Technology and science have been the main sources of progress and development throughout human history. The point at which the challenge becomes difficult is to find ways in which governments can take advantage of technology and turn their vision into reality.

Recently, two former political rivals, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Conservative Party leader William Hague, wrote about ways to tackle this problem. Entitled “A New National Goal: Innovation Can Power Britain’s Future”, their report attempts to chart the path of the British state through the turbulent waters of technology and science. This text is part of the Tony Blair Institute’s mission to revive progressive politics to meet the challenges facing Britain in the coming decades. The report and its contents can become a source of inspiration for other states in solving their common problems.

The successful implementation of the political program is based on the mobilization of public administration at all levels, which requires strong political leadership. This requires a well-organized central state administration. First, there should be a ministry with sole responsibility for science and technology in order to seize the opportunities and manage the associated risks. Thus, it emphasizes its importance as a political priority and creates a point of contact for international investors. Second, there is a need for a staff unit at the center of government to manage and guide the implementation of the policies planned in the ministry. This service is necessary for coordinating the actions of all competent authorities, providing the necessary material and human resources, as well as for daily checking that the progress of work is on schedule. Because, after all, Thomas Edison is said to have said: vision without execution is just an illusion.

Research and development

But politics can only go so far. Funding is key. Greece has made clear progress in this area and has significantly increased research and development (R&D) funding over the past decade. According to the OECD, R&D spending reached 1.51% of GDP in 2020, up from 0.6% in 2010. With an annual growth rate of 6.8%, this is the fourth fastest growth rate in the OECD, but remains well below that of the organization. an average of 2.67%.

The question then arises as to how the funds should be distributed. At the international level, public R&D funding has rightly been criticized for being excessively risk-averse, geared primarily towards experienced scientists, extremely short time horizons, and overly bureaucratic. These practices form a hostile environment for the development of innovative ideas. Young scientists should be given more support, and the time horizon of funding should be extended so that scientists are at least partly relieved of the burden of constantly submitting new applications for short-term funding. Evaluation of projects to be funded can be carried out by bodies that include, in addition to the participation of senior scientists, people with different research backgrounds.

In addition to management and R&D, the education sector can benefit from the use of technology. In 2018, in both math and physics, 15-year-old Greeks ranked 34th out of the then 37 OECD countries, behind only Chile, Colombia and Mexico. At the same time, studies show that up to 95% of Greek high school students attend additional courses at tutoring centers to prepare for the entrance exams to the Panhellenic University. But just as technology and electronic applications have become part of our daily lives, making goods and services more accessible, they can also be used in education to improve outcomes. Educational technology (Edtech) can help in both the instructional and administrative aspects of education. Regarding the former, there are educational platforms that offer AI-based learning experiences that can improve student understanding of a subject by up to 30%. They create customized learning trajectories by analyzing the ways each child best understands the concepts they are being taught, while collecting data for both teachers and parents. On the other hand, the administrative burden can be reduced by using simple yet powerful tools that help evaluate student work or enable faster communication between teachers or between teachers and parents. To ensure success, it is necessary to allocate funds not only for the implementation of edtech tools, but also for the training of teachers so that they and their students can take full advantage of modern technologies.

Innovation

The report by Tony Blair and William Haig offers many such examples and ideas in a number of areas beyond these three that both the UK and Greece could explore to ensure a better future for their citizens in the 21st century. However, we must all remember that in a world of constant innovation, the search for new solutions never ends. Postponing changes until tomorrow, a person runs the risk of being lagging behind, not a leader.

* Mr. Jakub Jaworowski is director of the Tony Blair Institute.