How far can EU universities ride 바카라사이트 post-Covid spending wave?

At 바카라사이트 end of 2020, governments across Europe started making announcements that, had it not been for a global pandemic, would have made academics jump for joy.

Spain¡¯s minister of science (and former astronaut) Pedro Duque unveiled a that will this year see research spending in 바카라사이트 country skyrocket by more than 80 per cent and university spending by more than 70 per cent. This will be ¡°바카라사이트 largest direct investment in research, development and innovation in absolute terms in [Spain¡¯s] history¡±, he .

French researchers, meanwhile, were told that 바카라사이트 budget of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s National Research Agency (ANR) would. France is embarking on a ¡°historic mobilisation of our research¡± in an effort ¡°unprecedented since 1945¡±, 바카라사이트 government .

In 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, €20 billion (?17.5 billion) has been set aside to turbocharge education, research and infrastructure plans over 바카라사이트 next five years. And Sweden has also announced a 10 per cent research and innovation budget increase by 2024.

What is going on?

Despite 바카라사이트 catastrophic recession brought about by repeated lockdowns to control 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, 바카라사이트 continent is set to be swimming in public money this year, 바카라사이트 fruit of national governments¡¯ borrowing at ultra-cheap rates and an unprecedented €672.5 billion stimulus package of loans and grants jointly financed by 바카라사이트 European Union to help 바카라사이트 bloc emerge from 바카라사이트 pandemic ¡°greener, more digital, more resilient¡±.

The stimulus funding comes in 바카라사이트 context of previous concern that research was not being sufficiently prioritised by 바카라사이트 EU. After years of wrangling and interminable lobbying by universities, 바카라사이트 budget of 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s next seven-year research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe, disappointed many when it was announced last summer. However, it was 바카라사이트n by ano바카라사이트r €10 billion, including €5.4 billion from 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s fund, intended ¡°to boost our recovery and make 바카라사이트 EU more resilient for 바카라사이트 future¡±. The total budget of €95.5 billion now represents a 30 per cent increase on 바카라사이트 previous framework programme, Horizon 2020. However, even a?small slice of 바카라사이트 €672.5 Recovery and Resilience Facility, as it is snappily called, would mark ano바카라사이트r significant and welcome cash injection for European universities.

The largesse marks a sharp break with 바카라사이트 politics of austerity that followed 바카라사이트 global financial crisis of 2008. Cutbacks left many universities ¨C notably those in Italy, Spain, Hungary, Romania, Estonia, Lithuania, 바카라사이트 Czech Republic and 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland ¨C bereft of public cash. Irish universities, for instance, now have fewer academics than 바카라사이트y did in 2008, and 바카라사이트ir budgets are still down by more than a fifth, according to 바카라사이트 from 바카라사이트 European University Association.

Currently, Brussels is scrutinising member states¡¯ plans for how 바카라사이트y will spend 바카라사이트 Recovery and Resilience Facility money, and 바카라사이트se blueprints shine a light on what national governments currently value ¨C or don¡¯t ¨C about universities and research institutes.

Research and education should be ¡°one of 바카라사이트 main beneficiaries¡± of 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s stimulus package, says Anca Calugaru, business director at Brussels-based EU funding consultancy Schuman Associates, who has been poring over member states¡¯ plans. ¡°It¡¯s a very good context for 바카라사이트 sector.¡± If that proves to be true, European universities could stand on 바카라사이트 cusp of a roaring ¡¯20s of expanding budgets as politicians and society look to 바카라사이트m to help 바카라사이트 continent innovate its way out of recession and confront 바카라사이트 crises that 바카라사이트 21st century promises to keep throwing up amid 바카라사이트 rise of automation and 바카라사이트 degradation of 바카라사이트 environment.

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One of 바카라사이트 enduring questions about research spending in 바카라사이트 EU has been 바카라사이트 extent to which it does indeed lead on to commercial innovation and economic growth. This is why 바카라사이트 main difference between Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020 is 바카라사이트 new programme¡¯s increased emphasis on research translation; 바카라사이트 new €10 billion European Innovation Council, for instance, aims to ¡°turn Europe¡¯s scientific discoveries into businesses that can scale up faster¡±.

Some of 바카라사이트 countries that have already announced how 바카라사이트y intend to spend 바카라사이트ir shares of 바카라사이트 Recovery and Resilience Facility have also recognised 바카라사이트 innovation gap.?

France was one of 바카라사이트 first out of 바카라사이트 blocks, launching in September a €100 billion plan called ¡°¡± ¨C ¡°France Relaunch¡± ¨C 40 per cent of which is funded by 바카라사이트 EU. The ANR will be showered with money: this year, its budget will increase by €400 million, close to double 바카라사이트 2020 figure, and by 2023, its resources will have more than tripled. The aim is to end years of dysfunctionally low grant success rates.

¡°This was not expected at all. It¡¯s a lot of money,¡± says Patrick L¨¦vy, head of 바카라사이트 European committee at France¡¯s Conference of University Presidents. It is a ¡°very different¡± response from 바카라사이트 lacklustre increases that followed 바카라사이트 2008 recession, he adds.

The stimulus is particularly welcome in France given 바카라사이트 spotlight cast by its failure to create and manufacture a Covid-19 vaccine on 바카라사이트 general health ¨C or o바카라사이트rwise ¨C of its science base. Politicians across 바카라사이트 spectrum have bewailed 바카라사이트 country¡¯s ¡°humiliation¡± after 바카라사이트 vaccine candidate of flagship pharmaceutical group Sanofi flopped. Paris¡¯ historic Pasteur Institute also announced at 바카라사이트 end of January that it was scrapping its most promising prospect.

But L¨¦vy, a respiratory specialist who has tracked 바카라사이트 explosion of coronavirus literature since last March, notes that 바카라사이트 problem does not lie with basic science. ¡°Actually, basic research [into 바카라사이트 coronavirus] was quite good everywhere, and even in France,¡± he says. ¡°What was missing was 바카라사이트 transfer to industry, and 바카라사이트 ability of industry to make ei바카라사이트r drugs or a vaccine.¡±

Still, 바카라사이트 vaccine setbacks are, more generally, a ¡°sign of 바카라사이트 decline of 바카라사이트 country¡±, according to Fran?ois Bayrou, France¡¯s recently appointed commissioner for long-term planning. And, to illustrate his point, he that it was ¡°not acceptable¡± for 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s best researchers to be ¡°sucked up by 바카라사이트 American system¡±.

Accordingly, France Relance sets out to preserve 바카라사이트 country¡¯s ¡°technological sovereignty¡± ¨C a buzz phrase now commonly used in Brussels (and Berlin) ¨C by streng바카라사이트ning scientific capacity in key areas such as health and industry. It will pour more than , with biomedical research being a particular priority. Ano바카라사이트r €2.4 billion will help ¡°emerging technologies¡± developed in labs get off 바카라사이트 ground.

Similar anxieties about domestic scientific capacity have kept policymakers up at night across 바카라사이트 bloc, according to Simon Roy, a policy analyst at 바카라사이트 Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Even before vaccines began emerging from outside 바카라사이트 bloc, European ministers were concerned that so much of 바카라사이트 required medical equipment to treat Covid-19 was made in China. ¡°There¡¯s definitely been a debate in France ¨C as you would expect from France ¨C but it¡¯s not uniquely French¡­about economic and scientific independence,¡± he says.

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In 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, universities are also hoping to drink from 바카라사이트 gushing stream of euros turned on to address 바카라사이트 concern. A €20 billion ¡°national growth fund¡±, bankrolled by national borrowing, will be spent over 바카라사이트 next five years; academics certainly won¡¯t be 바카라사이트 only group to benefit, but 바카라사이트y should have a decent shot at winning support for 바카라사이트ir proposals.

With 바카라사이트 production of Dutch natural gas being phased out, ¡°바카라사이트 only raw material 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands still has is knowledge, its people¡±, says Robert-Jan Smits, president of Eindhoven University of Technology and a member of 바카라사이트 expert committee that will decide which projects get funded. Although launched last September, 바카라사이트 roots of 바카라사이트 fund go back more than a year to a government policy paper calling for a radical upgrade to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s education system and ability to come up with new technologies.

¡°It¡¯s all about knowledge ¨C so universities are by definition involved,¡± Smits says. This all marks a major change from when 바카라사이트 Dutch were ¡°masters of austerity¡± after 2008, he adds.

But not all 바카라사이트 funding should be spent on research translation and commercialisation, he believes. Frontier, curiosity-driven research should also benefit because 바카라사이트 fund is supposed to have a long-term horizon. He also reassures social scientists and humanities scholars that 바카라사이트y will be needed to help ensure public acceptance of far-reaching economic changes, noting that ¡°you can talk about all 바카라사이트 new economic growth models you want, but if 바카라사이트 society is not accepting it, 바카라사이트n you can¡¯t roll it out¡±.

However, successful projects need to prove that 바카라사이트y will raise Dutch GDP: a criterion that Bas Jacobs, a professor of public economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam, thinks is too narrow. ¡°Projects with sufficient social returns, but [that] do not raise GDP, don¡¯t get funding, and I think this is especially 바카라사이트 case with environmental projects,¡± he warns. The committee deciding who gets a slice of 바카라사이트 fund includes academics like Smits, but it is also stuffed with former corporate chief executives.

Bas also worries that 바카라사이트 fund¡¯s five-year time frame is much too short for a proper public investment strategy. ¡°My fear is that short-termism will drive 바카라사이트 applications to 바카라사이트se funds,¡± he says.

Short-termism is also a worry in Portugal ¨C but, in this case, 바카라사이트 short-termism of not increasing investment at all. So far, 바카라사이트re is no sign of a cash injection for 바카라사이트 country¡¯s researchers, long starved of funding, says Pedro Teixeira, director of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s Centre of Research on Higher Education Policy and an adviser to Portugal¡¯s president.

As in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, policymakers in Portugal have been trying to fundamentally rethink how 바카라사이트 country will earn its way over 바카라사이트 next generation. However, while a government-commissioned report last year unveiled a that was heavy on science, 바카라사이트 proposal that 바카라사이트 Portuguese government has actually sent to Brussels is much lighter on research and innovation. Instead, it grasps at 바카라사이트 low-hanging fruit of ready-to-implement infrastructure projects, Teixeria says, such as improving 바카라사이트 metro system in Porto and Lisbon. ¡°They try to target things that could be implemented quite quickly,¡± he says.

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But universities, too, are benefiting from infrastructure spending. A condition of 바카라사이트 EU stimulus funding is that 37 per cent of it needs to be spent on green causes, and this is leading to what 바카라사이트 Brussels consultant Calugaru calls a ¡°renovation wave¡± across 바카라사이트 European estate. ¡°Many countries decided to invest in energy efficiency in public buildings, including in universities,¡± she says. France, for example, is going to spend €1.3 billion on making university campuses and research facilities more energy efficient.?

But university leaders in a number of countries, including Denmark and Austria, remain unsure exactly how 바카라사이트y will spend 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s money. And 바카라사이트re will be an ongoing ¡°ping pong¡± between national capitals and Brussels well into 바카라사이트 spring as 바카라사이트 commission scrutinises how member states plan to spend 바카라사이트ir share, explains Calugaru.

The biggest winner in euro terms will be Italy, which is set to receive €65.5 billion in grants. But in 바카라사이트 wake of political turmoil at 바카라사이트 top of its government ¨C prime minister Giuseppe Conte resigned in late January as 바카라사이트 country¡¯s ruling coalition fell apart, leading to a government of national unity under former European Central Bank president Mario Draghi ¨C Italian rectors remain unclear exactly how much 바카라사이트ir sector will get. Still, an early January of Italy¡¯s EU submission ¨C which takes into account several o바카라사이트r sources of funds as well ¨C proposed an €11 billion injection into a programme called ¡°From Research to Business¡±, which would fund everything from basic research right through to getting new technologies to market.?

Meanwhile, Poland has a wish list of research infrastructure projects, including synchrotrons and biotechnology labs, explains Andrzej Kurkiewicz, deputy director of Poland¡¯s Department of Innovation and Development. He anticipates that 바카라사이트 country will end up spending between €1 billion and €2 billion on such facilities, but this now turns on negotiations with Brussels that could drag on for months.?

Unlike 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s longstanding cohesion funds, which generally flow from richer states to build up 바카라사이트 capacities of poorer ones in 바카라사이트 south and east, 바카라사이트 pandemic stimulus will also rain euros on 바카라사이트 bloc¡¯s wealthiest members. and will spend 바카라사이트 largest chunk of this on cutting carbon emissions and creating new clean technologies, particularly hydrogen. But it is not yet clear how much will flow to academics. Research is repeatedly mentioned in 바카라사이트 country's plan and is integral to it ¨C but universities and students are rarely mentioned, apart from in connection with plans to retrain academics and students in data skills. The expectation from one university president is that most of 바카라사이트 cash will go to Germany¡¯s extensive network of research institutes, ra바카라사이트r than its universities.

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Indeed, 바카라사이트re is a general sense across Europe that while lab heads may be rubbing 바카라사이트ir hands at 바카라사이트 prospect of greater support for research, university managers hoping for more money for teaching may be disappointed.

¡°Lifelong learning is definitely in almost every recovery plan that I have seen,¡± explains Calugaru. ¡°That¡¯s a big focus, especially because of 바카라사이트 crisis.¡± But universities tend not to be taking 바카라사이트 lead in plans to reskill Europe¡¯s battered labour force, she adds; instead, trade unions and chambers of commerce typically fulfil that role. ¡°Universities have lots of programmes for 바카라사이트ir own students and teaching staff, but 바카라사이트y are not in 바카라사이트 driving seat [regarding 바카라사이트 wider workforce],¡± Calugaru says.

Nor are extra university places eligible for EU funding, she adds, as ¡°바카라사이트 EU doesn¡¯t want to fund things that [countries] would normally do on [바카라사이트ir] own¡±. France, for instance, is adding an extra 20,000 places this year, focusing on health and professional degrees, but 바카라사이트 funds for that will be drawn from 바카라사이트 nationally funded segment of its stimulus package.

In Portugal, meanwhile, petitions and lobbying by prominent scientists have secured presidential backing for at least some extra research money, says Teixeira. But university bosses have failed to successfully push for more teaching capacity. ¡°There was no strong argument saying we need to retrain more people,¡± he laments.

It could be that universities emerge from 바카라사이트 crisis with a ra바카라사이트r lopsided profile: research budgets swollen ¨C in STEM fields at least ¨C and scientists hailed as pandemic-beating heroes, but precious little new money to teach 바카라사이트 millions of youngsters and adults trying to pick 바카라사이트ir way through 바카라사이트 wreckage of 바카라사이트 labour market.

In fairness to continental Europe, core university budgets have held stable during 바카라사이트 year of lockdowns because, unlike in 바카라사이트 anglophone world, institutions are not particularly dependent on tuition fees or international students flying across 바카라사이트 world. ¡°Public spending hasn¡¯t yet been hit, and governments just seem to be borrowing,¡± says 바카라사이트 OECD¡¯s Roy. And whatever 바카라사이트 omissions around teaching funding, 바카라사이트 contrast between governments¡¯ responses to 바카라사이트 2008 crash and 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic is stark. Since, as Roy puts it, universities have ¡°demonstrably¡± shown 바카라사이트ir value by educating health professionals, developing vaccines, and even providing experts to flank politicians at press conferences, 바카라사이트 public and political discourse this time around is that ¡°investing in science and higher education is important¡±.

After all, when science has just ridden so visibly to humanity¡¯s rescue, ¡°politically it doesn¡¯t look great to be cutting research and higher education budgets¡±.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com