05/27/2008

The closing session celebrates the success of this exceptional event and looks to a promising future in education and innovation

Following an intensive two days, full of information, exchanges and fresh ideas Mr. Alejandro Font de Mora Turón, the Education Minister for the Generalitat of Valencia; Dr. Juan Juliá Igual, the Rector of the UPV and the President of the Social Council of the UPV, Rafael Ferrando, offered their comments to officially close this valuable conference which has proved to be a unique meeting point for a great variety of forces within the field of open innovation.

Go to video of the session

Dr. Igual, the Rector of the University Polytechnic of Valencia, showed his appreciation for the great efforts made by all who have been involved in this special event and extended his thanks to all the speakers who have made it such a fascinating and informative occasion. He expressed his delight based on the clear success of the conference and ended by stating the importance for universities to continue working with a strongly innovative vision to ensure a bright future for all.

Mr. Font de Mora Turón, the Education Minister for the Autonomous Government of Valencia, expressed his gratitude for having been invited to speak at the close of this special event, particularly one of such international reach. He spoke of the new economic and production models that are now apparent based on competitive formulas to offer high added value products and services. He feels Europe must now work to respond effectively to this challenge and cited the Green Book on Innovation by the European Union, highlighting how the Valencian government is working to follow some of the recommendations made in this important document. One of these measures is to establish ways of strengthening contact between universities and companies, along with efforts to create networks of science parks which are capable of interacting with the business world and transferring valuable knowledge and technology. He feels all the ingredients are in place for a bright and promising future based on strong infrastructures and highly qualified human capital, as well as good ideas and world class projects. The government is committed to creating institutions of excellence both on a public and private level and also fully supports virtual research communities across different industrial sectors. The Minister feels it is essential to create research infrastructures at global levels that are capable of breaking down national barriers and highlighted how Valencia is working to create new research centres with global impact. There has been a great deal of capital invested in these projects but this, he feels, will be for the benefit of all and allow many people to be involved on a whole range of levels. Mr. Font de Mora Turón ended the conference by stating the government's commitment to promoting and being involved in higher education centres on the basis that education is the future of Valencia, of Spain, of Europe and of the world as a whole.