of national research ministries and agencies of these initiatives, and of the contribution of the philanthropic sector to research and innovation more generally. It was the first time that such issues had been discussed as part of an official presidency programme and was a unique platform for mutual learning and information exchange between public authorities, foundations and universities.

The workshop discussed a number of concrete measures to improve the capacity of philanthropic institutions to support research, to improve coordination between public research funding and philanthropic institutions and to create an enabling environment at for private giving for research. These conclusion are detailed in the report of the workshop below.

The workshop programme and all the presentations of the workshop are also available below.

Programme

This report is a brief summary of the presentations and discussion at workshop.

Speakers` Presentations:

Session 1 : Foundations supporting research : General outlook

Mats Rolén, Stiftelsen Riksbanken Jubileumfond

Overview of Foundations

Anne-Marie Engel, Lundbeckfonden

Taking risks and stimulating innovative research

Ignasi Lopez Verdeguer, Fundacion ‘la Caixa’

Supporting excellence and competitive research and funding fellowship programmes

Benoît Miribel, Fondation Mérieux

Supporting research in orphan areas: Neglected Tropical Diseases programme set up by 5 European foundations collaborating across borders

Pier Mario Vello, Fondazione Cariplo

Foundation support for technology transfer and business-university collaboration: Association of Italian Savings Banks and Banking Foundations

Luc Tayart de Borms, King Baudouin Foundation

Funding and coordinating research in social and human sciences on migration, poverty and dementia to inform policy makers of the possible avenues for addressing public concerns

Session 2 : Improving and increasing philanthropic funding : Examples of national initiatives and examples of initiatives of collaboration between foundations and public authorities (regional, national and European)

Michèle Hannoyer, Direction Générale pour la Recherche et l'Innovation

French Action Plan to foster the creation of foundations funding public benefit research and stimulate public-private partnerships

Live Haaland, Ministry of Education and Research

Donation Reinforcement Initiative to stimulate private donations for public benefit research in Norway