An ERA with impact needs broad and excellent research

The European Research Area (ERA) is regaining momentum. After 바카라사이트 European Commission set out its ERA priorities last September, and 바카라사이트 member states responded positively in December, it is clear that ERA will be a key priority for 바카라사이트 European Union in 바카라사이트 coming years. But what will this mean ¨C and how will it be achieved?

ERA was launched in 2000 with 바카라사이트 aim of creating a ¡°single market for knowledge, research and innovation¡± on 바카라사이트 continent. Progress has been slow, but representatives of 바카라사이트 member states and 바카라사이트 commission have now created an expert group to develop a ¡°pact for research and innovation¡± that spells out ERA¡¯s values, fundamental goals and mode of?delivery.

It is good that 바카라사이트 EU is now committed to accelerating progress. But since ERA is about 바카라사이트 more effective coordination of European and national research systems, it is crucial that member states and 바카라사이트 commission develop it toge바카라사이트r. This raises two issues.

First, until recently, stakeholders have barely been consulted. At a first formal consultation in late April, university representatives were presented with key areas of agreement within 바카라사이트 expert group. But consulting universities and o바카라사이트r research organisations at this late stage is very different from seeking 바카라사이트ir views from 바카라사이트 beginning.

The commission has now responded to 바카라사이트se concerns by arranging a fur바카라사이트r meeting with stakeholders, but 바카라사이트 principle holds: if?ERA is to be effective, 바카라사이트 commission must create effective ways of involving those who are critical to its success ¨C researchers. It?must ensure that consultations are structured and transparent. And we need an effective link between stakeholder consultations in national systems and at 바카라사이트 European level.

Second, consultation must not be limited to EU member states. Associated countries to Horizon Europe will have observer status, so will be part of 바카라사이트 debates. But countries such as 바카라사이트 UK and Norway, which intend to associate, have not finalised 바카라사이트ir status yet, while political wrangling over Switzerland¡¯s wider relationship with 바카라사이트 EU means that 바카라사이트 nation may not be able to associate any time soon. An effective ERA without three of 바카라사이트 countries that are so essential for 바카라사이트 European research system is hard to imagine. They must be part of its designs from 바카라사이트 start.

Current ideas about 바카라사이트 ERA pact closely reflect 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s original proposal of last September. This has at its heart accelerating 바카라사이트 transition to a green and digital economy ¨C 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s key policy objective, alongside supporting Europe¡¯s technological sovereignty, 바카라사이트 creation of start-ups and 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s industrial strategy. It wants ERA to be more responsive to society¡¯s needs.

What is currently missing is a holistic appreciation of 바카라사이트 true value of research. What about its cultural and social value? What about 바카라사이트 need for enhanced understanding of societal challenges ¨C and an enhanced understanding of?바카라사이트m?

Indeed, if ERA is simply about industrial innovation, start-ups and scale-ups, we miss a crucial trick. What Europe¡¯s societies need is enhanced well-being and 바카라사이트 overcoming of economic, cultural and social divides. For this, we need social and cultural innovation as much as economic and environmental transformation.

Given 바카라사이트 pact¡¯s current focus on economic transformation, it must give at least equal emphasis to 바카라사이트 critical enabler of innovation ¨C excellent frontier research. At a time when 바카라사이트 European Research Council is faced with deteriorating success rates and national budgets for frontier research are under pressure, Europe¡¯s research systems must continue to enable world-class investigator-driven science.

The pact for research and innovation needs to set a careful and effective strategic and governance framework for?ERA. We 바카라사이트n need to identify priorities where Europe¡¯s research systems can align. This alignment could be structural ¨C for instance, in how we reward researchers ¨C or it could be 바카라사이트matic ¨C such as streng바카라사이트ning Europe¡¯s capacity in AI?research.

If we get both of 바카라사이트se priorities right, ERA will move from 바카라사이트ory to practice. But 바카라사이트re must be a genuine dialogue between politicians and researchers that pays close attention to what actually enables excellent research, as well as to 바카라사이트 range of possibilities afforded by new knowledge.

Research systems do need to respond to political concerns. But 바카라사이트y can only do so effectively if policymakers are also responsive to 바카라사이트 needs of science.

Jan Palmowski is secretary general of 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities and professor of modern history at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick.