Programme

Friday, April 25th, 2008
Location: Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts

9.30 - 10.00 Opening Speeches

Mag. Katja Lautar, State Secretary, Government Office for Growth
Prof. Franci Demšar, Director, Slovenian Research Agency

10.00 - 10.10 Introduction to the Working Mode of the Conference

Dr. Thomas Schauer, European Support Centre of the Club of Rome

10.10 - 12.30 Keynote Speech and Open Space Discussion

Chair: Prof. Aleksander Zidanšek, Slovenian Association of the Club of Rome

Keynote: Prof. Peter Novak
Low Carbon Society - Why Not?

Discussion: Is a Competitive Low Carbon Society Possible in Europe?

Participants are invited to submit statements for the discussion. Please contact the organizers for details.

14.00 - 17.00 Parallel Working Sessions

Working Session 1

Knowledge for Sustainability: Competitiveness and Eco-Innovation

Chairs:
Prof. Robert Blinc, Slovenian Association of the Club of Rome
Prof. Ana Vovk-Korže, University of Maribor

Europe is the leading continent with respect to some technologies that support sustainable development. In the renewed Lisbon Strategy the role of eco-innovation for European competitiveness has been acknowledged. Where are we standing today, in which sectors is Europe at the front of the development and where has it to catch up with others.

Working Session 2

Competitiveness and Social Capital

Chairs:
Prof. Ernst Gehmacher, Austrian Chapter of the Club of Rome
Mag. Marianne Kager, European Support Centre of the Club of Rome

Social capital is formed by the links between individuals and institutions. Competition and co-operation are two different concepts, which are not easy to combine. Can societies be competitive related to the outside World and at the same time avoid internally the race of everybody against everybody which results in stress and loss of quality of life? Which are the consequences for a society in which the attitude of competition is promoted - internally and in the relationships to other countries or regions?

Saturday, April 26th, 2008
Location: Jožef Stefan Institute

9.30 - 11.30 Parallel Working Sessions

Working Session 3

The Age of Innovation and the Age of Innovators

Chairs:
Prof. Orio Giarini Honorary Member of the Club of Rome
Prof. Jasminka Lažnjak University of Zagreb

Ageing Europe is seen as one of the key problems in Europe. Ageing population might result in a decrease of creativity, innovation and therefore also competitiveness. But this scenario might be wrong. Today, the elder generation is very different from how they were 50 years ago and there might be changes which help to maintain long-term competitiveness.

Working Session 4

Education for Competitiveness or / and Competitive Education

Chairs:
Prof. Ivo Šlaus Croatian Association of the Club of Rome
Prof. Agni Vlavianos Arvanitis Hellenic Chapter of the Club of Rome

Education should be more than training for the short term needs of industry - but can we still afford to provide the younger generation with knowledge about philosophy and arts, which they cannot apply straightforward in their professional life? Do we have to educate a workforce which can compete with very young workers from emerging economies and provide students just with the knowledge of their special subject, giving them a better and earlier start at work? Or might a broader education form an "educational reserve" which increases the long-term competitiveness?

11.30 - 12.30 Conclusions Session

Presentation of the results of the working sessions

14.00 - 17.00 Meeting of the World Academy of Art and Science