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The main objective of VISION RD4SD is to ensure that Europe is able to contribute to sustainable development, by formulating policies and decisions based on robust, up to date knowledge. This will be done by developing a shared vision between science funding bodies and national science policy institutions in the European member states.

VISION RD4SD (VISION for Research and Development for Sustainable Development) is a Coordinated Action (2011-2013) financially supported by the European Commission 7th Framework Program. The main objective of VISION RD4SD is to ensure that Europe is able to contribute to a sustainable development of the world, by formulating policies and decisions based on robust, up to date knowledge. This will be done by developing a shared vision between science funding bodies and national science policy institutions in the European member states on how best to harness research and development for sustainable development (RD4SD).

To fulfill this objective a number of activities are planned:

  • To design and actively run a dialogue between the European science policy institutions to make exchange of ideas and experiences efficient and productive towards the development of such a shared vision.
  • To develop concrete strategic goals and road maps that can be used by the science funding bodies and science policy institutions in the preparation of national strategies and action plans to be implemented in the member states.
  • To elaborate a state of the art (overview) of past and ongoing RD4SD in the European Union, including actions taken by funding organisations to promote RD4SD.
  • To draw conclusions and develop recommendations for the design of FP 8 (CSF) and the realisation of the 2020 ERA Vision.

The central tool selected to achieve this objective is to establish a Platform for Dialogue and exchange of experiences among science funding bodies, science policy administrations, and science ministries in Europe.
This dialogue is supported by country studies providing an overview of how research and development towards sustainable development is being funded, coordinated and evaluated by science policy at the moment.
The Platform will offer the opportunity to develop concrete strategies towards harnessing RD4SD on national and European levels.
Consequently, the main activities within VISION RD4SD will be workshops and conferences where European science policy makers, science policy administrators and research funding organisations meet for a structured dialogue on the future of RD4SD.
The success of VISION RD4SD is largely dependent on active participation of the funding agencies and science policy organisations in these workshops and conferences, compilation and submission of requested material and willingness to test tools and strategies developed within the coordinated action.
VISION RD4SD is a network of 25 partners from 18 different European countries and focuses on a dialogue among European science policy-makers, administrators and those funding-policy makers in general who demand and need solutions from VISION RD4SD.
VISION RD4SD is built on a group of participants representing the funding agencies and science policy organisations.
The consortium has 25 partners from 18 different European countries, and participants with observer status. The two categories of participants, full partners and observers, have different levels of commitments. Partners are expected to actively contribute to the activities organised by the project (workshops, conferences, surveys) and to disseminate the results of the project into the member states of the EU. Observers have a lower level of commitment and can chose to be part of all or just some of the activities of the project.
FEEM participates in the project as an observer.