KI President appointed to EU Expert Group
The EU commission has appointed Professor Harriet Wallberg-Henriksson, president of Karolinska Institutet, to serve on the Expert Group charged with drafting an EU strategy for competitive research environments over the next six years. One of the goals of this venture is to stimulate interest in research and innovation amongst young Europeans and thereby prepare the ground for future economic growth. The project is linked to the 7th Framework Programme and the agreement signed at the Lisbon summit in 2000, at which member states identified research and higher education as important factors in healthy socioeconomic growth. The Expert Group will serve as an independent advisory body to EU commissioner Janez Potočnik.
“This is an incredibly important appointment that will allow me to influence the development of issues that I am passionate about,” says Professor Wallberg-Henriksson. “I also believe that my position as president of a world-leading university will enable me to contribute with valuable knowledge to the Expert Group’s work.”
The Expert Group will focus on the following:
• Effective ways of inspiring young people to become interested in issues relating to research and scientific development.
• Methods of disseminating the latest scientific findings and adapting them to local conditions in the member states, so that the people of Europe can benefit in the best possible way from research.
• Ways of facilitating the merging of formal and informal competencies in the scientific field.
• Reviewing career paths for young scientists.
Kontaktinformation
Address all other queries to:
Press Officer Katarina Sternudd, Karolinska Institutet
Phone: 08-524 838 95 or 070-224 38 95 (mobile)
Email: katarina.sternudd@ki.se
