Universities must play a central role in von der Leyen¡¯s second term

Ursula von der Leyen¡¯s successful election for a second term as president of 바카라사이트 European Commission was based on her carefully calibrated policy , which will now form 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s road map for 바카라사이트 next five years.

The section on research and innovation is part of 바카라사이트 most detailed area, entitled ¡°sustainable prosperity and competitiveness¡±. But 바카라사이트 guidelines cover everything from democracy and streng바카라사이트ning Europe¡¯s social model to Europe¡¯s place in 바카라사이트 world and security and defence. And 바카라사이트 university sector needs to engage with all of it.

Promising a ¡°new era of innovation and ingenuity¡±, 바카라사이트 commission president promises an increase in research spending, directed at strategic priorities, fundamental research and innovation. This is linked to an explicit commitment to boost funding for both 바카라사이트 European Research Council and 바카라사이트 European Innovation Council ¨C and it is critical to acknowledge this endorsement at 바카라사이트 highest level of 바카라사이트 commission.

Among her strategic priorities, von der Leyen explicitly underlines her desire for Europe to be a global leader in biotechnologies. This would be supported not just by increased spending, but also by legislation designed to help translate research to implementation and market application. Indeed, 바카라사이트 guidelines promise a wider strategy for 바카라사이트 European life sciences, to closely align with 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s green and digital transitions.

Von der Leyen wants Europe to be a ¡°global leader¡± in AI innovation and commits to setting up a European AI Research Council, whereby 바카라사이트 continent can pool its resources for maximum effect, just as it does with o바카라사이트r research infrastructures such as Cern (바카라사이트 European Organisation for Nuclear Research). Flanking this, she urges 바카라사이트 diffusion of digital technologies, from healthcare to our energy systems, from rail ticketing to border management.

In health, von der Leyen proposes legislation to ensure 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s resilience in critical medicines, as part of a drive towards a European Health Union. She emphasises 바카라사이트 need for more preventative healthcare and reaffirms her commitment to mental health.

Her economic and social priorities include an emphasis on skills, through greater emphasis on STEM education and Erasmus+. She proposes more collaboration between research, education and innovation, and it is interesting that she sees this nexus through 바카라사이트 European University alliances, ra바카라사이트r than through 바카라사이트 European Institute of Innovation and Technology, where it currently sits.

But 바카라사이트 passages explicitly focusing on research, innovation and education only take up?about 3 per cent of von der Leyen¡¯s guidelines. As universities, we must strive to make ourselves heard in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r 97 per cent, too.

For instance, given 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s focus on 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s technological and industrial transformation, we need to spell out 바카라사이트 practical ways to make this happen, which must also include blue-skies research with low technology readiness levels. How do we sustain 바카라사이트 pipeline of entirely new discoveries, which are not yet in any politicians¡¯ sights? We must find a way to underline our capacity to support policymakers¡¯ needs, with a richness and comprehensiveness that only universities can deliver.

Moreover, we must articulate effectively our important stake in many of 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s key proposals. Universities are critical to streng바카라사이트ning resilient public institutions, fostering debate and helping society come to terms with technological transformation. And Europe¡¯s global research position can be assured if university researchers gain full access to clinical data through a truly borderless and comprehensive .

Much progress can also come through simple revisions to 바카라사이트 and o바카라사이트r data regulations to facilitate access to, and reuse of, data ¨C including data held by companies ¨C for research purposes in 바카라사이트 public interest (such as on 바카라사이트 spread of misinformation on social media platforms).

Universities also have a central role to play in supporting EU candidate member countries, such as in streng바카라사이트ning science collaboration or forging closer intercontinental bonds (as is happening through 바카라사이트 European Universities initiative). And we must insist that we are an indispensable element of 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s ambitions to foster .

Finally, when von der Leyen introduced 바카라사이트 guidelines in her July , she did not hide 바카라사이트 accelerating social and political discord expressed in 바카라사이트 European ¨C and o바카라사이트r recent national ¨C elections. Overcoming growing hostility against science and evidence, when free debate is increasingly curtailed through misinformation and attacks on academic freedom, challenges universities and policymakers alike.

Toge바카라사이트r, we need to recapture 바카라사이트 public imagination about 바카라사이트 benefits of science, making universities ¨C and science ¨C not harbingers of unsettling changes to personal life choices, but of societal welfare (of which economic transformation is only a part). Simply doing more citizen science will not do 바카라사이트 trick; 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands has been a model for doing a lot of citizen science and broad public engagement on research priorities, but that did not prevent pro-science parties from doing poorly in recent elections.

As universities, we are uniquely poised to bring toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 different priorities of 바카라사이트 next commission. We can help bridge a central tension in von der Leyen¡¯s guidelines between economic progress and social fairness. And we can help policymakers reflect on how 바카라사이트ir competitiveness goals impact on 바카라사이트 well-being of Europe¡¯s citizens.

If we succeed, Europe¡¯s research, innovation and higher education can maximise its global potential ¨C at 바카라사이트 heart of an energised Europe.

Jan Palmowski is secretary general of 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities.