The Nokia Foundation has today granted its annual award to Professor George Metakides for his merits in advancing information technology research, development and international cooperation in Europe. A regular visitor in Finland, Professor Metakides has been a significant contributor to the active participation of Finnish universities, research institutes and businesses in European research initiatives. The award, worth EUR 10,000, was presented today at the Nokia Foundation Grant Holder Announcement event by Jorma Ollila, Chairman and CEO, Nokia Corporation.

 

Born in Thessaloniki, Greece in 1945, Professor Metakides received his Ph.D. in Mathematical Logic from Cornell University in 1971 and pursued a distinguished academic career in the top US universities including MIT, Cornell and Rochester. He returned to Greece to take the Chair of Logic at the University of Patras in 1978. Between 1984 and 2002 he held several senior positions in European institutions with responsibilities for R&D policy, funding and international cooperation.

 

In 1988 Professor Metakides established the department for Basic Research and International Scientific Relations in Information Technologies at the European Commission and headed the department until 1993. He then served as the Director of the EUR 2 billion ESPRIT Programme (European Strategic Programme of Research in Information Technology) from 1993 to 1998, and as the Director of Essential Technologies and Infrastructures of the EUR 4 billion IST Programme (Information Society Technologies) from 1998 to 2002. Currently, he holds a professorship at the University of Patras and serves as the President of the Scientific Council of the Greek Computer Technologies Institute (CTI).

 

In his speech today at the Nokia Foundation Grant Holder Announcement event, Nokia Corporation Chairman and CEO Jorma Ollila emphasized the significance of constant interaction between universities, businesses and the society. According to Ollila, there is a need to establish more research and development initiatives that utilize and create knowhow horizontally, at both the national and European levels. In promoting activities related to the so-called third mission of the universities it is important to ensure that the activities also work to strengthen and complement the primary mandates of the universities - the highest level of education and research. "Education and research must continue to represent the highest level of quality in the world. In addition, care needs to be taken that interaction based on the extensive knowhow develops as widely as possible with the corporate world", Ollila stated.

 

An important objective is to find a solution for the assignment of intellectual property rights and rights to use research results in a way that is satisfactory and incentive to all parties involved. According to Ollila, a key strength of the Finnish innovation system is the widespread cooperation in all levels with businesses and universities.

 

The Nokia Foundation grants in 2003 amounted to a record number of 92, with a total value of EUR 452,000. Scholarships were granted to 71 post-graduate students to support efficient completion of their doctorate studies, to 11 initiatives for further development of education in information and communication technologies, and to nine visiting professors and researchers.

 

The Nokia Foundation was formed in 1995 to support the development of scientific competence and educational capabilities in information and telecommunications technologies in Finland.

 

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