Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT)
The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is the largest non-university research organization in Austria. AIT is conducting independent research on the fields of foresight and policy development, energy, mobility, health, environment, as well as safety and security. Our researchers collaborate closely with industry and customers from public institutions, striving to increase their added value through innovation and new technologies. We are active in front-end research with national, European and global reach.
The Foresight & Policy Development department at AIT is targeting innovation and sustainability research on the big challenges of our future, such as resource scarcity, climate change, increasing complexity of social and natural systems or globalization. Researchers of this department are investigating the current and future challenges for research and innovation systems and their implications for a holistic approach to research, technology and innovation (RTI) policy.
JRC-IPTS
(Institute for Prospective Technological Studies) is one of the seven scientific institutes of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). It is located in Seville, Spain. The Institute’s main activities relate to providing strategic support for the conception and development of EU policies. The Institute’s portfolio of work is managed by five scientific units: Agriculture and Life Sciences in the Economy; Economics of Climate Change, Energy and Transport; Information Society; Knowledge for Growth; and Sustainable Consumption and Production.
Within the Knowledge for Growth unit, the European foresight team provides forward looking intelligence to support decision making and enhances the use of Foresight to support policy making within the European Research Area (ERA). JRC-IPTS has a long history of leading-edge engagement in the development and practice of Foresight, and is well regarded in the research community for its expertise, and ground-breaking work. The JRC-IPTS is contributing, through the activities of the foresight team to strengthen and better systematise competencies at European level on Foresight related issues. There are three main lines of activity:1) Foresight enhancement through knowledge generation and transfer (mainly through the Online Foresight Guide (http://forlearn.jrc.ec.europa.eu), and the biannual Seville International FTA Conference; 2) support to Foresight actors, especially in New Member States and Candidate Countries; and 3) joint application of Foresight in specific policy fields by applying techniques for gathering anticipatory intelligence on innovation processes and their socio-economic conditions and implications.
MIOIR/PREST Manchester Institute of Innovation Research
MIOIR/PREST Manchester Institute of Innovation Research of the University of Manchester was founded in 1977 and its research activities are based on a tradition of science, technology and innovation (STI) and Foresight studies going as far back as 1960s (liberal studies of science). Since 2002, MIOIR’s research can conveniently be grouped into five broad areas: (1) Innovation Studies; (2) Evaluation Research; (3) Science and Technology Policy; (4) Foresight Practice and Research; and (5) Environmental and other issues. MIOIR has a substantial programme of activity that takes a prospective view of developments in science and technology in their economic, social, political and managerial context. Work in this domain includes methodological and applied projects, both with a broad scope and applied to particular areas of technology. MIOIR also offer a short, intensive course on Foresight for Sponsors, Organisers and Practitioners, drawing upon our experience of methodological and applied projects.
MIOIR has long experience in the use of creative and interactive methods (both face-to-face and online) to generate new ideas around a specific area of interest. MIOIR has carried out several Foresight projects (international, regional, national, sub-national, sectoral and thematic) where online activities, such as Delphi surveys, and findings have been effectively used to prepare recommendations, action-plans, roadmaps, etc. In the field of Foresight, MIOIR has well-established capacities in each of the five phases of the Foresight process, which include: (1) the Pre-Foresight or Design Phase where general and specific objectives are defined, the project team assembled and the methodology designed; (2) the Recruitment Phase, where key stakeholders and individuals are identified and invited to support and contribute to the project activities; (3) the Generation Phase, where ‘new’ knowledge and visions normally are produced from the elucidation of emerging issues or from the amalgamation of existing knowledge; (4) the Action Phase, where prioritisation and decision-making may speed up innovation and change through the promotion of particular policies, strategies, technologies, instruments, etc. – or to changing attitudes and lifestyles; and (5) the Renewal Phase, where constant monitoring and evaluation are required in order to assess whether the Foresight process has contributed to achieve initial objectives and how far outcomes are being acted on.
TNO Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO)
TNO was founded in 1932 by act of parliament to make scientific research applicable for companies and governments. As a public organisation TNO has an independent position that enables us to provide objective and scientific assessments. At the start of 2006 TNO employed 4.800. TNO cooperates with dozens of companies, governments, research organisations and universities in Europe.
TNO Information and Communication Technology is one out of five divisions of TNO. This division employs 380 people. The department of ICT and Policy counts 20 researchers and is specialised in policy research related to ICT, media and innovation. Key competencies are foresight, monitoring, policy evaluations and impact assessment, business modelling, user studies, and market analysis.
The core areas of research and consultancy in TNO Department ICT & Policy are the following:
- Strategic studies of innovation;
- Analysis and evaluation of science, technology and industrial policies;
- Policies and strategies in information, communications and media;
- Policies and strategies for sustainable development;
Assessment of socio-economic implications of technology; - User-oriented innovation;