Organisers

General Secretariat for Research and Technology

General Secretariat for Research and Technology (GSRT) belongs to the Greek Ministry of Development and is involved in the following activities:

• Supports, through its programmes, the research activities of both the country's scientific research institutes and those of its productive industry, focusing on areas that are important for the national economy and for the improvement of the quality of life.
• Promotes the transfer and dissemination of advanced technologies throughout the country's productive sector, thus ensuring early utilisation of the results of research activity.
• Contributes to the reinforcement of the country's research manpower.
• Represents Greece in relevant institutions of the European Union, thus bringing the country's research and technology activities into line with the requirements of the international community.
• Promotes cooperation with other countries and international organisations on research and technology issues.
• Establishes new research institutes and technological centres in support of sectors of high priority for the development of the Greek economy.
• Supervises and underwrites the fixed costs of, and otherwise provides support for 32 of the country's best-known research and technological centres.
• Supports the dissemination of research and technology information throughout the country and internationally by means of advanced IT systems and networks.
• Encourages activities aimed at raising awareness of the general public about research and technology issues.

Regarding the Greek Foresight Programme, it was financed from the E.U. Structural Funds allocated to Greece for the period of 2000 - 2006. The Programme was carried out by a Consortium of 3 Universities and 2 Specialised Consulting Firms. Its total budget amounted to 1,467,000 EURO. The budget included payments to experts, organisation of seminars, drafting and publishing of thematic reports, drafting and delivery of the Final Synthetic Report and a dissemination and public awareness phase.

Greek Research and Technology Network

Greek Research and Technology Network (GRNET) S.A. a state owned company, operates under the Ministry of Development.

GRNET has been set up to supply high technology Internet services to both the academic and research community of Greece via a broad-band back-bone network. It contributes positively to the design, planning and implementation of IT technology development programmes in the country in parallel with the management of funds, budgets and work groups. In particular GRNET manages / participates in a number of Operational Programmes, such as the e-Business Forum and the Go Digital Training Support, Hellas-GRID etc. The main objectives of these Programmes include the promotion of Internet technologies, the exchange of opinions, ideas and expertise, and the transfer of advanced IT knowledge to the economy and society.

It has been of vital assistance to the GSRT in carrying out the ERA-Net SSA ForSociety project, and is an "executive agency" representing Greece together with the contractor partner GSRT in the ERA-Net ForSociety Project.

Role in the project

GRNET working closely with the co-ordinator, has been leading Task 1.1 (Electronic Communication and Dissemination Tools), allowing partners to establish a solid communication tool among themselves and with the general public. This task involved design, technical features specification, and setting up and implementation of the necessary communication and dissemination tools. GRNET was responsible for the setting up of the Knowledge Base, which contains a series of reports, case studies, papers and other useful documents about Foresight.

GRNET has organized a series of successful Future Dialogues as part of the FORSOCIETY “Future Dialogue” initiatives, in cooperation with the e-Infrastructure Reflection Group entitled “Electronic Infrastructures: from ICT to collaborative science and innovation networks”. Through a process of scenario building and analysis, the participants have been exploring the issues that confront e-infrastructure and the reasons why a transnational Foresight activity may be required here. Future Dialogues are intended to enrich and link national technology foresight processes. They offer a platform for transnational exchange on issues, which are relevant for the respective national processes and provide results, which could not have been achieved on the national level. Information on the Future Dialogue on eInfrastructure can be found under http://www.eranet-forsociety.net/.../ict.html.

GRNET’s is also responsible for the operation of the portal, assisting GSRT in carrying out the entailed administrative, editorial and technical work as well for providing part of the management activities of WP4 (Project Management). The project’s website can be found under http://www.eranet-forsociety.net

Finally, GRNET is the organizer of the Third Policy Conference and your partner in finding your way around in Athens during the Conference.

Contact

Katerina Papakonstantinou
Programme Management
GRNET S.A.
56, Messogion Av.
115 27 Athens, Greece
tel: +30 210 7474 265
fax: +30 210 7474 490
papak(at)grnet.gr