The future of non-university research institutions and research infrastructures, their further development and society-wide roles were the main themes of the international conference, which took place under the title Prague Forum on the perspectives of European non-university research beyond 2020 on 8 March 2017 at the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague, on the occasion of the ending of the period in the post of President of the CAS prof. Jiří Drahoš. 

Prague Forum, taking place under the aegis of the Vice Prime Minister for Science, Research and Innovation Pavel Bělobrádek, was an occasion for the meeting of the representatives of the academic and university institutions allowing an exchange of opinions and experiences, mainly within the following three thematic circles:

• Scientific excellence and the Widening concept
• Open science as a New paradigm of the European Research Area
• Science – Policy – Society Dialogue

“The conference was an excellent opportunity for an open discussion, exchange of experiences and recommendations in the questions of the operation and financing of the system of science with the leading representatives of renowned European non-university research institutions. Within the Section for Science, Research, and Innovation, we have been trying for a long time for the support of the internationalization of Czech science and for setting the conditions for strengthening the international cooperation of our scientific-research infrastructures. We also develop scientific diplomacy in countries, which are prospective for these activities from the perspective of the Czech Republic and I perceive meetings such as Prague Forum as very beneficial,” said Pavel Bělobrádek, who started the conference with a presentation of the science policy of the CR in the European context.

President of the CAS prof. Jiří Drahoš acquainted the participants of the conference with the structure and conception of the CAS. “Non-university research has a long tradition in continentál Europe, especially in Germany, France, Italy, but also in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Currently, its importance is growing with the construction of the large European research infrastructures. Therefore, there is no doubt that the role and importance of peak non-university institutions, including their cooperation with university, will grow also after 2020”, says prof. Jiří Drahoš.

The meeting at the roundtable was attended by the elite of European science – Martin Stratmann, President of the most significant German scientific institution the Max Planck Society, Maive Rute, Deputy Director General of the Joint Research Centre, Günter Stock, President of the European Federation of National Academies of Sciences and Humanities, Michael Matlosz, President and Chief Executive Officer of the French National Research Agency for the Support of Research and other representatives of European science.

Martin Stratmann originally answered the question of the definition and measurement of scientific excellend abundantly discussed in all the area of science, research and innovation. “If an excellent scientist sits in front of you, you know it immediately. Primarily it is a person who is maximally creative and is not afraid to break the rules.”

The conference touched on a wide range of topics, concerning the mechanism of the functioning of the scientific institutions of European and world non-university research, the method of their financing and their role in the financing of science in the given country or region or the prospects of further development in the area of Central-Eastern Europe and possible forms of scientific collaboration.