During this reception, our association welcomed both newly elected and returning Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). CESAER President Orla Feely warmly greeted MEPs, their assistants, and representatives from our Member universities.
Orla Feely emphasised the significance of having a united voice of science and technology universities across Europe, particularly in navigating the difficult societal, economic, and geopolitical challenges of our time. She underscored the importance of universities being engaged with these challenges, calling on them to act as vital engines of innovation, education, and societal progress in the European Union and beyond.
Highlighting the role of CESAER in the European research and innovation landscape, she extended an offer of collaboration to MEPs, Parliament and the other EU institutions, recalling CESAER’s longstanding role as a resource to provide expertise on science and technology (S&T). This partnership is crucial as Europe prepares for the next European framework programme for research and innovation (FP10), where science and technology can play an instrumental role in globally enhancing European competitiveness.
She referenced the recent Draghi report, which underscores the role that S&T universities and research and innovation (R&I) play in supporting European competitiveness, cohesion, and shaping the Europe of the future. CESAER’s commitment to supporting European key priorities in the upcoming term, such as scientific freedom and advancing the European Green Deal, was reiterated as key for addressing current global challenges.
MEPs and APAs from various EU member states and European Parliament Committees attended the welcome reception, including the Committee on Industry Research and Energy (ITRE), the Committee on Culture, and Education (CULT), the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) and the Committee on Budgets (BUDG).
Several MEPs delivered speeches outlining their priorities for European research and innovation policy, with a particular focus on the importance of funding and support for R&I initiatives.
They emphasised the significance of securing an adequate budget for research and innovation, including in the upcoming EU long-term budget known as the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
MEPs also emphasised the enduring importance of the European Green Deal for global competitiveness and the major role that technical universities have in both efforts. Concerns were expressed about political tools being misused and urged scientists to be the "sound souls of data," promoting facts in the face of bias and misinformation. They appealed to scientists to engage more actively in policymaking, to ensure democracy and the rule of law remain grounded in truth and scientific facts. Science should help shape diplomacy, as integrating knowledge and expertise for evidence-based policy, safeguarding science as an independent bridge-builder, and boosting international scientific cooperation are crucial to help overcome the challenges of our time.
Manuel Heitor reflected on his personal journey in science and delivered two key messages to MEPs. First, he stressed the necessity for a robust and well-funded FP10. While previous framework programmes have achieved many scientific advancements and positive benefits to society over the last 40 years, their impact is currently constrained by budget limitations. Heitor argued for significant budget increases to allow Europe to retain top research talent and fund its best proposals, as currently only 15-16% of high-quality proposals areas being funded, and only 6% of high-quality proposals in programs such as the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). He also emphasised the critical role that scientific activism should play in shaping policy, calling for scientists to be more deeply involved in policy discussions.
Secondly, Heitor emphasised a crucial challenge for Europe, which is witnessing significant outflow of research talent to other countries, notably to the United States. This problematic brain drain of excellent, young researchers from Europe hampers Europe’s long-term competitiveness and transcends national borders. Therefore, it represents a critical challenge for the entire continent. To counter this trend, it is imperative to develop strategies to retain and attract research talent within Europe. Addressing precarity and quality of jobs for young researchers is essential to achieving this goal. Supporting modern and stable research careers in Europe, notably for early-career researchers, is one of our association’skey priorities, and our Task Force Human Resources is currently developing a research career report which will provide concrete recommendations to address these issues.
Heitor also stressed the importance of connecting fundamental research with private sector innovation, ensuring that breakthroughs can transition smoothly into commercial applications, an increase in high-tech to enhance European competitiveness, and fostering high-tech start-ups that are eager to remain in Europe.
Mattias Björnmalm (Secretary General of CESAER) highlighted the value of long-term collaboration between CESAER and MEPs. He reiterated that cutting-edge science and technology and truly achieving the ‘’fifth freedom’’ – the free movement of knowledge and researchers across Europe through a European Research Area Act are critical to Europe’s global leadership. He urged MEPs and Europe to adopt a pan-European perspective on research and innovation, moving beyond intra-European competition to focus on global challenges and opportunities through the strength of the continent.
The Co-Chairs of our Task Force Sustainable Funding, Wendy Sonneveld (Ghent University) and Christian Gerhardts (TU Dresden) highlighted several important dossiers ongoing at European level in addition to the framework programme, including the future of dual-use research, the Erasmus+ program, and the upcoming European degree. They also discussed legislation that will impact universities, such as data legislation, and stressed the importance of securing an adequate budget for research and higher education. They concluded by expressing enthusiasm for continuing CESAER's collaboration with the European Parliament to strengthen European competitiveness.
We particularly would like to thank the volunteers from the Task Force Sustainable Funding who supported the organisation of this event, namely Rickard Eksten (Lund University), Jaga Schreiber (TU Delft), Fred de Vries (University of Twente), Charlotte Pedersen (Aalborg University), Valentina Romano and Ilenia Bertorello (Politecnico di Torino ), Ciara Leonard (University College Dublin), Roberto Martinez (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid), David Kolman (TU Wien), Boglárka Tóth (Budapest University of Technology and Economics), Joanna Buszkiewicz, (Poznan University of Technology), Luis Caldas de Oliveira (Instituto Superior Técnico), Luis Melo (Instituto Superior Técnico) and Sarianna Kankare (Aalto University).
Our association will continue to explore ways for cooperation and provide expertise to Members of the European Parliament to boost European Research, Education and Innovation.
Photo credits: Taïs Grippa.
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