ALLEA Partnered in “Reimagine Food & Agriculture: A Strategic Summit on the Narratives that Shape our Reality”

On 5 June 2025, ALLEA  joined over a hundred experts, policymakers, scientists, and civil society leaders at the “Reimagine Food & Agriculture: A Strategic Summit on the Narratives that Shape our Reality”, hosted at the Palace of the Academies in Brussels by ALLEA member academy KVAB – the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts.

Convened by Re-Imagine Europa and held under the patronage of the European Parliament, the summit addressed a pressing question: How can we move beyond polarised debates and outdated narratives to create sustainable, resilient, and competitive food systems?

The event marked a key moment in shaping Europe’s agricultural and food policy at a time of rising geopolitical instability, climate urgency, and social division. It brought together a diverse coalition of actors, including the European Environmental Agency, European Institute for Agroecology, Environmental Defense Fund, European Food Forum, EU-SAGE, Euroseeds, Bruegel, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation, as well as key EU institutions.

The day was opened by KVAB President Godelieve Laureys, who set the tone for strategic, cross-sector dialogue. Among the summit’s highlights was the participation of Lise Korsten, President of the African Academy of Sciences, who joined the opening panel to share insights on global food security and agricultural policy.

ALLEA contributed to the summit through:

  • A series of expert workshops convened over the past 18 months to depolarise the debate on sustainable food systems, bringing together stakeholders from science, farming, policymaking, and civil society.

  • Ongoing work on genome editing, including ethical, legal, and societal reflections, available here: Genome Editing for Crop Improvement

  • ALLEA’s contribution to the SAPEA evidence review report on sustainable food systems, which informs science-based policy advice within the European Commission’s Scientific Advice Mechanism: SAPEA Report

ALLEA thanks all partners and participants who are helping shape the future of food and agriculture in Europe and beyond.

European Research Community Joins ALLEA in Standing Up for Academic Freedom and Against Recent U.S. Actions

Berlin, 27 February 2025 – The European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA) released a statement expressing grave concern over the growing threats to academic freedom in the United States, warning of the significant global repercussions for science and international research collaboration. The statement has since received significant and widespread support from science organisations across Europe.

The statement came in response to the recent executive orders and legislative measures in the U.S. that have led to disruptions and insecurity in research funding, as well as censorship of scholarly pursuits concerning research in fields such as climate science, gender studies, and public health. Billions in federal research funding have been frozen, forcing many U.S. science agencies and research institutions to suspend or curtail operations.

These actions do not just affect researchers in the U.S., but around the world, because science is a global, collaborative enterprise. ALLEA warns that restrictions on particular research topics and methodologies by the new administration negatively impact transatlantic data sharing and open exchange of ideas, thereby threatening decades of collaborative research between the U.S. and Europe, and potentially setting back scientific progress in critical areas.

As Professor Karin Roelofs, ALLEA Board Member and principal author of the statement puts it, “The silence around threats to academic freedom and international research collaboration is deafening. With this statement, we call upon national governments and international organisations to stand with the research community in remaining vigilant of these challenges. It is now time to join forces to safeguard academic freedom.”

In answer to this call for solidarity, the statement has already been endorsed by almost 50 research institutions, representing the unwavering commitment of the research community to safeguarding academic freedom, which is a key pillar of democratic societies. In addition to European academies of sciences and humanities, prominent research performing and funding organisations such as CNRS (France), independent SAGE (UK), and Science Europe are among the signatories. For a full list of signatories, see here.

ALLEA further urges policymakers in Europe and beyond to reinforce international agreements that protect open scientific collaboration, ensuring that political agendas do not dictate the course of research. As ALLEA President Pawel Rowiński adds, “Academic freedom is the backbone of scientific progress and indeed foundational to a free society. The latest actions by the new U.S. administration threaten the integrity and autonomy of research and disrupt public trust in science not just within the country but worldwide. Europe must stand firm in safeguarding independent research and stay committed to fostering an open and collaborative science ecosystem, thus ensuring that we remain a place where scholars can safely work, free from political interference.”

For media inquiries, please contact us at:

Email: secretariat@allea.org

Tel: +49 (0)30-20 60 66 500

ALLEA Reaffirms Solidarity with the Ukrainian Science Community After Three Years of War

Three years have passed since the beginning of Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine—a period marked by atrocities against the Ukrainian people and immense challenges for its scientific community. ALLEA reaffirms its unwavering solidarity with Ukraine’s scholars and scientists and with its academic institutions, especially our member, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Since the conflict began, ALLEA has taken a clear and principled stance supporting Ukraine’s academic sector, while advocating for accountability and justice within the international scientific community. In response to the crisis, we implemented the European Fund for Displaced Scientists (EFDS), which provided essential resources to Ukrainian researchers forced to flee their homes, as well as to Ukrainian scientific institutions to continue their research efforts amidst the war. Collaborative efforts, such as our conferences with the International Science Council (ISC), further provided platforms to address the ongoing challenges faced by the Ukrainian academic system and to foster global solidarity.

ALLEA remains committed to long-term initiatives like the 10-Point Action Plan to Support the Ukrainian Academic System, which outlines essential steps for preserving and rebuilding Ukraine’s scientific infrastructure. As ALLEA President Paweł Rowiński stated, “It is our shared responsibility to ensure that Ukrainian researchers are supported not only in the short term but also as part of broader efforts to sustain and rebuild their academic institutions.”

On this sombre occasion, ALLEA reaffirms its commitment to support the resilience and perseverance of Ukraine’s scientific community. We will continue to stand with Ukrainian researchers and institutions, advocating for their freedom, safety, and ability to contribute to the global scientific endeavour.

ALLEA Publishes Statement Responding to Recent U.S. Restrictions on Academic Freedom

On 19 February, ALLEA published a new Statement expressing grave concern over recent developments in the U.S. affecting the autonomy of scientific research, including funding freezes and blatant censorship around language, research topics, and methodologies. These actions not only threaten the integrity of scientific and scholarly work within the U.S. but also have far-reaching consequences for global research collaboration and scientific progress as a whole. This statement underscores the critical role of academic freedom in democratic societies and calls for collective efforts to safeguard research autonomy worldwide. 

ALLEA called on its members, partners, and like-minded organisations, and urged national governments and international institutions in the U.S., Europe and beyond to remain vigilant and strengthen ongoing efforts to safeguard academic freedom and institutional autonomy. 

We invite our stakeholders in the research community and beyond to show your solidarity with this effort to stand up against undue interference in the scientific endeavour, by:

  • Endorsing the statement as an academy or institution. 
  • Sharing it with your networks to raise awareness. 
  • Engaging with national and regional policymakers to reinforce the importance of academic freedom. 

Read the Statement in full here.

Event Report – Decoding Polarisation in Debates on Sustainable Food Systems

A 3-part workshop series focused on developing tools to depolarise conversations on sustainable food systems comes to an end.

Between October and December 2024, ALLEA, in partnership with Re-Imagine Europa, organised a 3-part online workshop series, titled, Decoding Polarisation in Debates on Sustainable Food Systems. The invite-only event included diverse stakeholders, such as farmers, academics, activists, and policymakers, who came together to dive deep into the question, “How can we have more constructive conversations on sustainable food systems in Europe that lead to mutually-beneficial and innovative solutions?”

The hands-on and interactive workshops built on each other as they explored the “who”, “what”, “where”, and “why” of  the current state of polarisation, and finally the “how” of depolarising these critical conversations to arrive at innovative solutions for an inclusive and equitable future.

Workshop 1

 Actors and Agendas – Analysing “Who” are the Players in Sustainable Food Systems and “What” are their Interests

In the first workshop, participants mapped the different stakeholders in European food systems and discussed the different interests and agendas of these stakeholders, as well as their varying ideas of what “sustainability” means, in order to find common ground as well as their legitimate divergences. The first speaker, Barbara Gallani, Head of the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Communication and Partnerships (ENGAGE) Department, presented work that EFSA had done on stakeholder mapping and identified discourses on food using social media data. She noted that by collecting such data on the prevailing narratives and discourses, communication efforts on controversial topics could be improved. The second speaker, Sir Charles Godfray, Director, Oxford Martin School, began his presentation by asking the slightly provocative question, “Is agreement on land-use policy in the UK and Europe achievable?” The participants were asked to debate whether, and how, agricultural intensification can coexist with conservation and biodiversity preservation efforts. In addition to the speaker presentations, participants debated the complexities of trying to build consensus among the diversity of stakeholders in European food systems, without squashing dissent and or legitimate disagreement on goals, values, and methods.

Workshop 2

Roots of Polarisation – Revealing the “Why”  

After the workshop on identifying the actors, participants were tasked with discovering the ‘roots’, i.e., the underlying social and contextual drivers, of the current state of polarisation on sustainable food systems. The session included presentations by Prof Bobby Duffy, Director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London, and Mario Scharfbillig, Science for Policy Analyst at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). Prof Duffy presented insights into the varying polarisation models , both affective and issue-based, in the literature and invited participants to analyse which might apply to the debates on food systems in Europe. Participants also looked into how issues on sustainable food are increasingly being looked at through a ‘culture war’ lens and discussed how this could be mitigated. Mario Scharfbillig then presented the latest research from the JRC on ‘Trustworthy Public Communication’, inviting participants to think about how to enable a paradigm shift – from influencing to empowering public debates on “contentious” topics. With a disclaimer that more effective communication is not the only tool to combat polarisation, Scharfbillig shared the report’s recommendations on how to talk to the public in a way that builds, and retains, trust.

Workshop 3

Depolarisation Tools and Solutions – Discovering “How” to Have Constructive Conversations on Sustainable Food Systems

In the final workshop, participants were tasked with discussing and developing depolarisation tools and methodologies. The session included presentations by Prof Stephan Lewandowsky, Professor of Cognitive Science, University of Bristol and Prof Bram Büscher, Professor and Chair at the Sociology of Development and Change group, Wageningen University. Prof Lewandowsky, who was previously a part of ALLEA’s PERITIA project on building trust in expertise, shared his research into combatting mis- and disinformation, particularly through the use of ‘inoculation’ science, along with real-life examples of such methodologies at work. Prof Büscher then shared his insights into the power structures that underpin polarisation with a look at conservation and environmentalism in the era of post-truth politics and platform Capitalism. He stressed that there was a pressing need to build alternative networks to the hegemony of the digital space, which could be harnessed for goals such as environmental and food sustainability. Participants then debated if/how inoculation methods could be applied to controversial topics in sustainable food systems, such as new genomic techniques (NGTs), and further discussed how to build alternative networks dedicated to making food more sustainable.

A more detailed report with key insights from the workshop series will be published in Spring 2025.

ALLEA Responds to High-Level Group’s Report on Framework Programme 10

The ALLEA Working Group on the ERA suggests calling it ‘MATRIX’.

On 16 October 2024, an independent expert group for the European Union’s next research programme published their report ‘Align, Act, Accelerate: Research, Technology and Innovation to boost European Competitiveness‘. Chaired by Portugal’s former research minister Manuel Heitor, the high-level group included several fellows of ALLEA Member Academies, such as Heinz Fassmann, President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. The report sets out an ambitious vision for the future of European research and innovation and calls for a significant increase in the budget of the next EU Framework Programme to €220 billion — a move that ALLEA strongly supports as evident from ALLEA’s recommendations outlined in a December 2023 statement. ALLEA has consistently called for a similarly ambitious budget, recognising that such investment is necessary to ensure that Europe maintains its position as a global leader in research and innovation. While ALLEA, through its Working Group on the European Research Area (WG ERA), applauds the High-Level Group for its achievement and supports many of the report’s objectives, there are concerns regarding some of the structural changes proposed.

Budget Increase

The High-Level Group highlights the critical need for a substantial budget increase, not just to boost Europe’s competitiveness but also to sustain world-class research across all disciplines. ALLEA agrees that without this financial boost, Europe risks falling behind global competitors like the United States and China. However, it is crucial that this increase supports both fundamental and applied research so that we can ensure Europe’s leadership through a balanced investment across fields, including the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH).

Risk of Fragmentation

The report proposes creating two new bodies — the Industrial Competitiveness and Technology Council and the European Societal Challenges Council — to manage much of FP10’s collaborative research programmes independently from the European Commission. While ALLEA acknowledges the potential benefits of increased flexibility, it is concerned that these proposed governance changes could lead to a fragmentation of the research agenda. WG ERA, in a recent meeting in Copenhagen, expressed that the emphasis on industrial competitiveness raises concerns about an overemphasis on applied research at the expense of long-term, fundamental scientific inquiry. While fostering industrial innovation is undoubtedly important, the Working Group stresses that curiosity-driven research is often the bedrock of groundbreaking discoveries. FP10 must, therefore, maintain a balance between addressing immediate industrial needs and supporting the kind of fundamental research that leads to transformative scientific advancements.

Interdisciplinary Research and the Role of SSH

Solving the complex challenges Europe faces — whether environmental, technological, or societal — requires collaboration across scientific disciplines. ALLEA values the report’s recognition of the importance of inter- and transdisciplinary research. In this context, ALLEA reiterates the importance of continuously integrating SSH into broader research agendas to ensure that solutions to societal challenges are not only technically sound, but also socially responsible and human-centred.

ALLEA remains concerned that the report’s emphasis on industrial competitiveness and applied research may unintentionally marginalise the role of SSH, and urges that the new framework take a holistic approach to research funding, ensuring that SSH disciplines are adequately represented and funded, particularly in areas such as migration, inequality, and democratic governance, where their insights are indispensable. Promoting interdisciplinarity should not come at the cost of sidelining the valuable contributions that SSH can offer.

Supporting Excellence in Widening Countries

Both ALLEA and the High-Level Group emphasise the importance of supporting research excellence in ‘Widening’ countries — those EU member states that currently lag behind in research and innovation performance, and which are essential bridges to future EU member states. ALLEA has long advocated for increased funding and capacity-building initiatives to ensure that these countries can participate fully in Europe’s research ecosystem. Ensuring that Widening countries have access to competitive funding, top-tier research infrastructure, and international collaboration opportunities will foster cohesion and facilitate access to European research ecosystems, and is crucial for building a more inclusive and resilient ERA.

Supporting Young Researchers and Fostering Mobility

A critical element of ALLEA’s vision is the support and development of early-career researchers. The High-Level Group’s report acknowledges the importance of fostering the next generation of scientific leaders by improving research mobility, providing career support, and reducing administrative burdens.

ALLEA fully endorses these goals, recognising that young researchers are the future of European science. Their ability to move freely between institutions, collaborate internationally, and access top-tier resources is essential for maintaining Europe’s research excellence. FP10 must provide funding and mobility frameworks, as well as mentorship programmes, to foster the next generation of scientific leaders through interdisciplinary and international collaboration.

Collaboration Beyond the EU

The High-Level Group’s call for enhanced international collaboration resonates strongly with ALLEA’s recommendations for FP10. In today’s globalised world, solving major challenges requires partnerships beyond the EU, particularly with institutions in non-EU countries. Increased  mobility and stronger research ties are essential for maintaining Europe’s leadership in research and innovation.

Promoting Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are key drivers of innovation and ensure that European research remains dynamic and relevant. ALLEA strongly supports the report’s emphasis on promoting gender equality, encouraging diversity in research teams, and ensuring the inclusion of under-represented groups. A diverse research community generates more impactful solutions.

A Balanced Approach

The High-Level Group’s report provides a comprehensive and ambitious vision for FP10, with many proposals that align closely with ALLEA’s guiding principles. ALLEA welcomes the call for a significant budget increase, the focus on Widening countries, and the importance placed on interdisciplinary research – and proposes the name ‘MATRIX’ to capture the cross-cutting, interwoven qualities and competitive robustness of the framework programme.

As the European research community prepares for the next phase of the Framework Programme, it is essential that research funding remains inclusive, transparent, and driven by scientific excellence. ALLEA remains committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure that the new framework supports a thriving, diverse, and globally competitive European research MATRIX capable of addressing the major challenges of our time.

Official negotiations on the next Framework Programme will only begin in mid-2025, on the basis of a proposal from the newly composed European Commission. FP10 will start in 2028, and is expected to have a duration of seven years, until 2034.

ALLEA Turns 30 and Elects New President, Board, and Members

The General Assembly of ALLEA, the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, convened in Berlin to commemorate its 30th anniversary and inaugurate a new president and board. Paweł Rowiński assumed the role of the organisation’s eighth president, taking over from Antonio Loprieno, who led ALLEA from 2018 onwards. Additionally, the assembly welcomed three young academies as new members thereby expanding ALLEA’s total membership to 59.

Around 70 delegates from across Europe gathered in Berlin on 22 May for the 2024 ALLEA General Assembly, co-hosted by the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the Union of German Academies of Sciences and Humanities, and the German Young Academy. The event stood as a milestone in ALLEA’s history, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the organisation, as well as consolidating its legal status as a registered charitable organisation in Germany.

The meeting of representatives from more than 50 member academies marked the starting point for a new president and board for the term 2024-2027. Professor Paweł Rowiński of the Polish Academy of Sciences, who has served on the organisation’s board since 2018, will steer ALLEA as President for the next three years.

Professor Rowiński, an outstanding scholar specialising in Earth Sciences, previously held the position of Vice-President at the Polish Academy of Sciences from 2015 to 2022 and serves as the Director of the academy’s Institute of Geophysics in Warsaw. His research interests include mathematical methods in geophysics, geophysical flows, river hydrodynamics, and fluvial hydraulics. In addition to his notable contributions to his field of study, he actively engages in science advice, science popularisation, science ethics, and demonstrates a strong commitment to water and climate issues.

“ALLEA is a strong voice of European science on a global level and plays a crucial role in shaping the research ecosystem, promoting academic freedom, facilitating a green transition even in times of crises, and advising on the EU Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation. I am deeply honoured and grateful for the opportunity to serve ALLEA in the coming years. As international collaboration faces increasing challenges, cross-border cooperation among academies becomes more vital than ever. I am committed to working closely with all ALLEA members to ensure that the voice of the academies continues to be heard,” said Professor Rowiński about his upcoming presidency at ALLEA.

He succeeds Antonio Loprieno from the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences, who has led ALLEA as President since 2018. Reflecting on his term, Professor Loprieno remarked, “It has been a privilege to serve the community of European academies in a critical, but also pivotal period of our institutional history: a time during which science has turned into a decisive player in social and political life in European societies; a time during which the voice of European scientific academies has become clearer, younger, and stronger. And it is particularly gratifying to see that ALLEA’s mission will be continued by very capable hands!”

The new ALLEA Board who will serve alongside President Rowiński includes:

  • Jūras Banys – Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
  • Ylva Engström – Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
  • Annette Grüters-Kieslich – National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina/Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities
  • Lara Keuck, succeeded by Kerstin Pahl (July 2025) – German Young Academy
  • Marie Louise Nosch – Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters
  • Jozef Ongena – Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts
  • Päivi Pahta – Council of Finnish Academies
  • Karin Roelofs – Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • Neri Salvadori – Academy of the Lincei, Italy
  • Camilla Serck-Hanssen – Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters

The ALLEA General Assembly welcomed three new members: the Young Academy of Belgium (Flanders), the Young Academy of Spain, and the Hungarian Young Academy, thereby increasing the total membership to 59 academies from EU and non-EU countries, including young and senior academies. With their admission, ALLEA now counts six young academies among its members, reflecting the organisation’s commitment to promoting inclusivity, diversity, and collaboration across generations.

 

ALLEA Working Group Gathers in Tirana to Shape Future of European Research Area and FP10

On 13 October 2023, the ALLEA Working Group on the European Research Area (ERA) convened a hybrid meeting in Tirana, hosted by the Academy of Sciences of Albania. The working group expressed its eagerness to actively participate in shaping the next ERA Policy Agenda and the forthcoming EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10), thereby highlighting its commitment to the ERA’s advancement and to creating opportunities for European and national policymakers to engage with the insights and perspectives of European Academies.  

Professor Skënder Gjinushi, President of the Academy of Sciences of Albania, officially welcomed the working group members who were present and stressed the vital importance of research collaboration within the European Union (EU), while calling for the expansion of the number of states participating in the ERA beyond the bloc. Professor Arben Merkoçi, Chair of the ALLEA Working Group on the ERA, and representing the host academy, opened the meeting, which involved representatives from 17 European academies.  

The meeting kicked off with an engaging discussion concerning the future of the ERA. Key topics debated included the European Commission’s proposal for the next ERA Policy Agenda within the Expert Group on the ERA Forum for Transition, in which ALLEA is participating as a stakeholder organisation. The working group generally welcomed the efforts by the European Commission and the Member States in the ERA Forum to deepen research collaboration in the ERA, as well as the move to streamline actions and reduce complexity. It also highlighted the importance of effective communication and emphasised expanding stakeholder engagement and contextualising actions within a broader political narrative. 

Another central issue discussed was the next EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10). Based on the position it had recently submitted to the European Commission, the working group agreed that the central action points in the ERA Forum should also be reflected in the guiding principles for FP10. These principles should include: widening participation, open science, global scientific collaboration, research integrity, academic freedom, a healthy and effective science-policy interface, sustainable research careers, and responsible use of generative AI in research. 

About the ALLEA Working Group on the European Research Area 

The ALLEA Working Group on the ERA aims to contribute to the further development of the ERA, its political framework, implementation and monitoring. The breadth of expertise and geographical representation of the group’s membership aptly reflects the heterogeneity of the ERA itself. Chaired by Professor Arben Merkoçi of the Academy of Sciences of Albania, the working group engages with European institutions, particularly the European Commission, and collaborates with like-minded umbrella organisations from the European research and innovation landscape. 

 

How to Address an Infodemic: Experiments on (Dis)Information

PERITIA – Policy, Expertise and Trust – is organising a workshop, titled, ‘How to Address an Infodemic: Experiments on (Dis)Information’. The event will bring together international experts working on experiments in disinformation, including John Cook (Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub), Anastasia Kozyreva (Max Plank Institute for Human Development, Berlin), and Myrto Pantazi (Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels), among others, for a full-day programme in London.

Read more

Czech Translation of ‘Fact or Fake? Tackling Science Disinformation’ is Now Available

ALLEA publishes the Czech version of Discussion Paper #5 ‘Fact or Fake? Tackling Science Disinformation’.

In March 2022, ALLEA published the Czech translation of its Discussion Paper ‘Fact or Fake? Tackling Science Disinformation’, which was translated in partnership with the Czech Academy of Sciences. The Discussion Paper was first published in May 2021.

ALLEA Discussion Paper ‘Fact or Fake? Tackling Science Disinformation’

The paper describes and discusses the problems and the consequences of science disinformation in three areas of concern, namely climate change, vaccines and pandemics, and what we can do to increase awareness and minimise harm caused by the spread of disinformation. It does so by highlighting the societal value of the scientific method, research integrity, open science communication and the resulting trust in science. The underlying question is how to protect the pillars of science from the severe consequences of disinformation while maintaining openness and democratic principles. The paper identifies underlying cognitive, social and economic mechanisms that amplify the spread of disinformation and evaluates potential solutions, such as inoculation, debunking, recommender systems, fact-checking, raising awareness, media literacy, and innovations in science communication and public engagement.

You can read the Czech translation here.