Scientific research as a hub for the future's needs

In my desired future, science would become the cornerstone of the EU budget. With a better scientific knowledge of the world around us, Europe would drive good reforms not only in the primary and the secondary sectors of our economies, but also in health and education. In the primary and secondary sectors, it would allow us to become more competitive by taking advantage of our already great potential for developing high-level technologies in comparison to other regions. This way, the EU would become more efficient in every economic activity (which also means less environmental impact) and, also, more strategically independent. In health, quality of life for our elders would be increased, hopefully to the point of partially preventing aging. By achieving this, people would remain socially and workwise functional for more years. Apart from the inherent personal and social direct advantages, this would avoid the long-term budget crisis that lots of European states can face as their populations get older. As for education, pedagogy and psychology, helped by new technologies, would guide the adequate reforms, adapted to each country, that prepared the youth to become highly skilled, global citizens. Having this kind of citizens would, in turn, boost the EU economy (through increased adaptive enterpreneurship) and also the quality of its political aspect: it would promote critical attitudes and a proactive citizenship.