Welcome

Dear Colleagues,
We are delighted to invite you to the 12th International Conference on Technology Policy and Innovation (ICTPI), which will be held in Porto, on 13 and 14 July 2009.

The recent financial crisis is having important repercussions on world economies and will certainly impact in most areas of economic policy. Governments in OECD and in major non-OECD countries are currently setting up economic stimulus packages to address the economic crisis.

In such a scenario, concerns grow that these actions should not only be limited to producing short-term gains or alleviating distress situations: they should also help restore favorable conditions for innovation-based long term growth. Sharing of country-specific experiences and practices is certainly the way to move policy thinking in this area forward at these crucial times.

The theme and motto of the 12th ICTPI Conference - Science, Technology and Knowledge Networks – long term growth strategies to face the financial crisis – is due to challenge us in developing strategic responses to the crisis that integrate long-term concerns, by involving research and development, higher-education and science-based innovation.

José Manuel Mendonça
ICTPI09 Conference Chairman