Council calls for focused human resources strategy for research
[Date: 2005-04-19]
While recent high profile developments such as the publication of programme
proposals for research and innovation, and discussions with Japan on where to build a
thermonuclear reactor, were on the table at the Competitiveness Council on 18 April,
they were not the focus of attention. The principal topic of conversation, at the
instigation of the Luxembourg Presidency, was human resources.
'We stressed the necessity of preparing consistent integrated human resources
strategies focusing on four main themes: financing for training and the development of
research as a career; improving the career outlook for researchers; promoting equality
between men and women in science. And improving the general environment for
researchers in Europe,' said Luxembourg's Minister for Culture, Higher Education and
Research, François Biltgen.
http://dbs.cordis.lu/cgi-bin/srchidadb?CALLER=NHP_EN_NEWS&ACTION=D&SESSION=&RCN=EN_RCN_I
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Given that the technology being used to develop this thermonuclear plant is based on research that was being done in the U.S. in the late 70'sand early eighties, which had its funding completely cut by the Reagan Administration, this is another case of conservatives killing programs that other nations will be able to greatly benefit from financially, as they did with many mass transit devices developed in the U.S. and used by the outside, such as the high speed trains being used in Sweden which can use existing railroad tracks to travel at speeds of 125 mph.