Adrian Curaj

Adrian Curaj is a Professor at the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration and Director of the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI).

Former minister of Education, Science and Innovation. He is the head of the UNESCO Chair on Science and Innovation Policies at the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration and a professor at the “Politehnica” University of Bucharest. He was a consultant for the World Bank, UNESCO, UNIDO, ETF and EC for Tertiary Education, Science and Innovation, and Foresight studies. Adrian Curaj is a member of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Fulbright Commission in Romania and a fellow of the World Academy of Art & Science (WAAS). He has been at the forefront of developments in Smart Specialization as Europe’s contribution to the new industrial innovation policy, in policy advising for higher education as a host and chair of the Bologna Process Researcher Conferences, and of the main initiatives supporting progress towards Open Science in Romania. Professor Curaj is the artisan of the smart territorial development project, Laser Valley-Land of Lights.

Foresight for Sustainability

Grounded in the core principles of sustainability—meeting the needs of the present without compromising future generations, and foresight—the ability to anticipate trends and guide present decisions, presentation emphasizes the importance of foresight and anticipation, recognizing that many of today’s most pressing global challenges—such as climate change, technological disruptions, geopolitical instability, inequality, and health crises— can only be tackled through proactive and long-term thinking to create resilient, sustainable solutions for the future. Last but not least, the role of foresight in decision-making with considerations on the actionability of future studies with references to different foresight exercises will be addressed.