Research in the area of information- and communication technology should not be directed from above. This has a paralysing effect. Better is simply to give the smartest researchers money.
This is the conclusion of the committee who has looked into the future of ICT-research for the Advice Council on Science and Technology (AWT). The AWT wanted to hear from the committee which research themes were important for the future.
But the committee calls naming themes 'a trap they did not want to fall into'. ICT develops too quickly and is too unpredictable. There would then be a grave danger of ICT-research 'betting on the wrong horses'.
The committee, led by former Getronics-topman Risseeuw, advocates another approach: give money to researchers who have proven themselves. To prevent fragmentation the money should not be divided among too many people.
The committee also thinks that academic researchers should be sent to companies much more often. They should sell their knowledge better, among other things through patents and also by setting up high-tech companies. On the other hand people from business should get special professorships more often.
Without more money ICT-research cannot do much, says the committee Risseeuw. ICT is a new area, and the scientific world is hardly able to free up money quickly. But if there is no extra money for ICT-research the best researchers could go abroad.
