NCBR’s Annual Report 2020

Dear Readers,

This report provides a summary of what NCBR was dealing with in the year behind us that was rather unusual. This remark was also made by Director Wojciech Kamieniecki in his foreword. This document makes us reflect and take a broader look at NCBR’s operations as a key institution for building an innovation ecosystem in Poland.

The Centre Council, which I have the honour to lead, does not manage NCBR’s ongoing activities, neither does it act as its supervisory board. Our tasks focus on providing advice and issuing opinions on research tasks aimed at the implementation of strategic research and development programmes. This particular position of the Council gives us an insight into the Centre’s operation and thus a look at what is happening in the field of innovation development in our country.

The reality shaped by the pandemic, along with its consequences, has raised questions for all of us about the feasibility of our previous plans. In many cases, it has forced us to abandon some of our activities, and in others it has made profound changes indispensable. It has also verified our ability to adapt to truly challenging conditions. Looking from the perspective of 2021, I can see that NCBR has managed to meet these challenges. As Director Kamieniecki was right to note, all activities of the Centre were adapted very quickly to the new difficult and uncertain circumstances. All these changes met with support and kindness from the Centre Council. The summary of NCBR’s performance, as presented in this report, allows us to conclude that, after all, it was a good year for us. What is more important, it also offered some hope and prospects for the future. I believe that 2021 will let us clearly notice the effects of the new strategy. It is also the year which will see the new EU perspective being launched. I started by saying that 2020 was an unusual year, but I am convinced that, when summing up this year, we will also be speaking about extraordinary times.