Draft Report of the Expert Group on International STI Cooperation to ...

questions thus ought to be: what kind <strong>of</strong> indicator and data does a European approach to
international STI need? Indicator development is <strong>the</strong>refore not mainly about aggregating data
obtained at Member State level. Ra<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong> need at EU level determines what we need to
collect data for. The data collection itself can – and should – <strong>of</strong> course be done in a way that
realises synergies with Member State activities and vice versa and it should avoid duplication
<strong>of</strong> work. Thus, EU level indicator development will have to take stock <strong>of</strong> what is being done
at national level and mechanisms should be in place that allow a sharing <strong>of</strong> data and
information (see section below) and allowing for a basic level <strong>of</strong> comparability. Fur<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong>
indicator system must be lean; following <strong>the</strong> principle that only those data are collected that
are really needed for decision making.
Table 2: Matrix for information collection and sharing
Central
collection and
provision
De-central
collection
Standardised, indicator based
Commission, Eurostat to collect data for
a set <strong>of</strong> agreed indicators through central
instruments (and where appropriate in
cooperation with OECD)
MS collect data through national
agencies and <strong>of</strong>fices, and for an agreed
set <strong>of</strong> indicators send data to a EU
organisation to provide standardised
data (can be done through SFIC and
SFIC data subgroup).
Idiosyncratic, policy practice,
contextual
Commission collects “s<strong>of</strong>t”
information and commissions studies
where it is needed specific to its own
strategies. Information and analysis
open to all MS
MS collect s<strong>of</strong>t information and share
those parts where <strong>the</strong>re is common
agreement that sharing is in <strong>the</strong>
overall EU interest (done through
SFIC).
The discussion <strong>of</strong> indicators and processing needs to answer three key questions:
1) What do we need indicators for at European level (functions), and which indicators
are best suited to fulfil those selected functions (functional fit) 21 ?
2) Who should define <strong>the</strong> indicators and collect <strong>the</strong> data? Who uses <strong>the</strong> indicators
(actors)?
3) How are data collected, processed and shared (process)? What is needed on a regular
and permanent basis, what capacities are needed for ad hoc initiatives?
Which indicators are needed? Functions and levels <strong>of</strong> indicators
Indicators are important tools for decision making in STI policy and STI strategy <strong>of</strong> research
organisations and firms. There is a whole range <strong>of</strong> related but distinct functions <strong>of</strong> indicators.
Four basic functions must be differentiated:
21
This will have to include questions regarding <strong>the</strong> limitations <strong>of</strong> indicators.
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