The Swedish Royal Technology Mission 2012, which included King Carl XVI Gustaf, met on May 9, 2012 at the headquarters of the ASCR with the representatives of Academy of Sciences. At the opening, President of the ASCR Jiří Drahoš briefly introduced the ASCR and its role in our system of science and research, including international cooperation projects. The Swedish delegation then was acquainted with the Tokamak COMPASS project, the PALS system and with the future superlaser ELI. The day before, the Swedish guests were welcomed at the Institute of Botany in Průhonice, where the Swedish King also inspected and expressed great interest the complex of Průhonice Park.
The purpose of the Royal Technology Mission visit was to acquire more detailed information of the strategies, initiatives and opportunities in countries of the EU that have industrial, technological and scientific traditions similar to Sweden’s. Of the new members of the EU, the CR is the second largest trading partner of this advanced Scandinavian country; approximately 200 Swedish companies operate here. While in the CR, the Royal Technology Mission discussed cooperation particularly in three key areas – in information technology, nanotechnology and medicine.