1. General definition

Innovation is the use of new techniques, goods or services. It often requires that inventions be modified and operational frameworks adapted.

Technology transfers are the mechanisms through which societies can avail themselves of new technologies. Mastering technology requires learning; it is not a purely technical process, but also a cultural one.

Sustainable development meets current needs without preventing future generations from fulfilling theirs.

How can innovation, technology transfer and sustainable development fit into the 21st century context of global economic competition ?

How are Greater Indian Ocean countries exploiting new technological innovations in order to achieve global sustainable development ?

The aim of this workshop is to analyse the regional situation as regards research, innovation and technology transfer with a view to launching sustainable joint development in the Indian Ocean region.

In addition to our specific systems for university-research-industry-services partnerships, how can we better facilitate innovation and technology transfer within our societies through regional hybridisation?

The first step consists in seeking and defining shared specificities and concerns. As institutional structures are currently inexistent, this "South-South" symposium will lay the foundations for such an edifice, allowing movement away from traditional "North-South" forms of cooperation, often considered as aid rather than actual cooperation.

We belong to one same Indian Ocean geographical basin. It is therefore evident that in the long term we will be led to develop our countries jointly in a common approach. Our universities, research bodies, science parks, regional centres for innovation and technology transfer, economic intelligence centres, industries, administrations will necessarily have to adopt a responsible policy in this new venture.

What are the first stages for joint conceptions in the field of technology transfer and innovation ?

• The Indian Ocean basin remains excluded from the main global geostrategic preoccupations. The ocean is its principal asset. Particular emphasis should be laid on long-term management of fishing resources. How can joint monitoring and operating systems be developed?
• Our environments are seen as sanctuaries on a global level. Can we hope to implement reasoned management of our natural resources? What tools need be designed for satellite monitoring and database construction?
• All of us are completely energy-dependent and our energy concerns are different for each. Can we develop solar technology along two lines on regional level to bring down production costs?
• Global networking makes it possible for our societies to establish virtual connections with cutting-edge R&D centres in the northern hemisphere. Couldn't we develop engineering through simulation tools (IT, electronics, mechanics, bio-technology, etc) and science parks hosting system-integration companies and industries ?

3. Thematic issues

Is the Indian Ocean basin rather a community group or a regional economic market ?

Is the greater Indian Ocean aware of and favourable to sustainable regional co-development ?

Do we have the means of fostering integration of technological development into our societies ?
These are the long-term issues.

One of our major assets is the emerging generation of young people, whose cultural level will be increasingly higher. Joint construction of a university research system and of science parks (especially in niche and innovative sectors) are the short-term issues.

Opening up to the world could be strengthened by local, regional empowerment.

4. An overwiew of research in La Réunion with a potential regional interest

The 2001 La Réunion Research Symposium defined new policies aimed at boosting up our economy. Institutional stakeholders (Government and local authorities), economic operators (notably represented by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry), training and research partners are mobilised to help La Réunion face up the various challenges of integrated, sustainable development.

La Réunion has many advantages in terms of technological innovation and technology transfer :

An international-oriented University
Fast-expanding training and research centre: 12,000 students in 2003, 24,000 students in 2020

A dynamic business and industrial fabric
In the industry sector:

• 365 companies with an average workforce of 23
• 8,500 jobs
• €1.4b turnover, €380m added value

The Innovation and Research Act 12 July 1999 made collaboration between government-funded research bodies and the corporate world a top priority on the agenda of the Ministry of Technology and Innovation. R&D and interface structures located in La Réunion are working in this context.

La Réunion Science Park is involved in 4 lines of excellence: IT and audiovisual production; food processing; health, pharmaceuticals and biomedical sector; environment and energy control.

The science park concept, where networking and close partnership with higher education establishments and research laboratories is trademark practice, now dates back 30 years.

La Réunion Science Park was set up very recently through the active concurrence of the French Government and La Réunion local authorities. Its first site is located 2 km from Rolland Garros (Saint-Denis) Airport. It is a member of the FTEI (France Technopole Entreprises Innovation) science park/corporate innovation network.

FTEI includes all of France's 46 science parks, 23 CEEI (European Enterprise and Innovation Centres) and 23 government-funded nurseries. Its members (nearly 10,000 innovating companies) have access to technical, financial, legal and management resources that are essential for their success.

FTEI has links with a number of innovation partners such as ANVAR (French National Association for Research Development), CEA (Atomic Energy Commission), EDF (French Electricity Board), KOMPASS, etc.

At international level it has special connections with EBN (European Business Innovation Center Network) and the IASP (International Association of Science Parks) worldwide network (with associate science parks in Vietnam, India, South Africa, Australia, China, Canada).

The CRITT's (Regional Innovation and Technology Transfer Committees) were set up in 1982 under the impulse of the Ministry of Education, Research and Technology. In La Réunion, two CRITT's have now been in operation for 10 years. They are located within the Saint-Denis Science Park.

The Food-Processing CRITT and Safety/Quality/Environment CRITT are responsible for developing awareness campaigns aimed at traditional SMF's (small- and medium-size firms) little familiar with technology and innovation, and doing spade work on peer acquisition and financing procedures.
The Technological Support Hub, which includes the two CRITT's, a technological hall, analysis laboratories and an accredited metrology service (the only one in the Indian Ocean) can provide quality services, especially to SMF's.

The CRITT's are the ideal interfacing structures between two worlds which have hardly been in contact so far. The setting up of recent facilities (Science Park, nursery) provides new assignment and reorganisation opportunities for them both in La Réunion and in the Indian Ocean region.

Interfacing between research and the industrial sector

• With the University of La Réunion
  Though often relatively small-scale and in a fairly difficult economic environment, industrial firms are seeking closer and closer links with university laboratories in order to modernise their facilities, improve product quality, find new products and optimise operating costs.

  Research is being developed along several lines: food processing (sugar technology, flavours and beverages ), health (herbal medicine), biotechnology, energy control (housing) and environment (renewable energy, metal ageing research facility ), etc.

• With research bodies
  - CIRAD (International Cooperation Agency for Development-oriented Agricultural Research) provides efficient help in technology transfer. The fish and streaky bacon salting-drying-smoking project is a remarkable example of cooperation with the University and the Food-processing CRITT. Neighbouring countries are particularly interested in the technology.
  - IFREMER (Sea Resources Sustainable Exploitation Research Institute) and IRD (Regional Development Institute), with fewer researchers and technicians, have valuable competence in technology transfer to firms and company activity development (Indian Ocean Commission, fishing resource development, satellite monitoring, maritime zone control, seafood production quality control capacity, etc.)

• With associations and agencies
  - ARDA (Reunion Association for Fish Farming Development) is both a study and research instrument in sea and land aquaculture and an interfacing structure between research and the industry sector.
  - ARVAM (Agency for Marine Research and Development) is active in the field of marine and coastal environment. It is also a marine environment R&D centre.
  - APLAMEDOM (French Overseas Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Association) is taking part in the renewed worldwide interest in herbal medicine and in bringing man closer to nature. It ensures synergy between research, agriculture and industry.
  - CERF (Cane and Sugar Test, Research and Training Centre) aims at increasing cane production using cutting-edge genetic and technological methods. Its researchers work on the selection of new, always more productive cane varieties (R570).

Incentives for corporate research and innovation

• ANVAR (French National Association for Research Development) can provide funding and consultant services for innovative projects through zero-interest loans to SMF's, laboratories and budding entrepreneurs taking up the technical, business and financial challenge of innovation,
• La Réunion Regional Nursery can provide strong logistic support for innovative projects up to industrial phase.

Company nurseries

In 2001, in addition to research on natural environment, we showed that La Reunion was ready to take the 21st century technological and industrial changes in their stride, especially in the field of bio-technologies and nanotechnologies. In this new context, "we could have very good reactivity compared to neighbouring countries. As they rely heavily on IT, these sectors are free from La Réunion's two major liabilities : geographical remoteness and high living standard. Bio-technologies and nanotechnologies do not require much space, but rather training and equipment".

One of the difficulties to be overcome is social inertia linked to various development preoccupations of each region. How can we manage this permanent clash-addressing vital current problems and planning the next 20 years at the same time ?

5. What common and/or specific priority issues?

With sustainable joint development currently on our agenda, short-term common issues are energy control and environment management.

The first problem is water production and waste management. The second is energy production and control. La Réunion Regional Council has already selected two key technologies to be used in those fields.

Can we jointly establish a new technology development programme on the basis of those key technologies? With this aim in view, can we be more innovative in the field of IT development and use (e-learning) so as to make IT a major training and research interface ?

As early as in 2001, La Réunion Regional Council clearly stated its will to help our economy switch to high added value services. By organising Research Symposiums, setting up a "C.I.E." and defining key technologies through the year 2010, La Réunion paved the way for a new economy markedly different from our traditional, basically import-substitution-oriented economy.

6. Useful structuring actions to be conducted in the region (research and training)

• networking of higher education training centres;
• increasing student, teacher, researcher, engineer and technician exchange programs;
• networking data from local research centres by means of publications and monthly newsletters;
• joint financing of equipment (to be defined);
• regular scientific and technological symposium (to be defined);
• structuring local research through tender-called research projects on regional cooperation themes;
• grants for PhD's on regional cooperation subjects.