Cyprus ranks 20th among 27 EU member states in the Digital Economy and Society Index
Cyprus ranks 20th among 27 EU Member States in the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), rising four places in the last two years, and has entered the “Strong Innovators” category in the European Innovation Scoreboard 2022, rising to 10th place , however, it still has a long way to go to achieve a fundamental transformation of the economy and society, leveraging a strong Research and Innovation (R&K) ecosystem, Deputy Minister of Research, Filippos Hadjizacharia, said on Friday.
In his greeting, in a round table discussion in the context of the country's participation in the “Horizon Europe” Program, which was organized by the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Mr. Hatzizacharia mentioned that EU missions “are indeed a new way to address some of the biggest challenges plaguing us.” They are, he added, “an innovative idea” that brings together a multitude of stakeholders, such as research organizations, municipalities, universities and industry bodies, in an effort to implement integrated policies related to the five European Missions.
< p>“Cyprus is, undoubtedly, a country with significant potential in Research & Innovation, evidenced by our impressive and fast-growing R&D ecosystem, with high-quality academic and research institutions and a thriving business community,” he said.
He said that Cyprus has already made “remarkable progress” towards a knowledge-based economy, which is reflected in the improved scores it secures in terms of its performance in innovation and digital readiness at the European and global level. In particular, he said that Cyprus ranks 20th among 27 EU member states in the 2022 edition of the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), rising four places in the last two years. Also, Cyprus has entered the “Strong Innovators” category in the European Innovation Scoreboard 2022, rising to 10th place in the overall ranking of EU member states, he added.
“However, we still have a long way to go to achieve a fundamental transformation of our economy and society, leveraging a strong R&D ecosystem,” he said. The Government's efforts, he noted, “are focused on enabling researchers, entrepreneurs and all creative minds to gain access to resources that include state-of-the-art research infrastructure and facilities, knowledge, funding and human capital, with the aim of creating innovative businesses who will be able to triumph in the international market with innovative products and services”.
Access to finance is among the highest priorities of the Government, he said. “In this respect, taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the EU Programs for Research and Innovation is crucial to our efforts,” he said.
The meeting, held at Nicosia City Hall, was attended by representatives of the European Commission, Joanna Drake, Deputy Director of the Research and Innovation Directorate, Head of the Cancer Mission, Julien Guerrier, Director of the Center for Common Policy and Mission Coordination of DG Research and Innovation, and Neville Reeve, Head of Mission Coordination, DG R&D. Representatives of Ministries, Deputy Ministries and other bodies of the domestic Research and Innovation ecosystem also participated.
According to a relevant announcement, the purpose of the meeting was to inform each other and to exchange views for a better understanding of the innovations in the political approach of the European Missions and to facilitate the coordination of EU initiatives. and national initiatives directly related to Missions.
As mentioned, in the framework of the financial Program of the E.E. for R&D activities, “Horizon Europe”, five European Missions are implemented: Cancer, Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters, Adaptation to climate change including social transformation, Climate neutral and smart cities and Soil health and food.< /p>
“It is a new approach (portfolio approach) in order to find concrete solutions to some of the biggest global challenges”, it is noted. On a practical level, it states, the Horizon Europe Program provides funding through Calls for Proposals in synergy with other EU funding instruments and policies. However, in order to achieve the Missions' ambitious goals, additional programs must be implemented and strategies both at the level of member states and at the regional level, as well as with civil society and the private sector, it is added.
It is noted that the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, organized the event in the context of his responsibilities for the country's participation in the “Horizon Europe” Program.
