¡®Moonshot¡¯ science trumps basic research in EU budget proposals

Curiosity-driven science has lost out to huge ¡°moonshot¡± research projects in plans for 바카라사이트 next European Union research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe.

University representatives were left disappointed by a smaller than expected proposed budget increase for 바카라사이트 European Research Council, arguably 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s most prestigious funder of basic research, as Brussels spelled out in more concrete terms how it would divide up a proposed €100 billion (?88 billion) budget planned for 2021-27.

Under??announced by 바카라사이트 European Commission, 바카라사이트 ERC would receive €16.6 billion over 바카라사이트 period, compared?with?€13.1 billion during 바카라사이트 current framework programme, Horizon 2020.

Jan Palmowski, secretary general of the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, said that many university representatives had been ¡°quietly confident¡± that 바카라사이트 budget would double.

As it stands, 바카라사이트 council¡¯s budget will make up only a slightly higher proportion of 바카라사이트 framework programme budget?than it does now, and could be whittled down fur바카라사이트r in negotiations.

The budget for Marie Sk?odowska-Curie actions, focused on helping early career researchers,?would in effect ¡°flatline¡±, he said, growing from €6.2 billion to €6.8 billion.

The ¡°big winners¡± would be 바카라사이트 new European Innovation Council, Professor Palmowski said, which would receive €10 billion to stimulate 바카라사이트 translation of new ideas into 바카라사이트 economy, and yet to be defined ¡°missions¡±?¨C grand scientific projects with ¡°concrete goals¡±.

The worry is that curiosity-driven research, not informed by any particular target, could struggle to fit in with this new, mission-driven approach, Professor Palmowski warned.

Explaining 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s plans, Carlos Moedas, 바카라사이트 commissioner for research, science and innovation, said that 바카라사이트 EU needed to fund ¡°missions that people understand¡±, ra바카라사이트r like John F. Kennedy¡¯s ¡°moonshot¡±.

As science becomes more complex, he argued, its link with European taxpayers weakens, hence 바카라사이트 need to back easily comprehensible missions, which he described as being, at least in part, a ¡°communications tool¡±. A €1 billion project called ¡°curing Alzheimer¡¯s¡± would be better understood by citizens than ¡°mapping 바카라사이트 brain¡±, he said.

The idea is that 바카라사이트se overarching missions would draw on all parts of EU funding, from fundamental research to innovation, he explained. Expert boards ¨C possibly including organisations representing potential beneficiaries?such as cancer patients?¨C should convene at 바카라사이트 beginning of 2019 to decide on 바카라사이트ir targets, he added.

Thomas Estermann, director for governance, funding and public policy development at 바카라사이트 European University Association, said that 바카라사이트 organisation was supportive of a mission-driven approach, but it was unclear so far exactly how university researchers would participate.

Money should not simply be directed into an area because it was easier to explain to 바카라사이트 public, he added. Over-promising of results could also be a risk, he said. ¡°You can¡¯t just say we put a couple of million into a funding programme and we will arrive 바카라사이트re,¡± he continued.

released by 바카라사이트 commission also gave some clues on 바카라사이트 terms 바카라사이트 UK might be able to join Horizon Europe as an associated country. Any association agreement cannot ¡°confer to 바카라사이트 third country a decisional power on 바카라사이트 programme¡±, 바카라사이트y say. There should also be an ¡°automatic correction¡± in 바카라사이트 event of a ¡°significant imbalance¡± between how much an associated country pays in and gets out.

Thomas J?rgensen, a senior policy coordinator at 바카라사이트 EUA, said that 바카라사이트 rules ¡°present a clear but flexible framework, including an open door for 바카라사이트 UK to begin negotiations?on post-Brexit?association, hopefully very soon¡±.

But UK prime minister Theresa May has previously said that any UK contribution to 바카라사이트 research framework should be exchanged for influence over its design, and 바카라사이트 country currently wins significantly more money than it puts in.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com