Commitments of the Public Institutions

The public institutions and companies as well as the political agencies that enter into this corporate agreement EXPLICITLY WILL AGREE to work on the following grounds:

1. Each one of us from our individual degree of responsibility, will ensure sufficient public funds allowing a global effort in R&D of the 3% of the GIP for the year 2010 in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country as an essential element of the process of transformation of our competitive model towards a sustainable economy based upon knowledge and technology, as the maximum tools of competitiveness.

2. Assume the mainstreaming of the variables of innovation in all areas of our competence and make other public administrations and companies aware of this circumstance. To achieve that, we agree to:

a. Radically scale up the management capacity of the agencies in charge of the execution of science, technology and innovation related policies.

b. Propose and create an agency of authentic inter-institutional coordination and develop a unique integral coordinated strategy among the all institutions, led by the autonomous Government and promoted among the remaining institutions.

c. Restructure the Institutional model of the Innovation and Knowledge System to the extent required to reinforce realms as relevant as the management and promotion of technology transfer or the full incorporation of our scientific-technological agents in the European Research Space, taking as a reference point the management model used in the most advanced countries and regions in terms of science and technology.

d. Introduce new management mechanisms allowing more efficient and effective management of public funds and resources.

3. Commit ourselves to spread new values. For that, we explicitly agree to:

a. Promote creativity, innovation and participation from the members of our organisations in the decision-making process.

b. To turn the Innovation and Knowledge System into an example of social participation and collective co-responsibility by welcoming committed citizens and organisations to aid in political management through efficient instruments.

4. Articulate an ethical commitment to the Innovation and Knowledge System that we want to build. For that, we propose:

a. To guarantee researchers, both men and women, as well as the auxiliary and administrative staff involved in the Basque Innovation and Knowledge System, levels of employment quality and working conditions comparable to those existing in the most advanced European regions.

b. To positively discriminate the participation of women in the construction of the Basque research, technological development and innovation system.

c. To establish cooperation programmes supporting the scientific and technological development in underdeveloped countries, and promote the transfer of technology to these.

d. To ensure the necessary mechanisms to incorporate into the Basque Innovation System, in conditions equal to those of all other Basque citizens, those people who have been forced to abandon their homelands due to economic stress or other circumstances, who are living in Basque Country and have the necessary qualifications and training.

5. To orient economic and management efforts exclusively towards sustainability. For that, we propose:

a. To provide special support to research initiatives carried out in industries and products that respect the Environment.

b. Not to subside or support either explicitly or implicitly any research actions associated with the achievement of military objectives.

6. Define, establish and promote a new university model that not only meets the teaching and degree conferral requirements, but also welcomes worldwide research nuclei and becomes the engine of the economic, social and intellectual change in our society.

7. Ensure that there is no researcher of the country who is being objectively marginalized by the Innovation System and, furthermore, that the necessary efforts will be made to reincorporate the largest number of researchers educated in the exterior, who want to develop their personal and professional skills in their homeland.

8. To share with and didactically convey to society, the scientific-technological advances produced in different areas of knowledge. We make two commitments in this regard:

a. To move forward in the construction of a society of citizens who are culturally and technologically prepared, by means of establishing programmes that sensitise, spread and allow interaction between Science & Technology and the Society.

b. To establish training and information programmes hindering any glimpse of duality in our society derived from a lack of technological training.