blog
Innovation Convention 2011: Open Innovation and public policy in Europe
This week I’ve been at the first Innovation Convention organised by the European Commission as an essential part of the Innovation Union flagship initiative. One debate that picked my interest and I’m sure of many of the participants was about the goal of having an open innovation platform in Europe. Continue reading
Europe and China: Rivals or strategic partners?
A conference on the relationship between China and Europe was recently organized by Friends of Europe, the main topic of debate being the economy. In the context in which China is one of the largest economies and has a lot of potential especially when it comes to investment, the panellists tried to present both sides of the debate. Continue reading
Global humanitarian aid event
These past two days I have had the pleasure of participating at the AidEx event, it brought together professionals from across the humanitarian aid industry and suppliers from a wide range of sectors. AidEx is a unique event in Europe that addresses the need for humanitarian actors and suppliers to meet and cooperate on future challenges. Continue reading
Innovation, Smart Cities and the Future
One of the most current topics in today’s economic environment is innovation, especially in the field of communication. It’s obvious that technology can drastically change our lives and make them easier in some respects. This belief inspired me to get more acquainted with what researchers are planning for the future at the 3rd European Innovation Summit. Continue reading
How education opens doors: mobility programs
We should speak in broader terms when it comes to education in Europe. It is useful to have a wider perspective and consider the benefits of extending the scope of educational programs such as Erasmus and Leonardo da Vinci. Transnational mobility has always been a main focus of the European educational agenda. Continue reading
Attracting Attention: What makes your project a story and why it matters
You are managing a fantastic project and you want to let people know all about it. Great! But how will you entice them? How will you make them hear you? By telling a story, of course, one that draws them into your world—not some sterile, technical explanation of what you do, but something real, that they’ll immediately want to be a part of. Continue reading
Does the future belong to sustainable energy?
Japan’s nuclear threat, along with the ratcheting up of oil prices because the instability in Libya, have brought the make-up of the European energy model into question. We already knew that the worl’s supply of oil and natural gas would end someday – although there is still some left for now. And we were conscious of the fact that nuclear energy, despite being a CO2-free energy source, had the potential to be extremely destructive. But public perceptions of green energies have shifted in recent months and clean power sources are increasingly seen as a more attractive power source than nuclear or petroleum. Continue reading
Why Regional Representation in Brussels Matters?
Over the course of the last decade, Brussels has acquired the status of international lobbying capital of the world. European associations, trade federations, consultants, companies, NGOs, international organizations, government administrations, think- tanks… Every voice wants to ensure that it is properly heard in the EU legislative process, and regions and local authorities are no exception. Continue reading
What future for paper books?
Using public transport is not only a cheap, fast and environmentally friendly way to move around in the city. For those born observers it is also a useful way to confirm social trends. As stated yesterday in the newspape’s back page of … Continue reading
Euro-English: the new European lingua franca?
A German EU officer speaking at an international conference on sustainable development in Brussels; a Spanish food-maker negotiating its product prices at a business fair in Helsinki; a French student buying a train ticket at King’s Cross train station in London; an Italian shop assistant selling souvenirs to a group of British tourists in Capri. What do they all have in common? Continue reading
