About ERA: What objectives and how to increase excellence in research or the efficiency of research
October 19, 2009Discussant session 2.1
ERA 2000 – 2009
1. Almost 10 years after the launching of the ERA concept it is time to consider achievements and deficits. The European Research Area can only be developed in a joint effort between the Community and the Member states with clear commitment on both sides. In fact, one could say that “the hour of truth” has come if substantial steps towards European integration in RTD and innovation are in the core interests of all partners involved.
2. In order to develop ERA beyond what has been achieved already the European integration in RTDI have to become of overriding importance in national policy and strategy developing processes.
3. In the follow up of the Lisbon strategy numerous Communications, Council decisions, expert reports, guidelines etc have been published where substantial differences can be noticed in addressing ERA. More consistency in priority setting and appropriate monitoring and follow up measures seem to be necessary.
4. The definition of efficient and effective measures necessary for the implementation of the European Research Area to be established according to the Lisbon Treaty (para 182, 5) will be of crucial importance for making a reality of ERA.
The role of the Framework Programmes for the development of ERA
5. In the last two decades, the EC RTD Framework Programmes has supported the development of sustainable partnerships between researchers from public and private research organisations and industry. Trans-border cooperation utilizing complementary competences, capacities and resources has become a matter of course and developed into a European strength compared to other regions in the world. In fact, to a certain extent, the Framework Programmes have made a reality of the European Research Area already and there is hardly a region in the world with such well developed links, interconnections and cooperation activities.
6. Interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral cooperation is a pre-requisite when addressing complex problems and grand challenges. European researchers are well trained in working in teams of colleagues from different areas of expertise and from different organisations and cultures. Interdisciplinary work needs a combination of strong rooting in disciplinary ground and the capabilities and skills to work in teams involving different backgrounds.
7. For the future, it has to be ensured that these capabilities and skills are further nurtured and developed by an adequate programme following the FP7 Cooperation Specific Programme. It is remarkable, that from the US point of view the Cooperation programme is perceived as a particular European strength.
The challenges of developing the Knowledge Triangle
8. It is most welcome that President Barroso has underlined the importance of the Knowledge Triangle of education, research and innovation for the future of Europe as a fully developed knowledge society. However, making the knowledge society a reality will require joint efforts at European and national levels.
9. Strategies towards the European areas for higher education, research and innovation should be further developed into an integrated strategy for the European Knowledge and Innovation Area.
10. At European and national/regional level stronger synergies, complementarity, coordination and cooperation as well as integration have to be ensured between the three policy areas.
11. The developments have to be supported by substantive financial provisions: Striving for the 3% GDP target for research expenditure and for the 2% GDP target for higher education expenditure. Not only the gap in RTD expenditure but also the underfunding of European universities compared to the USA is a major limiting factor for European developments in research, higher education and innovation.
12. Member states’ efforts towards higher expenditures for research and higher education should be re-enforced by increasing public spending as a driving force and an incentive for industry and the public sector as a whole.
The Modernisation Agenda for universities
13. In implementing the Modernisation Agenda for universities, priority should be given to developing their autonomy while at the same time implementing provisions for assuring excellent quality in education, research and innovation as well as accountability. Mutual learning initiatives and strategic partnerships between universities striving for the implementation of their modernisation agendas will be able to strengthen the higher educations system in Europe.
14. Investments in higher education and the implementation of the Modernisation Agenda should be supported by combined national and European efforts for strengthening the attractiveness of ERA. National excellence initiatives for universities and public research organisations should be further developed encouraging the formation of strategic alliances between higher education institutions and research organisations in order to develop critical mass of institutions.
15. Complementing national initiatives, a European excellence initiative should be oriented towards strengthening the global competitiveness of the European research and innovation system. In that context, also long-term Joint Research Initiatives (JRI) between universities and research organisations should become the institutional basis for long-term research nurturing the European knowledge base complementing the activities of the REC, the Joint Technology Initiatives and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.
Human resources for research
16. Attractive framework conditions for researchers are necessary for raising productivity in research and innovation. Developing the human resource base will need provisions for promising career paths for researchers in academia, research organisations and industry. The European Charter for Researchers and The Code of Conduct for Researchers should be promoted at the level of Member states and institutions.
17. Making the Knowledge Triangle a reality requires also ensuring that activities in all elements of the Knowledge Triangle are adequately rewarded in researchers’ careers. Concepts of multiple excellences have to be considered.
18. Removing the barriers or research mobility both at starting and advanced level plays a key role and not enough has been achieved since 2000. The new situation put in place by the Lisbon Treaty with the creation of ERA as a task for the Community will hopefully encourage the Member states to move forward in developing the necessary conducive framework conditions for the free movement of researchers and knowledge. However, beyond promoting and supporting research mobility also the creation of new jobs for researchers in research organisations and industry will be essential for the development of ERA.
Raising excellence of European research
19. Establishing the European Research Council was an important effort for strengthening excellence in research through Europe wide competition. The national research funding organisations are key actors of ERA. For the future, a close coordination and cooperation (and possibly even an appropriate form of integration) between the ERC and the national agencies and councils should be considered based on common principles, rules and procedures supporting excellent quality of research. Recent initiatives of the EUROHORCs are promising moves in the right direction reducing the fragmentation of the research promotion and funding systems in Europe.
University-business cooperation
20. University-business cooperation has to be further developed in accordance with the requirements of open innovation approaches. The implementation of the “Responsible Partnering” guidelines and the respective Commission Communication and voluntary guidelines for knowledge transfer of public research organisations should be driven forward in joint efforts between universities, research organisations and business. Close cooperation between the different parts of the Commission and different ministries and funding organisations at national level involved in these activities would be supportive. Agreeing on and implementing the European patent is a must in that context.
21. The European Institute of Innovation and Technology and Knowledge and Innovation Communities have the potential of becoming a model for implementing the Knowledge Triangle and of organising the web of innovation with the clear objective of creating economic and societal impact. Appropriate measures for monitoring the development of the EIT and KICs and for disseminating the lessons learned will be essential. Special target groups in that context will be strategic alliances between universities, research organisations and enterprises such as the national competence centres.
From ERA-NET to Joint Programming
22. In FP6, the ERA-NET has opened new perspectives of European research coordination and cooperation. Mutual learning between programme owners and managers is essential for the development of ERA. The experiences from preparing and implementing joint calls for proposals and joint programmes will be most important for the move towards future Joint Programming. The Joint Programming Group has the important task not only of identifying areas for joint programmes but also of agreeing on common rules for participation will be an important step towards creating a conducive environment for joint activities and a key requirement for ensuring efficiency in implementation. In any case, dangers of creating new forms of fragmentation have to be avoided.
23. In support of developing programmes addressing grand challenges the Commission and member states should join forces for appropriate forecasting and foresight activities.
24. The Lund Declaration implies that complementary to Joint Programmes it will also be necessary “taking a global lead in the development of enabling technologies such as biotechnology, information technology, material and nano-technology”. In addition, it will be necessary to integrate in these considerations also social sciences and humanities as enabling sciences where Europe has specific strengths.
25. The Cooperation part of a future Framework Programme will be crucial for ensuring a European lead position of these enabling technologies and sciences. However, it must be avoided that thematic programmes end up in national “shopping lists”.
European research infrastructures
26. The ESFRI road map has been developed in an important bottom-up process. A special joint effort involving the Commission and the Member states with the support of the European Parliament will be necessary to implement major initiatives from the list. Priority should be given to infrastructures related to the Grand Challenges and to enabling technologies and sciences.
ERA opening to the world
27. The changes of the global knowledge landscape require international cooperation becoming an integrated part of European and national strategies and programmes. The Strategic European Framework for International S&T Cooperation sets the stage for dynamic developments in that direction.
28. ERA has to develop towards a visible power also at international level and European science and technology “speaking with one voice” in international S&T relations will become more and more important for safeguarding European competitiveness in research and innovation.
29. At the moment, international S&T cooperation of European actors is fragmented and there are many parallel activities often characterised by the lack of critical mass. There are clear indications that complementing the necessary competitive approach more cooperative endeavours and also information sharing towards developing joint strategic S&T intelligence would strengthen the European position towards the major players in the international S&T arena. In international partner countries, the S&T counsellors of the European Commission and the Member states have the potential to play a major role in these activities.
30. Beyond identifying areas of first activities regarding appropriate regional and thematic priorities The Strategic Forum for International Cooperation (SFIC) will need to involve stakeholders for creating awareness of the new approach and setting the stage for joint activities.
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October 20th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Dear Discussants,
thanks for your work. I would like to bring your attention on the employment forms that are applied in the Italian University in the age range 30-40: the equivalent of the ‘post-doc’ contracts (cococo and assegni di ricerca) are underpaid and lack serious social security coverage, and often involve unpaid (and/or illegal) teaching in a sistematic way.
A related initiative and/or a declaration in this respect would crucially help this country.
October 28th, 2009 at 11:36 am
I was saddened once again to see the omission of biodiversity loss from the summary I read. This has significant impacts on climate change, water resources, healthcare and sustainable prosperity (whatever that means-definition please). How long will it be before everyone realises that biodiversity loss is as significant, if not more significant in impact, than any of the climate challenges in the sentence above? With biodiversity loss comes food security issues and then mass migration and socio-economic instability. Please keep biodiversity loss at the top of the agenda and not somewhere in the mist of any other business!