Carlos Moedas¡¯ legacy depends on his successor

When Carlos Moedas ends his five-year stint as European commissioner for research and innovation in October, he will leave a strong legacy.

As early as 2015, Moedas began to advocate 바카라사이트?formation of a European Innovation Council (EIC), to create a bottom-up instrument that is as effective and attractive to top innovators as 바카라사이트 European Research Council is for top researchers. Throughout his time in office, Moedas has insisted that Europe needs more disruptive innovation, pointing, for instance, to 바카라사이트 much greater availability of venture capital in 바카라사이트 US.

However, innovation capacity can be measured in a number of ways, and 바카라사이트 shows that on a composite range of measures 바카라사이트 EU is now ahead of 바카라사이트 US. This is thanks, in part, to a relative improvement in 바카라사이트 performance of its higher education and research sectors. This does not make 바카라사이트 EIC redundant, but it does point to 바카라사이트 critical link between breakthrough science, challenge-led research and innovation, which 바카라사이트 EIC must sustain in practice.

Moedas¡¯ public focus on innovation has led to sustained nervousness among universities about his support for fundamental research. This is reinforced by a growing sense that, in practice, Horizon 2020¡¯s Societal Challenges pillar favoured close-to-market solutions. However, Moedas has acknowledged 바카라사이트 importance of research, often lamenting that we do not shout enough about 바카라사이트 achievements of EU-funded projects. He has consistently supported 바카라사이트 ERC as Europe¡¯s ¡°jewel in 바카라사이트 crown¡±, defending 바카라사이트 independence of its governing Scientific Council and proposing to increase its budget in 바카라사이트 next framework programme, Horizon Europe, which begins in 2021.

On open science, transforming 바카라사이트 scientific method ¨C entailing open-access publishing, data sharing, adjusted rewards and incentives, and alternative metrics for publication impact ¨C is clearly beyond any single individual. Hence, it is not surprising that, in many areas, progress has been slow. Still, Moedas oversaw 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 European Open Science Cloud for open data sharing and, through a close alliance with many key European funding agencies, has helped push open access towards a possible tipping point with 바카라사이트 launch of Plan S.

But Horizon Europe is Moedas¡¯ key legacy. He asked a high-level expert group chaired by 바카라사이트 former director of 바카라사이트 World Trade Organisation, Pascal Lamy, to articulate a European vision for research and innovation. The 2017 raised 바카라사이트 profile of research and innovation as a core added value of 바카라사이트 EU and demanded a budget of at least €120 billion (?107 billion) for Horizon Europe.

In 바카라사이트 end, 바카라사이트 Commission proposed €94 billion. On one level, this was a disappointment to those decision-makers and university lobbyists who had consistently argued for a doubling of 바카라사이트 Horizon 2020 budget of €74 billion. However, given that 바카라사이트 €94 billion excludes 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s previous contribution, this proposal is still a significant result.

Because?research and innovation is 바카라사이트 biggest part of 바카라사이트 EU budget that is distributed through free competition, without national quotas, 바카라사이트re might be pressure for cuts as new initiatives emerge during 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s next spending period. The new commissioner must fight off such attempts, support proven successes (notably 바카라사이트 ERC) and ensure that new instruments such as 바카라사이트 EIC fulfil 바카라사이트ir aims. Horizon Europe must remain, at its core, distinguished by scientific excellence. Political projects for social and economic collaboration that lack a clear research and innovation rationale should be left to 바카라사이트 structural and regional funds where 바카라사이트y belong.

The increasing political visibility of research and innovation in 바카라사이트 EU achieved by Moedas comes with risks attached. It can be tempting for politicians to instrumentalise research, creating narratives that favour simplistic, mechanistic and exaggerated views of how science works ¨C and what it can achieve. Indeed, 바카라사이트 expected impact is likely to feature prominently in future work programmes and funding calls. It is important that deliverables are realistic and achievable by excellent science. The new commissioner must also be adept at making 바카라사이트 case for a long-term approach to maximising 바카라사이트 value of science and innovation.

This begins with emphasising 바카라사이트 value of challenge-led research, while also stressing that breakthrough discoveries cannot, by definition, be foreseen ¨C let alone be predetermined ¨C by political agendas.

Jan Palmowski is secretary general of 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities.