Luxembourg has begun the new millennium with a highly ambitious programme designed to enable the nation to become a recognised leader in the 21st century’s Knowledge and Technology Society. The City of Sciences, now under construction, assembles University buildings and National Research Laboratory infrastructures as well as private real estate development for the Luxembourg technology business community. Together, they are a telling symbol of this ambition.
The National Research Fund’s financial resources have also been increased to fund projects of the National Research Laboratories and the newly-established University of Luxembourg, which is primarily a research-oriented University. The objective is to spend 1% of GDP on research as well as outside talent recruitment and exchange in the public sector institutions by 2012. Key focus areas of these research institutions are materials, coating technologies, molecular biosciences, IT and communications security, and energy and environmental technologies. One major illustration of this ambition is the launch in late 2008 of a $200 million, 5-year cooperative programme with major US research institutions in the field of molecular biology. These are intended to produce substantial technological advances and economic benefits in the personalised medicine area. The high R&D investment objective in the public sector is matched by an equally ambitious programme to stimulate private sector innovation. The aim is to reach an R&D expenditure effort of 2% of GDP by 2012.
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Author: Luxembourg for Business
