Hariolf Grupp died unexpectedly in January 2009. His death is a great loss to the community of scholars engaged in innovation research and policy. In this international community, he was one of the few outstanding researchers with an enormously broad and deep understanding of the different elements of innovation systems and their mutual interaction. In particular, he made pioneering methodological and empirical contributions to quantitative innovation research. He was very diligent in the investigation of data and, at the same time, highly creative and open to the development and application of new methods and the examination of novel and difficult topics. A special concern was to look at the political relevance of his research and to participate in various advisory and decision-making boards. In particular, he was a member of the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation (Expertenkommission Forschung und Innovation, EFI), which is an independent high-level advisory board to the German government.

The conference takes up this basic interest of Hariolf Grupp in novel approaches to innovation research and their relevance for policy. National and international colleagues and other outstanding researchers in the field will present topical issues based on their recent work, in order to stimulate debate on key issues in innovation research and policy.

The conference is being organised by the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation in honour of their former colleague, who contributed substantially to, and helped to shape, the work of the Commission. It will take place in Berlin on Monday and Tuesday, April 19/20, 2010 at the European School of Management and Technology ESMT that is situated in the city center, Schlossplatz 1.

You can book your accommodation in the following hotels under the password EFI 2010 untill 1st of April or make your own choice:

Hotel Alexander Plaza (e-mail to info(at)hotel-alexander-plaza.de)
We are looking forward to meeting you at the conference.