Meet The Future - Science & Technology Summit

Klik hier voor de lange versie van de film

When
18 November 2010
Client
Science & Technology Platform
What
The Science & Technology Platform (STP) was established in 2004. The Science & Technology Summit will give the STP the opportunity to account for its policies in recent years, but also to outline its ambitious plans for the years ahead. STP aims to show how important science and technology are for Dutch society, in a varied programme with international speakers and top talent. The atmosphere should be upbeat, and the Summit large enough to accommodate around 5,000 visitors. Organise a high-profile event for people working in education, science, politics and business that covers groundbreaking science and technology, innovation and the future of The Netherlands.

Background
The Science & Technology Platform was established by the government in 2004 to ensure sufficient availability of people with a scientific or technical education. After all, a knowledge economy is driven by knowledge workers, about three quarters of whom are scientists or engineers. The Science & Technology Summit celebrated the successes of this long-term incentive programme and formulated new challenges for education and employment.

A cultural shift has taken place in recent years: science and technology are more popular than ever, and people are being given the chance to shine. STP has made a significant contribution to this shift.

The number of pupils and students studying science and technology has increased in all educational sectors. Schools, businesses and government bodies are increasingly working together, and different parties - schools, universities, teachers, researchers, students and companies – are each contributing in their own way. What does this mean for the future?

Neil Armstrong announces his availability to captain a mission to Mars.

Meet the Future
The Science & Technology Summit looked to the future, and the mega event’s central message was alsoMeet the Future.

Visitors could admire the latest technological developments. Businesses presented innovative products and educational institutions showed how they are investing in top Dutch talent. International speakers presented their vision of the future.

Science and technology are crucial to our economy, our international competitiveness and our society. Science and technology are everywhere. Without them there would be no clap skate and no smartphone. Science and technology contribute to security and sustainability. Without them, man would never have set foot on the moon.

The programme
The Summit’s programme was varied and dynamic, and accessible to a wide audience. Speakers included notable individuals like Neil Armstrong (the first man on the moon) and Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple). In his speech, the legendary astronaut announced his availability to captain the first manned flight to Mars. Steve Wozniak presented the first Dutch Wozzie, a prize of €10,000 for the best scientific idea.

Other speakers were Singaporean scientist Kishore Mahbubani (Can Asians Think?), renowned geneticist and anthropologist Spencer Wells (from The Beagle project) and the acclaimed Dutch mathematician Robbert Dijkgraaf, as well as former swimmer Pieter van de Hoogenband and skater Erben Wennemars, who spoke about technology and sport.

Highlights from the programme included the Science and Technology Heroes exhibition, the InnovationLab attended by the most innovative companies, the children's attic with readings and workshops, and the the VMBO Challenge, a technical design competition for high school students.

Seven ambassadors
The Summit’s diversity was reflected in a group of seven very different science and technology ambassadors. They had one thing in common, however: a passion for pioneering science and technology.

The ambassadors played a central role in the communication around the Summit. They led visitors literally and figuratively through the packed programme, and told their science and technology stories. They were the Summit’s flag bearers, in the media and online.

Meet the Future in the media
The media were served in various ways. A distinction was made between target groups such as education and business.

Our trump cards when approaching the press were the guest speakers. Armstrong and Wozniak, in particular, attracted a great deal of media attention. Despite clear press restrictions, Armstrong appeared prominently in theTelegraaf and de Volkskrant newspapers. Wozniak scored well in the Metro and on the Telegraaf’s financial pages. This is only a selection of the media coverage. Please request the complete media pack.

Would you like to know more?

Please contact Simon van Melick