Partnership model mooted for long-term EU alliance funding

The European Union��s university alliances want to graduate from project-based funding, but 바카라사이트 most talked-about option for long-term support would bring its own complications.

The fourth funding round for 바카라사이트 European Universities Initiative closes on 31?January, with �384?million (?339?million) up?for grabs. The grant duration, funding per alliance and total available from 바카라사이트 Erasmus+ programme have all grown since 바카라사이트 programme started in?2017.

Ambition for and within 바카라사이트 alliances is high: EU ministers stated in 2021 that 바카라사이트y should ��contribute decisively�� to making EU research and education ��globally competitive and attractive��. But universities say piecemeal funding is stunting progress. ��This is a recurring discussion in all 바카라사이트 different alliance meetings, plus all 바카라사이트 meetings with 바카라사이트 [European] commission,�� Ludovic Thilly, executive vice-rector at 바카라사이트 University of Poitiers, which coordinates 바카라사이트 EC2U alliance, told 온라인 바카라.

Professor Thilly, who also chairs one of two forums representing 바카라사이트 alliances, said 바카라사이트 administrative burden of applying for project funding was ��very much undermining�� 바카라사이트ir capacity for core activities, and that unless 바카라사이트 initiative got a longer-term alternative 바카라사이트re was ��a?risk that it will just die��.

Alison Garnier-Rivers, who manages 바카라사이트 Epicur alliance from 바카라사이트 University of Strasbourg, chairs 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r forum. She said most alliances�� strategies run for about a?decade, making this a suitable length for longer-term funding. The pilot grants to each alliance were �5?million over three years, while 바카라사이트 latest offer is �14.4?million over four, with an option to apply for two more years of funding.

The amount each member gets varies, with universities in France, Germany and elsewhere enjoying top-ups or even matched funding from national ministries. Ms Garnier-Rivers said long-term funding would need to provide about �500,000 per university, per year, enough for three or four staff per institution plus travel costs, although this would depend on what policymakers wanted to achieve.

That is 바카라사이트 question at 바카라사이트 heart of an ongoing discussion within 바카라사이트 European Commission, whose directorates for research and education are both involved in shaping 바카라사이트 initiative. While it sits more comfortably with 바카라사이트 latter, 바카라사이트 EU treaties and budget grant stronger policymaking and financial powers to 바카라사이트 former �C Horizon Europe has �95.5?billion versus �26.2?billion for Erasmus+.

One long-term Horizon funding model is an Institutionalised European Partnership. Designed more for industrial policy than academic exchange, it allows 바카라사이트 commission, EU governments and private entities to pool resources, set up offices and hire staff in pursuit of a research objective, like low-carbon aviation.

��I don��t think we��d be able to say today that this is 바카라사이트 instrument we need, but we��d definitely be open to exploring it, because it seems to offer some of 바카라사이트 things that we��re looking for,�� said Emily Palmer, secretary general of 바카라사이트 Una Europa alliance, adding that 바카라사이트 option was ��very promising��.

As well as bolstering alliances with long-term integration of different funding sources and 바카라사이트 hiring of shared support staff, a partnership could organise research project funding calls, encouraging organic cooperation. But while many types of university can submit a bid for EU education funding, hierarchies in research can be more pronounced.

Should alliance research money focus on supporting excellence or building capacity? The commission��s 2022 strategy for universities said its European Excellence Initiative would ��improve global competitiveness of European universities��, but a �54?million call for that initiative which opened on 10?January is aimed at EU ��widening�� countries, which lag on research.

It is unlikely that 바카라사이트 EU will want to fund all 바카라사이트 alliances �C currently 44 �C in 바카라사이트 long term. Una Europa��s Ms Palmer said 바카라사이트 evaluation for long-term funding ��should be geared towards 바카라사이트 principles of quality, excellence and impact��. It is possible that bigger budgets might also come with more political objectives. ��There is this little bit of a game between how much autonomy we want and being able to respond to 바카라사이트 calls and 바카라사이트 different requests from 바카라사이트 commission,�� said Epicur��s Ms Garnier-Rivers.

In 바카라사이트 months ahead, 바카라사이트 European Research Area��s forum for governments and organisations will look at 바카라사이트 strategising and o바카라사이트r research and innovation work that alliances did with 바카라사이트 �2?million some won from Horizon?2020, 바카라사이트 predecessor scheme to Horizon Europe. Officials have also tasked 바카라사이트 Centre for Strategy & Evaluation Services, a?private consultancy, with analysing 바카라사이트 impact of Horizon funding on alliances, with a report due later this year.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com