The Ministry of Education and Research and the National Research Authority announced on Tuesday the completion, at the level of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), of the evaluation process of Romania within the Committee on Science and Technology Policy (CSTP).
According to a press release, following this evaluation, the Committee on Science and Technology Policy adopted the Formal Opinion, which confirms both Romania's capacity to implement the OECD legal instruments in its area of competence, and the alignment of national policies and practices with international standards in the field.
"The adoption of the Formal Opinion marks the completion of Romania's assessment by the CSTP. It represents the result of an extensive assessment process carried out in several stages, including detailed analyses carried out by the specialized working groups NESTI - the National Expert Group for Science and Technology Indicators, and BNCT - the Working Group for Biotechnology, Nanotechnology and Convergent Technologies", the press release reads.
According to the same source, the conclusions formulated by these structures include both confirmation of compliance with OECD standards, as well as recommendations aimed at guiding the medium and long-term evolution of the national research and innovation system.
"After education, I am glad that we have also closed the research side of Romania's accession process to the OECD, Romania's new country project, after the NATO, European Union and PNRR accession projects. I thank the ministers who started and carried out these steps before I took over the position of Minister of Education and Research, the teams that helped me complete these steps, and in this specific case, the President of the National Research Authority, Mr. Andrei Alexandru, directly involved in this step for the research component", the Minister of Education and Research, Daniel David was quoted as saying in the press release.
In turn, the President of the National Research Authority, Andrei Alexandru, stated that the adoption of the Formal Opinion of the OECD Committee on Science and Technology Policy is a recognition of Romania's institutional maturity and capacity to participate in the definition and implementation of the most advanced policies in the field of research and innovation.
"It is, at the same time, a commitment that we assume to continue consolidating the national framework and to fully capitalize on the opportunities offered by membership in the OECD family. I thank Minister Daniel David, State Secretary Luca Niculescu, colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and colleagues from the International Relations Directorate of the National Research Authority for their full involvement and support", said Alexandru.
The National Coordinator for Romania's accession process to the OECD, the State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Luca Niculescu, highlighted the importance of the CSTP's Formal Opinion for the dynamics of the process. He stated that the Formal Opinion adopted by the CSTP, the 15th that Romania has received since the beginning of the accession talks, confirms the very good dynamics so far, but also the mobilization to continue the efforts in the course of accession to the OECD.
"With this step, Romania confirms its role as an active partner in international science and technology networks, strengthening the confidence of the academic community and the public and private environment in the capacity of the national research system to meet the highest standards. Romania's participation in various European and international research infrastructures only accelerates the process of international integration in science and technology. The benefits are direct: increased international visibility, access to OECD expertise and good practices, as well as strengthening the foundations for solid and evidence-based public policies, for the benefit of Romanian society and the economy", the same source informs.
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