The celebratory event of the 25th Anniversary of the ITG gathered 500 people and the highest representatives, in the Arao de Palexco auditorium. The screening of a video in which there was a tour of the Institute’s history, as well as an affectionate tribute to the 8 former Chairman since the founding of the entity in 1991, gave way to speeches by the authorities and a subsequent cocktail for all attendees.
Program · Act Scaletta · 25º Anniversary Video
The event included several institutional representatives: the Mayor of A Coruña, Xulio Ferreiro; president of the Council of State, José Manuel Romay; the Regional Minister for Economy, Labour and Industry of the Xunta de Galicia (local government), Francisco Conde; the dean of the University of A Coruña, Julio Abalde; and the president of the Provincial Council, Valentín González Formoso; among others. A large number of businessmen from the aeronautical, energy, financial and ITC sectors also attended.
Intervention by Antonio Couceiro, Chairman of ITG
“We are a non-profit foundation which purpose is to increase the competitive capacity of our surroundings and contribute to economic and social growth through technology, and the generation of knowledge.” With these words Antonio Couceiro, Chairman of the Technological Institute of Galicia (ITG) described the intentions of the institution.
In his speech, Antonio Couceiro pointed out that, in progressive societies like ours, an R+D system would not work without organizations like the ITG. Looking back, he said: “We have gone from using e-mail to developing complex projects in the field of nanotechnology; from making the first web pages, to designing intelligent systems capable of fulfilling the needs of a big city; from publishing catalog for the uses of wood, to leading the national market for Sustainable Construction, and from struggling to consolidate this institution, to preside over the Spanish Federation of Technology Centers”.
Thinking about the future, the Chairman of the Institute spoke about the complications that arise when balancing market orientation and services provided to society. In this sense, he stated that such dependence “would make us lose sight of the services provided” to citizens, as well as provoking a technological decapitalization of the center short-term”. On the other hand, he added, “an excessive focus on research would make us lose sight to what the company and society need”.
After recalling that “it is rare that those who work with ITG stop doing so”, he highlighted his “enormous capacity to help, from a neutral and technical stance”, so institutions can acquire and improve their competitiveness and services.
Antonio Couceiro was convinced that “it will not be possible to face the challenges of our society without transforming our models of production to more innovative-intensive models”. About this he said, “Technology Centers will be the focal point of companies, as producers of applied research, transmitters of technology and investors in R+D.” Finally, he commited “to accept, with courage, this responsibility, and to transform the institutional support in technological solutions aimed at the improvement of competitiveness for Galician businesses”.
