CAN WE ENSURE A POSITIVE FUTURE FOR THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY'S R&D INSTITUTIONS?
13 June 1997
East and West meet in October to discuss collaboration
UN/ECE Seminar: The Changing Role of Research Institutions in the Chemical Industry
(Warsaw, 9 - 11 October 1997)
Two recent major developments in the Europe's changing chemical industry have had profound effects on how and where chemical research and development (R&D) will soon be carried out. The first is the opening up to private-sector contracting of the numerous R&D institutes in central and eastern Europe which were formerly under State control. The other major development is the restructuring of many large multinational chemical firms, placing corporate emphasis on core activities and eliminating considerable R&D activity in areas of less direct corporate interest.
The R&D institutes of central and eastern Europe generated a high degree of academic competence but had little commercial outlook. They would thus be perfectly suited to undertake the type of work done earlier in corporate "central" or "long-term" research centres but which is now no longer being supported due to the reorientation of corporate goals. These two developments, therefore, can in many ways be mutually beneficial.
However, some obvious questions immediately arise concerning this R&D activity: who is going to finance it and how is it going to be coordinated. Taking advantage of its unique position of having a 55-country membership spanning a region from Canada to Kazakstan, UN/ECE is organizing a Seminar jointly with the Government of Poland to address these and related issues. The Seminar, entitled The Changing Role of Research Institutions in the Chemical Industry, will be held at Warsaw from 9 to 11 October 1997. It will present to western corporate research directors the capabilities of different types of research institutions such as contract research institutes, academia and enterprises. It will examine the developing trends in the awarding of outside-contract research to universities and research institutes in both eastern and western Europe, and deal with such aspects as financing, confidentiality, application of R&D results and joint venturing in the R&D institution arena.
Research managers and other managers in all sectors of the chemical industry from all parts of the world are encouraged to attend the Seminar, as well as government officials concerned with the chemical industry. Papers will be presented by speakers from government agencies, numerous R&D institutes in eastern and western Europe, as well as corporate entities and academics.