Why measuring creativity?

In the new strategic framework, which sets out European co-operation in education and training for the coming decade (ET 2020), the importance of creativity is recognised as "a prime source of innovation, which in turn is acknowledged as one of the key drivers of sustainable economic development".

The role of creativity and innovation is also paramount in the current European context: creativity is the core component of the capacity to innovate and it is the engine for improving the quality of life and the sustainability of development. Creativity contributes to developing flexible environments for skills and innovation in education, where it cuts across all the key basic competences.

The 2009 European Year of Creativity and Innovation promoted awareness of the importance of creativity and innovation for personal, social and economic development. Its aim was to spread good practises, to stimulate education and research and to promote policy debate on these issues. The Manifesto of the Year concluded that we have to foster creativity. And if we want to foster it, we need to measure it: Measuring Creativity is an important step answering to this challenge.

Measuring creativity: the book

Measuring Creativity contains different approaches to measuring creativity like creative societies and creative classes, creativity and culture, creativity and economic growth, national and cross-national measurements of creativity and innovation, but also approaches to measure and analyse creative skills and competences of individuals applying psychometric methodologies and theories. In Measuring Creativity problem solving/problem finding skills are highlighted as a good proxy for potential creativity, but it is also recognised that creative skills integrate essential dimensions (analogical and divergent thinking, risk taking) that should be included in any measurement of creativity.

To know more

• Full text of the book "Measuring Creativity"
• "Can creativity be measured?" Conference materials, 2009