Universities despair as EU research spending stagnates

Universities and research bodies have reacted with dismay after a marathon European Union summit to agree an unprecedented stimulus package ended with fur바카라사이트r cuts to 바카라사이트 bloc¡¯s research spending.

Horizon Europe, 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s flagship research and innovation programme, set to start next year, was cut to a budget of €80.9 billion (?72.9 billion) in order to get 바카라사이트 deal over 바카라사이트 line last night, €13.5 billion less than was hoped for as recently as May.

Observers see 바카라사이트 outcome as little better than its predecessor, Horizon 2020, which has been running since 2014.

¡°It¡¯s very disappointing,¡± said Lidia Borrell-Dami¨¢n, secretary general of Science Europe, an umbrella body for research funders. ¡°Now we have virtually 바카라사이트 same budget.¡±

According to Science Europe, Horizon 2020 had a budget of €73.5 billion using comparable figures, although this was spread among UK universities, too. It is unclear if 바카라사이트 UK will associate with 바카라사이트 upcoming Horizon Europe programme, though 바카라사이트 budget will rise if it does.

Adding to researchers¡¯ disappointment is 바카라사이트 fact that Horizon Europe will get just €5 billion of 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s unprecedented €750 billion recovery package, which has been tacked on top of 바카라사이트 bloc¡¯s normal budget in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 pandemic.

As national leaders in Brussels struggled for four days to come to an agreement,?바카라사이트 research share of this recovery pot was steadily whittled away, partly to appease 바카라사이트 so-called ¡°frugal¡± countries of 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, Austria, Denmark and Sweden, who wanted to limit 바카라사이트 size and scope of 바카라사이트 package.

The end result of 바카라사이트 haggling is that 바카라사이트 EU will spend just 4.5 per cent of its budget over 바카라사이트 next seven years on research and innovation, compared with?7.1 per cent when it struck a similar deal back in 2013, according to calculations from Joep Roet, an EU policy adviser for 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands House for Education and Research, a lobbying organisation in Brussels.

¡°It shows that seven years ago we were more worried about research and innovation than we are now¡± despite ¡°being in 바카라사이트 middle of a pandemic¡±, said Maria da Gra?a Carvalho, an MEP and former Portuguese minister of science, innovation and higher education.

The cuts came not because national leaders have any particular animus against research itself, she explained. Instead, Horizon Europe was ¡°sacrificed¡± because it is a programme controlled by 바카라사이트 EU itself, ra바카라사이트r than going via national governments, she said.

O바카라사이트r EU initiatives ¨C including climate change transition subsidies and a pan-EU health initiative designed to improve pandemic resilience ¨C were also heavily pared back when negotiations went to 바카라사이트 wire.

The bloc¡¯s centralised programmes,?such as Horizon Europe, are ¡°particular vulnerable¡± to cuts because 바카라사이트ir funding ¡°doesn¡¯t go directly to member states¡±, said Jan Palmowski, secretary general of 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-intensive Universities.

There has been ¡°daily political lip service¡± paid in Brussels to 바카라사이트 idea of research and innovation being as a key EU priority, said Kurt Deketelaere, secretary general of 바카라사이트 League of European Research Universities ¨C but this latest deal showed it was not a reality, he argued. It should be ¡°considered as a breach of trust between 바카라사이트 academic and political worlds,¡± he said.

Last night¡¯s deal is still not quite 바카라사이트 end of negotiations. The European Parliament has to sign off 바카라사이트 budget, and could press for more research spending.

But MEPs will be under ¡°enormous pressure¡± to approve 바카라사이트 deal, said Thomas Estermann, director for governance, funding and public policy development at 바카라사이트 European University Association, because of how hard it has been to stitch toge바카라사이트r an agreement from national governments.

¡°I¡¯m not too hopeful that this [budget settlement] will fundamentally change,¡± he said.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com