“We are now at the crossroads. A certain development model of countries such as Poland is coming to an end and new economy engines must be focused on,” says Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak. In an interview published in “Forum Akademicke,” he underlines the importance of basic research for the development of competitive economy and pinpoints the shortcomings of the innovation policy to date.
“Recent years have shown that the innovation support strategy has not yielded the expected results,” says Prof. Jóźwiak. He believes that neglecting basic research and focusing on later stages of deployment were the key problems. Modern economy cannot be built without a strong science base. “Basic research is the source of innovation, especially in the 21st century,” he emphasises.
In the interview, the NCN Director refers to the NCN budget which constitutes merely 5% of funds for science. He emphasises that the competitive system of research funding is the best to way to ensure that high-quality projects are submitted. However, he points out that the rate success in NCN calls is rather low which can discourage researchers from applying. The NCN Director points out that “the NCN budget is so low that only one in eight or one in ten projects can be funded, which is very frustrating.”
Moreover, Prof. Jóźwiak addresses the issue of internationalisation of Polish research. He claims that Poland should strive to attract foreign researchers and create an environment for free exchange of ideas. The grant system of the National Science Centre has been appreciated all around the world. However, stable funding and clear career path are vital to attract talent.
According to the NCN Director, science should be pivotal to country’s development strategy. “I have noticed that politicians have recently changed their narrative on science and began to understand the importance of science for the future of Poland. Now is the time to take concrete actions,” Prof. Jóźwiak concludes.
The interview was published on 24 February and is now available on the website of “Forum Akademickie.”