Technological development and innovation should be the driving force of scientific activity in the Azores
The Regional Director for Science and Technology, on behalf of the Regional Director for Science, Technology and Infrastructures, presided over the opening session of the International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks (ICTON) this morning, an event that brings together more than 350 world-renowned scientists.
“The quality and prestige of this international conference is clearly demonstrated by the large participation and qualification of the scientists, researchers, technicians and businesspeople, representing the five continents,” mentioned Paulo Menezes at the beginning of the event, where several issues related to telecommunications, particularly the use of optical fibre, will be discussed during the next four days.
Organised in Portugal this year by the Institute of Telecommunications of the University of Aveiro, in a joint initiative with the University of the Azores and with the support of the Regional Government, the ICTON is one of the world’s three most important conferences on the subject.
The Regional Director stressed the increasingly prominent role played by the Region as a privileged space for the organisation of these events, not only by the multiple research fields, but also by the promotion of scientific investigation, which has been supported by the Azorean Government over the last years, in order to create conditions for expanding and promoting the knowledge society.
“Our Integrated Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation, a fundamental tool for the Azores concerning this area, whose main purpose is the reinforcement of the scientific investigation, innovation and the technological development, demonstrates the strong commitment of the Regional Government in the scientific activity,” emphasised the Regional Director.
For Paulo Menezes, these domains, including the scientific research and the technological development and innovation, are the keystones to reinforce competitiveness and economic growth, through the creation of qualified jobs, which decisively contribute to create the wealth and well being.
The Regional Director also reinforced the support provided by the Government to the centres of scientific investigation in the Azores, in several areas, thus assuring a socio-economic development based on a knowledge society.