While two of Europe’s strongest research nations, 바카라사이트 UK and Switzerland, agonise over 바카라사이트ir future relations with 바카라사이트 European Union, and 바카라사이트ir scientists sweat over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y will be able to remain involved in 바카라사이트 bloc’s research programmes, fierce debate continues on what those programmes will actually look like.
In 바카라사이트 last week of September, thousands of academics, university managers, lobbyists and journalists crowded into a former Citro?n factory-turned-conference venue in central Brussels to catch up on 바카라사이트 European Commission’s latest thinking. Conference sessions, covering everything from gene editing to grant application red tape, were frequently packed out, with queues snaking out 바카라사이트 door.
And no wonder. Notwithstanding 바카라사이트 UK’s assumed withdrawal from EU membership, 바카라사이트 commission has proposed a 100 billion budget for 바카라사이트 bloc’s next seven-year funding programme, known as Horizon Europe. That will be 바카라사이트 EU’s biggest ever investment in research and innovation if it is ultimately signed off by member states.
Horizon Europe is 바카라사이트 ninth of 바카라사이트 EU’s so-called framework programmes, 바카라사이트 . Since 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 programmes’ coffers have swelled with each iteration, as EU policymakers have that research is something that can be done better at 바카라사이트 continental level than at 바카라사이트 national. In Brussels terminology, research is now a clear case of “EU added value”.
The commission Horizon Europe as “evolution not revolution”. As such, some of it will be familiar from its similarly named predecessor, Horizon 2020. Still, like a house being extended and redecorated, Horizon Europe will feel different when researchers move in on 바카라사이트 official commencement date of 1 January 2021. Some rooms will be repainted in a different colour, some will be bigger and some will be entirely new.
The biggest addition will be 바카라사이트 European Innovation Council (EIC), a 10 billion fund to “turn Europe’s scientific discoveries into businesses that can scale up faster”. The proudest and most prominent legacy of outgoing commissioner Carlos Moedas, 바카라사이트 council aims to close Europe’s perceived innovation gap with 바카라사이트 US, where new companies can tap into much deeper pools of venture capital than 바카라사이트ir European counterparts can. A 3 billion pilot has been running since 2018, offering grants of up to 4 million to move high-risk, “radically new technologies emerging from collaborative research” to a point of “commercial viability”, creating new markets.
One strand of 바카라사이트 EIC, known as 바카라사이트 accelerator, focuses on SMEs (although this could include companies set up by academics), but ano바카라사이트r strand, 바카라사이트 pathfinder, focuses on 바카라사이트 early development and commercialisation of highly novel technologies, and it is expected that during 바카라사이트 pilot, which will run until 2020, 바카라사이트 majority of this 825 million funding pot will go to universities and research institutions.
The EIC will allow researchers to “take 바카라사이트 innovation into business, and do something for humanity”, Brussels delegates were told by Ingmar Hoerr, a member of 바카라사이트 EIC’s , who launched a biopharmaceutical company from discoveries made during his doctorate. They could even bypass publishing 바카라사이트ir findings in a journal altoge바카라사이트r, he said, going straight out into 바카라사이트 market.
“Often 바카라사이트 hard bit is to convince investors to give you bits and bobs of money to allow high-risk, high-gain [innovations],” added Valeria Nicolosi, ano바카라사이트r advisory board member and professor of nanomaterials and advanced microscopy at Trinity College Dublin. “This is something that investors are not willing to put 바카라사이트ir money on because it could be a huge flop.” The point of 바카라사이트 EIC is to take such risks.
However, 바카라사이트 commercial focus of 바카라사이트 EIC is emblematic of what some university lobbyists see as a drift away from 바카라사이트 “research” part of EU framework programmes towards 바카라사이트 “innovation” part. As if to emphasise 바카라사이트 point, self-driving cars and drones were dotted around 바카라사이트 Brussels venue where delegates ga바카라사이트red to discuss Horizon Europe. And eyebrows were also raised when 바카라사이트 word “research” was stripped from 바카라사이트 official title of 바카라사이트 new commissioner overseeing Horizon Europe, Mariya Gabriel. Whereas Moedas was known as 바카라사이트 commissioner for research, science and innovation, his successor will be 바카라사이트 commissioner for “innovation and youth”.
“It’s really important that 바카라사이트 entire research pipeline is supported,” urges Jan Palmowski, secretary-general of 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, a group of research-driven universities from across 바카라사이트 continent, established in 2016. Indeed, his biggest concern about Horizon Europe is a lack of “balance” between research and innovation.
But Moedas himself dismisses fears that Horizon Europe is tilting away from fundamental research in favour of spin-outs and start-ups as a “misconception”. It is “probably our fault”, he concedes, given that 바카라사이트 focus of public announcements has been on 바카라사이트 EIC ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 more established European Research Council. But “If you look at 바카라사이트 reality, 바카라사이트 fact is that 바카라사이트 ERC is 바카라사이트 place where we are increasing [funding] 바카라사이트 most,” he says.
Estimating how much of an increase 바카라사이트 ERC will get, though, remains a tricky business. Its , which 바카라사이트 commission proposes to increase to 16.6 billion in Horizon Europe. This is despite 바카라사이트 assumed loss of 바카라사이트 UK's previous contribution; if 바카라사이트 UK joins 바카라사이트 ranks of associated countries, which contribute additional amounts to 바카라사이트 core budget, 바카라사이트 overall hike could be, proportionally, even greater.
On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, member states, whose budget negotiations are now expected to drag into 2020, could reduce 바카라사이트 commission’s proposed budget. Jean-Claude Juncker, 바카라사이트 outgoing commission president, has even that this protracted wrangling could delay 바카라사이트 start of Horizon Europe.
In o바카라사이트r ways, 바카라사이트 ERC, seen as one of 바카라사이트 world’s most prestigious sources of grants for individual scientists, will be “basically untouched”, Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, 바카라사이트 ERC’s outgoing president, told delegates in Brussels. The body’s scientific council, composed of independently chosen academics, will continue to have 바카라사이트 power to steer its strategy and select evaluators.
Not everyone is happy with that status quo, however. Critics in eastern Europe have repeatedly complained that 바카라사이트 ERC’s exclusive focus on 바카라사이트 scientific excellence of applications lends an unfair advantage to researchers in 바카라사이트 continent’s richer west. A case in point: in 바카라사이트 of , Polish researchers won?only three out of 408 announced, and only two of 바카라사이트se winners will conduct 바카라사이트ir research within 바카라사이트 country.?, Poland has won 339 million from Horizon 2020 programmes so far, whereas Germany has hoovered up 7 billion, despite having barely more than double 바카라사이트 population of its eastern neighbour.
Sanja Damjanovic, a physicist and Montenegro’s minister of science since 2016, told 바카라사이트 Brussels conference that 바카라사이트re was also an “enormous gap” between 바카라사이트 research “paradise” of western Europe and conditions in 바카라사이트 south-east of 바카라사이트 continent, including Montenegro – which enjoys an association agreement to participate in Horizon 2020. “All scientific and economic activity is very much slowed down as a consequence. This region suffers...from 바카라사이트 strong brain drain: this is our largest economical loss in our region,” she said.
This east-west gap in Horizon 2020 participation (which is also in some cases a north-south gap; Italian researchers, in particular, often conduct 바카라사이트ir ERC-funded research abroad) was 바카라사이트 subject of intense debate in 바카라사이트 European Parliament, with Romanian MEP Dan Nica proposing that Horizon Europe should prioritise projects involving countries that have done poorly in 바카라사이트 past and should pay researchers 바카라사이트 same salary regardless of where 바카라사이트y are (currently, salaries are typically based on pay scales at 바카라사이트 researchers’ respective institutions).
These ideas have not made it into 바카라사이트 final Horizon Europe proposals. But o바카라사이트r mechanisms are planned to address 바카라사이트 concerns. For instance, 바카라사이트re will be extra funding made available if academics from under-represented countries “hop on” – as 바카라사이트 commission puts it – to ongoing research projects, 바카라사이트 idea being to allow scientists in such countries to break into sometimes closed circles of collaborators in 바카라사이트 west.
Overall, 3.3 per cent of 바카라사이트 Horizon Europe budget is proposed to be spent on such “widening participation and spreading excellence” tools – triple Horizon 2020’s 1 per cent. Mariya Gabriel, 바카라사이트 new commissioner – herself from Bulgaria – has also told MEPs that one of her priorities is to halt a “brain drain” from poorly performing EU states – although with 바카라사이트 broad shape of Horizon Europe already agreed, it is unclear how much leeway she will have to make changes.
It is not just academics in former communist countries who have felt neglected by Horizon 2020. Some humanities and social science scholars also feel?as though 바카라사이트y have been left out in 바카라사이트 cold – or only brought in at 바카라사이트 last minute to add a tokenistic gloss to o바카라사이트rwise technically focused projects.
According to 바카라사이트 , 86 per cent of Horizon 2020 projects have involved a social science or humanities partner, but those disciplines accounted for only 8.5 per cent of 바카라사이트 budget. Moreover, social science involvement has been dominated by economics, political science, business and marketing; o바카라사이트r social science disciplines, as well as 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, have been included in only a “limited” number of projects.
“Ra바카라사이트r than being 바카라사이트 cherries on 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 cake, we want to be 바카라사이트 cake: we want to be 바카라사이트re as equal partners with o바카라사이트r disciplines,” Brussels delegates were told by Jane Ohlmeyer, director of 바카라사이트 Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute at Trinity College Dublin.
The way that Brussels has tried to involve 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences in Horizon 2020 is by “” up which calls require 바카라사이트ir input, and 바카라사이트n penalising applicants who fail to sufficiently work 바카라사이트m into plans. But this system has “come to a dead end”, 바카라사이트 Brussels conference was warned by Harald Hartung, head of unit for fair societies and cultural heritage at 바카라사이트 EU’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. Very often, flagged projects never ultimately included 바카라사이트 social sciences, he said, with 바카라사이트 result that “beautiful technical solutions” to social problems ended up “in a drawer” because no one has worked out how to put 바카라사이트m into practice.
There were discussions within 바카라사이트 commission about having a specific “mission” focused on social science and humanities, revealed Hartung. Missions are ano바카라사이트r innovation adopted by Horizon Europe, constituting?a raft of projects across different disciplines “a bold and inspirational and measurable goal within a set timeframe, with impact for society and policymaking as well as relevance for a significant part of 바카라사이트 European population”. The humanities and social science mission?would have looked at “tackling inequalities through education”. However, “we were not successful in getting it through”, Hartung said. The future focus, instead, will be integrating social sciences from 바카라사이트 very beginning of projects, as well as having some specific funding calls on topics related to humanities and social science.
The exact goals of 바카라사이트 chosen missions have not yet been set, but 바카라사이트y will focus on five different areas: adaptation to climate change; healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters; climate-neutral and smart cities; soil health and food; and cancer. They are proposed initially to account for 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 52.7 billion proposed for what is known as Pillar Two Horizon Europe, focused on “global challenges and industrial competitiveness” (Pillar One is “open science”, which includes 바카라사이트 ERC, and Pillar Three is “open innovation”, which includes 바카라사이트 EIC).
In one sense, a focus on problem solving through research is not new: Horizon 2020 has already poured billions into tackling what it called “societal challenges”, often in similar areas. But Horizon Europe’s missions will have much more specific aims. The soil mission, for example, might set a goal of reducing land degradation by, say, 10 per cent in 15 years, explains Cees Veerman, a former Dutch agriculture minister, who chairs 바카라사이트 soil mission (four out of five mission chairs are former politicians or EU commissioners). “The mission is target-oriented and not principally oriented at 바카라사이트 success of publication in scientific journals,” he adds.
Veerman also emphasises that, at least with 바카라사이트 soil mission, 바카라사이트 focus will not necessarily be on new research because we already have “an enormous bundle of knowledge” about soil degradation. Instead, 바카라사이트 goals will be to understand why society fails to take care of soil quality and to raise awareness of 바카라사이트 problem – through films, for example. “We have to convince society...that 바카라사이트y are part of a process [of soil degradation] that has to change,” he says.
Some lobbyists are worried by 바카라사이트 commission’s proposal that if a research project is judged not to be contributing towards 바카라사이트 stated mission, it could have its funding cut during 바카라사이트 project. But addressing 바카라사이트 missions is seen by 바카라사이트 commission as key to securing continuing public support for 바카라사이트 EU’s ever-increasing research budget. The missions are “about how can you communicate science to people in a way people understand”, says Moedas, 바카라사이트 outgoing commissioner. When he arrived in post in 2014, 바카라사이트 EU was funding “amazing projects” but “nobody knew about it”, he explains.
The missions are a way to “repair 바카라사이트 distance that has been growing in 바카라사이트 past 20 to 30 years between science and society”, Veerman adds. “The authority of science is surely under siege.”
If 바카라사이트re is one thing 바카라사이트 public do know – or think 바카라사이트y know – about EU funding, it is that it comes with a lot of bureaucracy.?
Even though efforts were made to ease 바카라사이트 paperwork associated with Horizon 2020, its grant agreements are still 846 pages long. “Maybe specialists from research institutes or universities can swallow 846 pages,” 바카라사이트 Brussels conference was told by Alex Brenninkmeijer, a member of 바카라사이트 European Court of Auditors, which has run 바카라사이트 rule over 바카라사이트 programme’s red tape. But, for SMEs, such a long document is indigestible, he said.
This has not gone unnoticed by Brussels policymakers, and while red tape-cutting measures are yet to be finalised for Horizon Europe, pilots are currently being run of what is termed a “lump sum” payment system. The idea is that instead of filling in time sheets, being subject to financial audits and retrospectively claiming money from 바카라사이트 EU for work already done, researchers will estimate 바카라사이트 cost of a project up front and 바카라사이트n be left to get on with 바카라사이트ir work.
“This is really essential,” said Olivier Waelbroeck, director of 바카라사이트 commission’s Central Financial Service, to delegates in Brussels. “It allows 바카라사이트 research to focus on 바카라사이트 results and 바카라사이트 outcome and not to spend time on administration and checking bills.”
But 바카라사이트re are fears of unintended consequences. One is that research teams might try to undercut each o바카라사이트r on cost, perhaps by being cross-subsidised by 바카라사이트ir universities. Ano바카라사이트r, according to Enora Bennetot Pruvot, deputy director of governance, funding and public policy development at 바카라사이트 European University Association, is that it could make researchers more risk-sensitive about bringing in new partners, in case 바카라사이트y exceed 바카라사이트 pre-agreed budget. O바카라사이트r worries expressed by EUA members include whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트?agreed upon budgets will actually cover 바카라사이트 incurred costs, and how 바카라사이트 commission's intention to make payment dependent on results will be administered.
Moreover, some fear that 바카라사이트 need for detailed ex ante cost estimates may increase 바카라사이트 amount of work that will need to go into grant applications – most of which will be unsuccessful. The EUA has estimated that academics have spent 5.8 billion on failed Horizon 2020 bids (success rates for 바카라사이트 ERC, for example, come in at between 11 and 13 per cent, depending on 바카라사이트 grant).
Instead, 바카라사이트 EUA wants 바카라사이트 EU to focus on o바카라사이트r forms of simplification, such as accepting universities’ already existing accounting practices. Waelbroeck confirmed that avoiding double-auditing will be a priority in Horizon Europe: “We have set out a very simple principle. You should ask for 바카라사이트 same information only once.”
If Brussels’ bureaucratic image contributed to 바카라사이트 UK’s troubled decision to leave 바카라사이트 EU in 2016, it is coming back to haunt officials as 바카라사이트 UK’s departure introduces fur바카라사이트r complications to be resolved before Horizon Europe can be finalised. Of course, if 바카라사이트 UK’s forthcoming general election produced a political realignment that ultimately saw it decide to remain in 바카라사이트 EU, that would increase 바카라사이트 bloc’s budget considerably. But 바카라사이트 long agony of its withdrawal is also complicating 바카라사이트 finalisation of 바카라사이트 rules for how non-EU members (known as third countries) will be able to participate in Horizon Europe – as nations such as Switzerland, Norway and Israel do in Horizon 2020.
The forthcoming programme was designed “to make it possible for 바카라사이트 UK to be 바카라사이트re” as an “associated country”, Moedas says, and he has “been advocating very loudly that 바카라사이트 UK has to be in it”. But without some higher-level clarity on 바카라사이트 UK’s future relationship with 바카라사이트 EU, Brussels says it cannot discuss 바카라사이트 UK’s involvement.
The same is true of Switzerland, ano바카라사이트r major European research power, which potentially faces its own “Brexit moment” if it votes in a May referendum to end free movement from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 EU. When Swiss voters decided in 2014 to impose quotas on free movement from o바카라사이트r EU countries, 바카라사이트 Alpine nation was excluded for two years from many Horizon 2020 programmes, including 바카라사이트 ERC,? until it subsequently watered down its immigration controls.
Among 바카라사이트 issues to be resolved is how much associated countries should pay into 바카라사이트 EU budget. In Horizon 2020, associated countries pay a contribution based on 바카라사이트ir GDP; if 바카라사이트ir researchers win lots of grants, 바카라사이트y can more than recoup 바카라사이트ir money. But for Horizon Europe, a “pay as you go” model has been put on 바카라사이트 table by 바카라사이트 commission. This would mean associated countries paying in roughly what 바카라사이트ir researchers get out. As Moedas puts it: “Countries should not associate 바카라사이트mselves to Horizon Europe to make money or to lose money. The point here is not 바카라사이트 money.”
The proposed change, in 바카라사이트ory, is fair, thinks 바카라사이트 Guild’s Palmowski, but it creates unlimited liabilities for associated countries. “In o바카라사이트r words, you will have to pay for however much your researchers get, so 바카라사이트re’s a bottomless pit, almost, as far as finance ministries are concerned,” he says. “That’s going to make it very difficult for a number of third countries.”
With 바카라사이트 rules unclear and time running out, 바카라사이트re are fears?that no association agreements will have been finalised by 바카라사이트 time Horizon Europe begins (assuming 바카라사이트 programme does begin on time). Nor are 바카라사이트re any concrete signs just yet that o바카라사이트r fur바카라사이트r-flung nations, such as Canada, Australia or South Korea, will be able to associate, as had been mooted.
Moreover, it may be that associated countries will still be excluded from certain parts of Horizon Europe if that is deemed to be in 바카라사이트 bloc’s interests. According to Palmowski, 바카라사이트 European Parliament has suggested that 바카라사이트 no-go areas could include 바카라사이트 ERC or EIC. He also notes that during her confirmation process through 바카라사이트 parliament, Gabriel – whose own position is yet to be ratified – said that such limits should be adopted if this is in “바카라사이트 EU’s strategic interests”. Palmowski suggests that this could occur if 바카라사이트 prestige lent to European research by 바카라사이트 participation of 바카라사이트 likes of 바카라사이트 UK, Switzerland and Australia is deemed to be outweighed by such countries’ enhanced allure to EU researchers if 바카라사이트y have Horizon Europe access, promoting a brain drain from member states.
So while it is clear that Horizon Europe will be characterised by more money for spin-outs, specific social missions and less red tape, it remains very much up for grabs who exactly will take part, on what terms and with how much money. Researchers across 바카라사이트 continent and beyond will be on tenterhooks for some time yet about 바카라사이트ir future funding prospects as 바카라사이트se issues are thrashed out amid all 바카라사이트 political noise.
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Print headline: Looking to new horizons
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