Ekselences Centra svinīgaja atklāšana / Excellence Centre opening ceremony

2001.gada 12.janvāris.

Jūsu ekselence Ministru prezidenta kungs, jūsu ekselence ministra kungs, augsti godātie zinātnieki, dāmas un kungi!

Es ļoti priecājos par šo notikumu un apsveicu visus zinātniekus, kas strādā šai centrā par viņiem izrādīto atzinību, kas reizē ir arī atzinība Latvijas zinātnei. Ir ļoti patīkami konstatēt, ka mūsu zinātnieki ir spējīgi sacensties Eiropas mērogā, un tas ir it īpaši patīkami, zinot, ka mūsu valsts atbalsts un mūsu pašu ieguldījums savā zinātnē, diemžēl, ne tuvu nav tāds, kādu mēs vēlētos to redzēt, ka mūsu ieguldījums pētniecībā un zinātnes attīstībā arvien vairāk atpaliek pat no mūsu tuvākajiem kaimiņiem. Tādos apstākļos šī institūta sekmes, sasniedzot atzinību un Ekselences centra statusu, ir dubultnopelnu un dubultapbrīnas vērtas.

Es novēlu visiem tiem, kas strādā šajā centrā, lai šis sasniegums būtu jums par uzmundrinājumu, lai tas jums dod jaunus spēkus un enerģiju meklēt savam darbam sadarbības partnerus un sabiedrotos citās Eiropas zemēs. Tie ši šajā nolūkā Eiropas līdzekļi ir arī domāti. Jums būs tagad izdevība ciešāk kontaktēties ar speciālistiem no citām valstīm, viņus uzņemt šeit Latvijā, strādāt ar viņiem kopā, doties arī pie viņiem citās laboratorijās, it īpaši tādās, kurās instalācijas nebūs morāli vai citādi novecojušas. Es ļoti ceru, ka šie kontakti palīdzēs jums izveidot sadarbības veidus, palīdzēs jums rast jaunas idejas, kā jūsu zināšanas, kā jūsu spēkus virzīt tādos virzienos un ieguldīt tādās gultnēs, kas ļautu pierādīt gan valdība i, gan Saeimai, gan visai Latvijas sabiedrībai, ka zinātne nav tikai lieka greznība, ka tas nav luksuss, ko sabiedrība sev atļaujas tad, kad visas citas nepieciešamības ir apmierinātas, bet ka zinātne ir būtiska sastāvdaļa no civilizētas valsts attīstības un ka viss, ko mēs ieguldām zinātnes attīstībā, beigu beigās atmaksājās mūsu kopējā labklājībā.

Es novēlu visiem, kas šeit strādā ar šīm niecīgajām algām, nepazaudēt ticību sev, nepazaudēt ticību zinātnei, un es ļoti ceru, ka tas laiks nav vairs tālu, kad zinātne Latvijā iegūs ne tikai morālo atzinību un prestižu, bet arī atbilstošu materiālo atalgojumu. Lai jums visiem labi sokas!

Valsts prezidente V. Vīķe-Freiberga.

Speech for the Opening of the Centre of Excellence, Institute of Solid State Physics of the University of Latvia

12 January 2001

Mrs President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure, in my capacity of Acting Head of Delegation of the European Commission in Riga, to address you today on the occasion of the opening of the Centre of Excellence of Advanced Material Research and Technology. First of all, I would like to congratulate the Institute of Solid State Physics for its achievements and for having met all the selection criteria to win this title awarded by the European Commission research programme.

Participation of Latvia to community programmes illustrates the reality of enlargement and contributes to the creation of a European Research Area which remains the long term goal of the European Union. With the networking of Centres of Excellence in an enlarged Europe, it is expected that the enlarging European Union will be better prepared to meet the challenges of innovation in a global world.

Science and research is at the forefront of the enlargement process. This respective chapter of negotiations was opened and closed under the Portuguese presidency in June 2000 with no specific problem. The Acquis Communautaire in that sector does not necessitate any transposition of legislation, it only requires candidate countries to have the appropriate capacities to implement policy programmes, notably the 5th Community Research Framework Programme operational in Latvia since August 1999.

Support for Centres of Excellence contributes to the restructuring of science and technology sector in the candidate countries. It falls under one of the horizontal programmes of the 5th RTD Framework Programme, which aims at confirming the international role of the community research. The philosophy of this horizontal programme is to promote scientific co-operation, to reinforce the community capacities in the field of science and research and to support the achievement of scientific excellence between EU members and candidate countries. Such activities are likely to produce significant and mutual benefits, and help prepare candidate countries for membership.

From its inception phase, the nature of the 5th Framework Programme was to move towards research focusing on current socio-economic problems with the potential to accomplish the changes expected by the general public. The period covered by the programme 1998-2002 coincides with the preparation phase for membership of candidate countries. In that context, it should also help accelerate the reform process in Latvia’s science structures.

When the European Commission presented its last Regular Report on progress made in preparation for accession, the overall assessment of Latvia’s science and research sector was rather positive. However, it underlined the need for additional resources to be allocated to science and research. It is essential to increase the national expenditure in research and development as percentage of GDP, which is less than 0,5% in Latvia, that means well below the EU average of 1.9%. In general, the sector suffers from a lack of resources and should definitely be considered as a priority area in the future. Specialisation in key innovative areas could provide an impulse for development in the years to come. Financial incentives should be granted to research, so that Latvia could upgrade its laboratories, create conditions to attract foreign researchers and find itself a niche in the European research area.

In addition, the Regular Report called for the strengthening of links between research and development and industrial policy. In that context, I particularly welcome the fact that one of the formulated goals of the Centre of Excellence will be to support the industry in the production of high added value goods.

In the context of the on-going enlargement process, the recognition of the label of quality with the opening of the centre of excellence raises high expectations. It is the beginning of a new fruitful co-operation with Western partners and this collaboration will become a fact of daily life for Latvian researchers. Thanks to networking and twinning arrangements, training of researchers will be improved and the quality of education of the University of Latvia will also benefit from the multiplication of scientific exchanges. Activities will also highlight the supra-regional relevance of the centre, thus strengthening its attraction for neighbouring countries. I should also remind that the Centre of Excellence should pursue the objective of supporting the specific economic and social needs of the region.

In conclusion, I would like to wish success to the Centre in its ambition to restructure the Functional Material Science and Technology Sector in Latvia. It will need support from other sectors of the research and the industry. I am confident that the Centre will develop successful activies that will contribute to the creation of the European Research area. The research community at large in Latvia should benefit from the label of excellence of the centre.

European Commission representative H. Gerth