ITEA 2 software-intensive systems and services initiative receives EUREKA approval
Prague, 20 October 2005
Note: This press release is also available in French.
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The EUREKA High Level Group today confirmed its approval in Prague for the ambitious ITEA 2 strategic initiative in software-intensive systems (SiS) and services . The ITEA 2 Cluster intends to mobilise a total of 20,000 person-years over its full eight-year duration, double that of the existing ITEA Cluster. This will require a significant increase in investment to more than 3 billion. Such a level follows from experience in ITEA, the need to close the gap in R&D investment identified by the Lisbon objectives, and the ever-growing importance of SiS. The first Call for Projects is set for 2006, to ensure a smooth transition from ITEA.
“ITEA 2 is essential to maintain the momentum built up by the current highly successful ITEA programme in a dramatically changing world,” says ITEA chairman Rudolf Haggenmüller . “The second wave of the digital transition will be deeper and more transformational than ever, with intelligence literally everywhere. Global competition will be ever tougher with increasing shift of both production and research offshore and the very real challenges to Europe posed by China and India .”
Business models are also changing rapidly with a complete transition from the classical two-tier original equipment supplier (OEM)-supplier model to agile dynamic multi-tier global OEM supplier networks. There are also major social challenges caused by poor growth rates in Europe , leading to unemployment. And the effect of 9/11 in the USA has led to massive ICT investments in North America in safety, security, trust and traceability.
Dramatic shift to embedded SiS
The core challenge of ITEA 2 is to face up to the dramatic shift to embedded SiS that is affecting all aspects of everyday life:
- Rapid response to the exponential growth in electronics will lead to hundreds of thousands of new high-quality jobs in key European industries such as automotive and aeronautics;
- Growing interconnection of consumer electronic devices to provide myriad services in the home is placing great strains on software development – essential to keep high level work in Europe;
- The future of healthcare and medical systems is increasingly in the software that can speed diagnosis and treatment – essential for well-being and quality of life; and
- Manufacturing is changing rapidly, particularly with the emergence of the ‘cyber' enterprise.
Maintaining European leadership
The existing EUREKA ITEA Cluster has played a key role in maintaining European leadership in embedded software-intensive systems (SiS) and services since its launch in 1999. It was the f irst major initiative of European industry and public authorities to recognise the emerging importance embedded and distributed systems.
By the end of the current programme, 9,500 person-years of R&D will have been invested with some 85 projects having involved more than 450 partners from large and small companies, research centres and academia in 23 countries. To date, 42 projects have already been completed, leading to the creation of new products and new companies. The result has been a boost to the competitiveness of many European industries – from the automotive, high-speed train and aerospace sectors, through communications and consumer electronics to healthcare and environmental management.
Despite the undoubted success of the current ITEA programme, Europe continues to face tough challenges as R&D intensity falls further behind that of its main global competitors. There is also a growing lag between R&D and commercial innovation, combined with the ‘European paradox' of excellent research but poor translation into products. According to a study by IDATE/TNO, ICT is also rapidly invading European strongholds such as the automotive and other key industries.
Ready to meet the challenge
While Europe is making great strides in micro- and nano-electronics through programmes such as that of the EUREKA MEDEA+ Cluster, the grand challenge is to devise, create and master software architectures, technologies and systems, solutions and services for myriad applications including safety-, security-, and time-critical functions. ITEA 2 is ready to meet this challenge
Commitment is high with the founding partners of ITEA 2 – Airbus, Alcatel, Barco, Bosch, Bull, DaimlerChrysler, the European Federation of High Tech SMEs, Italtel, Nokia, Philips, Siemens, Telvent, Thales and Thomson – all leaders in their respective fields and many figuring in the global top 100 companies. Their total turnover is around €380 billion with over 1.5 million employees, of which more than 200,000 are in R&D, mainly carried out in Europe
For more press information, please contact:
Anne van der Linden
PR/Communications
ITEA
Office
Tel: +31 (0)40 247 5590
Fax: +31 (0)40 247 5595
Email: [email protected]
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