”This year’s edition focuses on the role of innovation in society, examining how widely it is accepted and how people perceive its regulation and management. The general perception is that science has become politicised, with people fearing that governments have too much control over research and its results. This leads to distrust and rejection of innovations. In this context, and in a historic election year in which Romania will hold four rounds of elections, public–private partnerships are essential for increasing understanding of, and acceptance for, new technologies and innovations. We are making this study available to the public in the hope that both the business and political communities will gain a clearer understanding of the global context in which we live and operate, and of the emerging trends and changes, many of which are also relevant to Romania” – Corina Vințan, CEO Links Associates.