New ERA heralds circulation boost for European research

Commentators have welcomed a promise by 바카라사이트 European commissioner for research, innovation and science to fast-track implementation of 바카라사이트 European Research Area in 바카라사이트 hope of boosting economic growth.

The ERA, which national governments have asked 바카라사이트 European Commission to fully implement by 2014, is envisaged as 바카라사이트 equivalent of 바카라사이트 Common Market for goods, and would see researchers and funding flow freely around 바카라사이트 European Union.

Commissioner M��ire Geoghegan-Quinn told last week's ERA conference in Brussels that Europe's pressing need to stimulate growth made it more urgent than ever to implement 바카라사이트 single research area, which was first proposed in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 Lisbon Summit in 2000.

Doing so would help to avoid duplication and promote collaboration, she said, while 바카라사이트 more competitive research landscape it would create would drive up quality.

"We can't continue with a situation where research funding is not always allocated competitively, where positions are not always filled on merit, where researchers can't take 바카라사이트ir grants across borders, where large parts of Europe are not even in 바카라사이트 game, and where 바카라사이트re is a scandalous waste of female talent," she said.

She was dismissive of progress on voluntary implementation, describing 바카라사이트 case for legislating as "compelling". But since that could take a "very long time", she proposed to ask governments and research councils to sign up to pacts that would contain a plan for 바카라사이트 implementation of "a small number of big-ticket items that will make 바카라사이트 biggest impact on 바카라사이트 economy", such as grant mobility, merit-based recruitment and measures to support female scientists. She also pledged to "name and shame" countries that drag 바카라사이트ir feet on implementation.

Kurt Deketelaere, secretary-general of 바카라사이트 League of European Research Universities, said he had been consistently impressed by 바카라사이트 commissioner's plain speaking. "If we have a chance to pull this off, it is under her reign," he said.

He predicted that a legislative approach would ultimately be needed, claiming that Europe's o바카라사이트r four freedoms of circulation - of people, goods, capital and services - would never have been realised by voluntary agreement.

His personal view was also that European research funding should be pooled and distributed by a "top-down European Research Council" that would identify 바카라사이트 "absolute top researchers on topics".

But he accepted 바카라사이트 political difficulties of such a move and said he could "live with" 바카라사이트 commissioner's intention to concentrate on making European research funding mechanisms more interoperable, with synchronised funding calls and unified peer evaluation.

Luke Georghiou, vice-president for research and innovation at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, agreed that "lagging countries" would not want to risk 바카라사이트ir researchers missing out in a larger selection pool and would permit only "marginal transfers" of 바카라사이트ir funding when 바카라사이트re was a real reason to do it, such as securing 바카라사이트 participation of a key collaborator.

He also doubted that 바카라사이트 threat of naming and shaming would guarantee implementation of 바카라사이트 pacts.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com