The Gago Conferences

The Gago Conferences on European Science Policy provide an international forum to strengthen the debate on emerging issues of research and innovation policy in Europe, as well as to promote the necessary involvement of major stakeholders in policy making and the diffusion of knowledge in science education and culture. The Conferences seek also to strengthen international scientific and technological cooperation networking in Europe towards a positive impact on a global scale.

Science and technology (S&T) are key global resources for our collective future, our wealth, job creation and shared prosperity, both at home and abroad. The impact of S&T and innovation are the result of a cumulative, long-term, collective and uncertainty process, involving an extensive division of labour, which requires massifying the training of human resources and qualifying the labour force in many economic sectors. Increasing interest in these processes has been driving innovative research and practice across a wide range of businesses and academic disciplines - from management, marketing, engineering and economics to public policy, sociology, history and law.


"Science is a battle ground, it's not neutral.
And if you know it's not neutral, it becomes interesting.
It can become part of the modern youth culture.
You must choose between generosity and greed,
between peace and war,
and choose between disclosing or hiding the truth"...


José Mariano Gago (2001)

The primary objective of these conferences is to bring together leading representatives from academic, business, social, culture and government sectors worldwide to present and discuss current and future issues of critical importance for European science and technology, including their impact to foster social and economic development and shared prosperity both at home and abroad. Multidisciplinary perspectives are encouraged to provide state-of-the-art and useful knowledge to decision makers in the private, public and social sectors - including informed and effective education, culture, business, government policies and strategies for Europe.


Greening Europe: the next challenge for science and science policy

making citizens an integral part of European science and technology systems


High-level speakers such as ministers, parliamentarians, European Commission advisors, policymakers, academics and other leading representatives from research institutions will gather on the next 15th of October, at the Cyprus Institute, for the 3rd Gago Conference on European Science Policy. The subject of 2021´s edition will be the challenges of the Green Transition.

Greening Europe is the next challenge for science and science policy, as the transition to new, cleaner energy, transportation and industrial processes will lead to unprecedented changes in all sectors of society. Making citizens an integral part of the science and technology systems will be crucial to achieve this transition within the European societal values.

The Gago Conferences on European Science Policy provide an international forum for debate on emerging issues of research and innovation policy in Europe. Ciência Viva, with support of the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, organizes these conferences to celebrate the legacy of José Mariano Gago on the appropriation of science by citizens.

The programme includes three introductory keynotes and two roundtable discussions:


  • Greening the industry - Challenging Science and Employment for a green, digital and social Europe
  • Greening the planet and agro-food chains – making citizens an integral part of European space-driven Earth Observation systems

Organizing Committee:

  • Manuel Heitor, Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education, Portugal
  • Rosalia Vargas, Ciência Viva, Portugal
  • Costas N. Papanicolas, CEO of The Cyprus Research and Educational Foundation s

International Secretariat:

  • Ciência Viva Agency, Lisbon, Portugal


Mariano Gago Mariano Gago

PROGRAMME

(Time zone in EEST, GMT+3)


15th October 2021

Location: The Cyprus Institute

Athalassa Campus, Aglantzia, Nicosia

An Hybrid event: physical and on-line participants


10:00 - Registration

10:30 - Welcome and Opening addresses

  • Costas N. Papanicolas, Professor, The Cyprus Institute, CEO, The Cyprus Research and Educational Foundation (CREF), Cyprus
  • Dan Olov Riska, Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters, Chair of the CREF Board
  • Rosalia Vargas, President, Ciência Viva Agency, Portugal
  • Manuel Heitor, Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education, Portugal

11:00 - Brief keynote addresses:

  • Simonetta Cheli, Head of Strategy, Programme and Coordination Office, ESA Earth Observation, Italy
  • Alexandre Quintanilha, Researcher and Member of the Portuguese Parliamentary Committee on Environment, Energy and Territorial Planning, Portugal


11:30 - Coffee break



12:00 - Roundtable discussion 1
Greening the industry - Challenging Science and Employment for a green, digital and social Europe

Moderator:

  • Fabio Montagnino, Head of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Cyprus Institute, Cyprus

Panelists:

  • Bart Biebuyck, Executive Director, European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), EU
  • Wilhelm Krull, Founding Director of The New Institute; former Secretary General of the Volkswagen Foundation, Germany
  • Vladimiro Miranda, INESC TEC, Associate Director, International Affairs; Full Professor, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Portugal
  • Graça Carvalho, Member of European Parliament, Portugal

13:00 - Naming of the José Mariano Gago Hall

Interventions:

Manuela Bairos, Ambassador of Portugal to Cyprus
Costas N. Papanicolas, Professor, The Cyprus Institute, CEO
Manuel Heitor, Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Portugal


13:20 - Signature of Collaboration Agreements



13:30 - Lunch



14:30 - Keynote address: Greening Europe and Involving Citizens

  • Kyriakos Kokkinos, Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Cyprus

14:40 - Roundtable discussion 2
Greening the planet and agro-food chains – making citizens an integral part of European space-driven Earth Observation systems

Moderator:

  • Rosalia Vargas, President of Ciência Viva, Portugal

Panelists:

  • Miguel Bellò, CEO, Atlantic International Research Centre - Air Centre, Portugal
  • Jean-Baptiste Desbois, CEO of Cité de l´espace, Toulouse, France
  • Tiago Oliveira, AGIF – Agency for planning, strategic coordination and assessment of the Integrated Rural Fire Management System
  • Pedro Russo, coordinator of the Astronomy & Society group at Leiden University and Member of the Direction of Ciência Viva

15:40 - Presentation of new GAGO AWARDS in European Science Policy

16:00 - Final keynote address: “The Anthropocene on the moving...”

  • Pedro Conceição, Director of the Human Development Report Office, UNDP

16:30 - Closing - Brief final remarks:

  • Manuel Heitor, Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Portugal
  • Prodromos Prodromou, Minister of Education and Culture, Cyprus

17:00 - Closure

The Cyprus Institute

Address:

Athalassa Campus, Aglantzia, Nicosia



Suggested Hotels

Hilton

Semeli

Almond