OPENING CEREMONY
Welcoming Remarks

Bohuslav Sobotka, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Czech Republic

Martin Jahn, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Economy, Czech Republic.
PPT: Innovation and Technology Absorption for Growth

Annette Dixon, Director, Regional Operations, Europe and Central Asia Region, World Bank

COFFEE BREAK                                        

PLENARY SESSION I
Innovation, Competition and Economic Growth: Theory, Policy and Practice

Prof. Dr. Klaus Gretschmann, Director General of the Council of the European Union, Directorate General Competitiveness. 
PPT: Innovation, Competition and Economic Growth    

Robert Willig, Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School and the Economics Department of Princeton University. 
Presentation: Innovation, Growth and Competition

Moderator:  Daniela Gressani, Country Director, Central Europe and Baltics, World Bank

PLENARY SESSION II
The Role of the Government in Fostering Innovation and Technology Absorption

Professor Manuel Trajtenberg, Eitan Berglas School of Economics, Tel Aviv University.
PPT: Government Support for Commercial Innovation 

Itzhak Goldberg, Lead Specialist, ECSPF, World Bank.
PPT: Support for Commercial Innovation: Why, How and When? 

Cathleen A. Campbell, Senior Vice President, U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation

Discussant:  Marcin Hejka, Director of Strategic Investments - Central Eastern Europe, Intel Capital and Vice President of the Polish Venture Capital Association

Moderator: Iveta Griacova, Investment Manager, Genesis Capital, Slovak Republic

PLENARY SESSION III
Reforming Higher Education for Innovation

Petr Kolar, Deputy Minister of Education, Czech Republic.
PPT: Strategy of Transformation of Czech Universities  

Dr. Peter Magrath, Senior Advisor to the College Board, National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges.
Reforming Higher Education for Innovation. 

Dr. Gary Crawley, Director of Frontiers Engineering & Science, Science Foundation Ireland.
Presentation: Reforming Higher Education for Innovation 

Stephen Tam, Centre for Commercialisation and Technopreneur Development, Multimedia University Malaysia.       
PPT: Striving for Excellence in Academic Performance and Commercialization      

Discussant: Thomas Weko

Moderator:   Maureen McLaughlin, Sector Manager, ECSHD, World Bank