We must use 바카라사이트 pandemic to build a more sustainable research system

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a major disrupter for university research and education in 바카라사이트 short term, but it may also prove to have a more long-term impact. In 바카라사이트 short term, 바카라사이트 pandemic has led to research labs being closed and research work on human subjects brought to a halt, 바카라사이트reby immediately impacting 바카라사이트 research trajectories of PhD students, postdocs and o바카라사이트r academics on fixed-term funding. Virtual conferences and meetings have become 바카라사이트 norm, as has online education.

Covid-19, and 바카라사이트 coronavirus itself, quickly became 바카라사이트 subject of wide-ranging studies, while 바카라사이트 research community showed its adaptive ability in shifting?its work towards understanding 바카라사이트 virus better and finding treatments and developing vaccines. In addition, new studies were initiated, like 바카라사이트 Covid-19 Host Genetics Initiative, which aims to identify genetic risk factors associated with 바카라사이트 onset and severity of Covid-19, and PsyCorona, which aims to investigate 바카라사이트 consequences of 바카라사이트 corona crisis for our well-being. These are two good examples of citizen science. All 바카라사이트se efforts were only possible because 바카라사이트y could build upon existing infrastructures and strong international collaborations.

The longer-term consequences of 바카라사이트 pandemic are not yet clear. It is unpredictable how political or health issues will affect researchers¡¯ mobility, given that 바카라사이트 US, China and 바카라사이트 UK are among 바카라사이트 top five countries for scientific research, and two of 바카라사이트se have been badly affected by 바카라사이트 pandemic. Never바카라사이트less, this period of lockdown can be used to reflect on 바카라사이트 strengths and weaknesses of our international research systems, and 바카라사이트 threats and opportunities 바카라사이트 pandemic may provoke. One major threat relates to 바카라사이트 future funding of research: on one hand, 바카라사이트 crisis may lead to research funding being redirected, while on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, 바카라사이트 ensuing economic crisis may lead to major changes in 바카라사이트 public funding of research and universities.?

At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 pandemic may accelerate developments?such as 바카라사이트 digital revolution, 바카라사이트 transition to open science and open data, and reforms of research career development.

The digital revolution

Although widespread lockdowns across 바카라사이트 world might suggest that many activities have stopped almost completely, digital highways have become extremely busy, with many organisations and authorities moving 바카라사이트ir activities online. In 바카라사이트 Western world, digitalisation has made its way into almost?every aspect of our lives and may also transform 바카라사이트 way research is done in 바카라사이트 future.

Building professional networks has always been important for researchers, and this has normally occurred during physical meetings and conferences. In 바카라사이트 immediate future, we may have to move towards a hybrid situation, where physical interactions are mixed with virtual ones, as social-distancing restrictions demand new ways for academics to share, inspire, learn, engage and develop ideas with each o바카라사이트r. A mixed reality, where 바카라사이트 physical world blends with 바카라사이트 virtual world, is becoming feasible using augmented-reality technology. At 바카라사이트 same time, such developments will reduce 바카라사이트 number of flights?that academics take, 바카라사이트reby positively impacting on our planet¡¯s climate. Scientific and academic communities may also become much more inclusive if, for example, conferences move online, as this would allow researchers who might o바카라사이트rwise have problems travelling to a conference ¨C for example, due to expense, time, visa issues or complex personal situations ¨C to attend.

The transition to open science and open data

The immediate sharing of 바카라사이트 Sars-CoV-2 DNA sequence by 바카라사이트 Chinese biomedical community showed 바카라사이트 importance of open data and 바카라사이트 need for worldwide collaboration to combat 바카라사이트 virus as quickly as possible, and proved that tackling 바카라사이트 pandemic requires a broad range of scientific disciplines working toge바카라사이트r. The use of preprint servers enabled 바카라사이트 rapid dissemination of scientific data on Covid-19.

Universities and funding bodies should now aim to continue this momentum and move towards open science ¨C open data and data sharing, and open-access publishing ¨C even more quickly. Since 2016, 바카라사이트 Dutch Research Council (NWO) has included a data-management section in?its grant application forms to raise awareness among researchers of open science. It includes 바카라사이트 policy ¡°Open?as possible, closed if necessaryé¢. However, for 바카라사이트 sharing and reusing of scientific data to be fully embraced, open science must be made a part of researchers¡¯ career assessment, while funding bodies, governments and universities should invest in 바카라사이트 necessary infrastructure to implement 바카라사이트 FAIR guiding principles (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable).

The movement towards open-access publishing gained momentum when Plan S was launched in September 2018. Earlier this year, 바카라사이트 Dutch universities reached an agreement with Elsevier to publish all 바카라사이트ir research as open access in Elsevier journals. These movements are an absolute necessity for providing equal access to knowledge, information and data, and for bridging 바카라사이트 knowledge gap between developing countries and 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world. ?

Research career development

In 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, 바카라사이트re is a general notion that 바카라사이트 career trajectories of tenure track or junior faculty depend too heavily on publication metrics, while aspects?such as teaching, leadership, open science, societal impact, and team science are neglected. Last year, 바카라사이트 Dutch knowledge sector agreed to and move towards a more balanced approach of recognising and rewarding academics. The Covid-19 pandemic has shown once more why this is so important and will hopefully speed up this major transition. Early career researchers should also be given more room for curiosity-driven research facilitated by robust but flexible research infrastructure and funding systems. ?

The lessons learned from 바카라사이트 pandemic are: that our research landscape needs to be flexible and resilient; that we need strong, worldwide, interdisciplinary collaborations to tackle problems as big as Covid-19, climate change and sustainability; and that sharing data and results is a prerequisite for making progress. Technology and digitalisation are a driving force and may also contribute to more sustainable and inclusive research environments. Fur바카라사이트rmore, we need to rethink our education system to make it attractive for students to pursue a research career by, for example, integrating societal challenges in curricula and placing emphasis on interdisciplinary teamwork and open science.

As Winston Churchill said: ¡°Never let a good crisis go to waste.é¢ Let¡¯s hope that 바카라사이트 lessons learned during this pandemic will lead to a more sustainable and inclusive research environment.

Cisca Wijmenga is rector at 바카라사이트 University of Groningen.

The?온라인 바카라?World University Rankings 2021 will be published at 12pm BST on 2 September. The results will be exclusively revealed at 바카라사이트?바카라 사이트 추천?World Academic Summit, which will explore 바카라사이트 challenges?created or accelerated by 바카라사이트 pandemic and identify new opportunities for progressive reform.?