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ALLEA Supports Joint Call to Safeguard MSCA

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) have been at the heart of European research excellence for more than three decades, supporting generations of researchers, fostering international collaboration, and strengthening research capacity across all disciplines.

Amid ongoing negotiations on the next Horizon Europe Framework Programme (FP10) and the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), ALLEA has joined a coalition of leading European research and higher education organisations in calling on policymakers to preserve and strengthen the programme’s unique role in developing research talent for the long-term resilience and competitiveness of Europe.

The joint statement, MSCA: Research Talent is Europe’s Strategic Advantage, published on 29 June, argues that MSCA must remain a bottom-up, discipline-agnostic, researcher-driven programme within Pillar I of Horizon Europe. Rather than being redirected with top-down themes towards short-term labour market or industrial priorities, the programme should continue to invest in early- and mid-career  researchers (EMCRs) across all scientific fields. This openness has been fundamental to MSCA’s success, enabling scientific breakthroughs, nurturing international networks, and ensuring Europe remains an attractive destination for research talent.

The statement also highlights the growing demand for MSCA funding, noting that many outstanding researchers and projects continue to go underfunded despite the programme’s proven impact. The signatories therefore urge European leaders not to redesign a model that works, but instead to increase investment so that MSCA can be strengthened to cultivate the knowledge, talent, and scientific capabilities on which Europe’s long-term competitiveness depends.

By co-signing this statement alongside fellow European research organisations, ALLEA reaffirms its commitment to protecting excellence-driven research, supporting early- and mid-career researchers, and ensuring that Europe continues to invest in the people whose ideas will shape tomorrow’s scientific and societal breakthroughs.

This is the second joint statement that ALLEA has issued on the MSCA. In June 2025, ALLEA joined 16 European research organisations, led by Coimbra Group, EU-LIFE and YERUN, in issuing a Statement calling on the European Commission and Member States to preserve the bottom-up structure of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), in response to a proposal to introduce directionality in the 2026–2027 Work Programme by steering project calls toward predefined areas.

Other ALLEA Initiatives to Support the MSCA

In May, ALLEA’s Science Policy Standing Committee submitted feedback to the European Commission’s Call for Input on the future development of the MSCA in FP10, reiterating that the core principles of scientific excellence, bottom-up competition, and openness across all disciplines should remain fundamental characteristics of the programme. Some highlights from ALLEA’s reflections on how to strengthen the MSCA include:

  • A stronger focus on sustainable research careers and longer-term career development pathways, for instance, by extending doctoral funding periods to four rather than three years
  • ALLEA welcomes the exploration of new models such as Postdoctoral Networks, which have the potential to strengthen peer learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and structured career development. However, we should ensure that postdoctoral researchers progressively develop scientific independence, including opportunities to shape research agendas, design projects and acquire leadership skills necessary for future career progression.
  • The European Commission should engage more with Young Academies in the design of future postdoctoral training and networking schemes.
  • Reduce structural barriers that prevent applicants and institutions from less-represented countries from competing on equal terms. Administrative complexity, limited institutional support capacity and differences in national employment frameworks can create significant obstacles, particularly for institutions and countries with less experience in managing MSCA projects.
  • Care should be taken to ensure that any future scheme preserves sufficient flexibility for investigator-driven research, including fundamental research that may not align directly with short-term policy priorities.

ALLEA and Partners Call for Stronger Action on Open Science in the European Research Area

On 13 May, in the context of the ongoing consultation on the European Research Area (ERA) Act, ALLEA joined forces with EIFL, IFLA, LIBER, OPERAS, and SPARC Europe to issue a joint Statement calling for renewed political commitment to Open Science as a cornerstone of a strong, competitive, and resilient European Research Area.

The Statement was issued on behalf of thousands of European universities, research-performing organisations, libraries, scholarly infrastructures, and academies of sciences and humanities.

While substantial progress has been made in recent years through initiatives such as the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, the ERA Policy Agenda, and national Open Science strategies, significant barriers continue to hinder equitable participation in, and access to, Open Science across Europe. Financial, linguistic, geographic, and legal inequalities remain major obstacles to the full realisation of an open and inclusive research ecosystem. In the Statement, the signatories emphasised that including targeted legislative measures to support Open Science in the ERA Act would be a necessary, but insufficient, move to create a sustainable open research culture – achieving true openness will require sustained investment in infrastructures, policy alignment, incentives, and community-led initiatives across the European research ecosystem.

The statement highlights Open Science as fundamental to the free circulation of knowledge and essential for strengthening research integrity, transparency, reproducibility, evidence-based policymaking, and European competitiveness. It also emphasises that Open Science is crucial for ensuring Europe’s strategic autonomy and capacity to respond to societal and geopolitical challenges.

Key Highlights Include: 

  • Ensure immediate Open Access (OA) to publicly funded research outputs, including publications, research data, software, methods, and protocols.
  • We need to advance equitable, not-for-profit and publicly governed publishing models, including Diamond OA and publish-review-curate models, to become new standard models and trusted open repositories that enable dissemination without financial or technical barriers.
  • Establish harmonised legal frameworks, including a Secondary Publication Right, to enable researchers to share and reuse publicly funded research without embargoes or contractual restrictions.
  • A coherent and coordinated approach is needed to enable effective data reuse across Europe.
  • ‘As open as possible, as closed as necessary’ approaches make it possible to address legitimate concerns around security and risk while facilitating responsible research innovation.

 

The signatories called on European institutions and Member States to seize the opportunity presented by the ERA Act to create the enabling conditions necessary for a research ecosystem that is responsibly open, innovative, inclusive, resilient, and above all, grounded in European values.

Read the full Statement here.

 

ALLEA Joins ERA Action 18 and SIMPLIFY Launch

Last week, ALLEA participated in the official launch of the European Research Area (ERA) Policy Action 18 on Research Ethics and Integrity and a preparatory meeting for the SIMPLIFY project. The event, hosted by the European Commission in Brussels, brought together key stakeholders and Member State representatives committed to strengthening ethical standards and integrity across the European research landscape.

ALLEA is proud to serve as a co-sponsor of ERA Policy Action 18, which focuses on reinforcing ethics and integrity frameworks across the European Research Area. The initiative is structured around four key objectives:

  • Connecting existing European networks and stakeholders in research ethics and integrity to build a sustainable community of practice.

  • Facilitating dialogue, training activities, mutual learning, and the exchange of good practices among research institutions, funders, policymakers, and professional communities.

  • Developing practical guidance, operational tools, and standard operating procedures, including the revision of ALLEA’s European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity.

  • Promoting a shared culture of ethics and integrity throughout the ERA.

The launch event successfully convened representatives from EU Member States, European organisations, and Horizon Europe projects. Discussions focused on concrete ways to strengthen ethical practices and integrity in research, both at institutional levels and in day-to-day research activities.

SIMPLIFY, a newly funded Horizon Europe project, marks an important step towards a more coordinated, resilient, and evidence-based approach to research ethics and integrity governance in Europe. The project aims to foster alignment across countries and institutions, supporting a shared European pathway in this critical area. ALLEA looks forward to working closely with project partners, including EUREC, ENRIO, ENAI, EARMA, and The Embassy of Good Science, in what promises to be a productive and collaborative initiative.

Through its involvement in both SIMPLIFY and ERA Action 18, ALLEA reaffirms its commitment to advancing responsible research and fostering trust in science across Europe.

Read more on ALLEA’s work in the field of Research Ethics and Integrity here.

ALLEA at the Paris Conference on Strengthening Public Trust in Science – and First Meeting of New Task Force

On 11 December, ALLEA joined policymakers, researchers, and science‐policy experts in Paris for a conference on Strengthening Public Trust in Science, co-organised by Science Europe and the French National Research Agency (ANR).

The event offered a timely and much-needed forum to reflect on one of the most urgent issues facing democratic societies today: how to safeguard and rebuild trust in science in an era of rapid technological change, global crises, and accelerating mis- and disinformation. 

Public trust, as Science Europe Vice-President Javier Moreno Fuentes underlined in his opening, is “the glue that holds democratic societies together”. Yet this glue is coming undone. Trust is something we rarely think about – until it disappears. Modern societies are built on trust: it reduces transaction costs, enables complex cooperation, and allows (liberal and democratic) political systems to function. For decades, science has served as a key source of legitimacy and progress. Today, this role is increasingly contested. 

Kei Koizumi, Former Principal Deputy Director for Science, Society, and Policy in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (Biden Administration)

In a powerful keynote, Kei Koizumi offered an alarming assessment of developments in the United States, where deliberate political interference, widespread disinformation, and eroding information integrity are undermining confidence in public institutions and, indirectly, in scientific evidence. Although general trust in science remains comparatively high, deep divides between societal groups persist and increase, and trust in policy decisions informed by scientific advice has weakened. While the Covid-19 pandemic initially seemed to demonstrate the life-saving value of science, policy responses often had the opposite effect and fuelled polarisation.

Koizumi and other speakers emphasised that trust cannot be built through dissemination of information alone: effective communication requires dialogue, transparency, and teaching a different understanding of how science works – not as a fixed set of truths, but as a process grounded in the scientific method, integrity, and clearly defined values.  

Some of the most renowned experts on trust in science in Europe further explored how fast-moving technologies – especially generative AI – may challenge traditional gatekeepers of knowledge, complicating citizens’ ability to distinguish evidence from misinformation and manipulation, how public engagement can strengthen trust in science, and the role trust in science plays at the science-policy interface.  

Many of the proposed solutions echo long-standing priorities of ALLEA: strengthening research integrity, academic freedom, independent technology research, early science education, citizen engagement, and responsible science advice. 

Inaugural Meeting of the ALLEA Task Force on Strengthening Trust in Science 

From L to R: Daniel Kaiser (ALLEA), Hedwig te Molder (KNAW), Daniela Ovadia (British Academy), Martina Feilzer (LSW), Tereza Stöckelová (Czech Academy of Sciences)

The conference provided an ideal backdrop for the first meeting of ALLEA’s newly established Task Force on Strengthening Trust in Science, held immediately afterwards. The hybrid meeting at the Bibliothèque Nacional de France brought together 17 experts from academies across Europe, representing a rich mix of disciplines, countries, and career stages, who will work closely with the ALLEA Board, the newly established Science-Policy Standing Committee, the Research Ethics and Integrity Council, and other Task Forces over the coming months.

The meeting introduced the Task Force’s purpose and set the stage for its future work. Members got to know each other and discussed the increasingly complex environment in which trust in science is shaped: the rapid spread of mis- and disinformation, the impact on evidence-informed policymaking, and the need to understand trust in science as part of broader societal dynamics. Participants stressed the importance of approaching the issue with curiosity rather than defensiveness; distrust, they noted, often stems from legitimate experiences and concerns that deserve attention. As Task Force Chair Emilija Stojmenova Duh (Global Young Academy) put it, “In a world where uncertainty is high and societal challenges are increasingly complex, trust in science has never been more important. Strengthening it is one of the most important tasks of our time, and I’m proud to contribute to this mission.” 

The Task Force will play a prominent role in European-level discussions, including ALLEA’s involvement in the European Research Area (ERA) Structural Policy on “Enhancing Trust in Science through Citizen Participation, Engagement and Science Communication”, an initiative co-led by Germany and Sweden in the ERA Forum. The group agreed to meet regularly over the coming months, with the next session scheduled for January to refine its thematic focus and establish priority areas and topic leads. 

“In a world where uncertainty is high and societal challenges are increasingly complex, trust in science has never been more important. Strengthening it is one of the most important tasks of our time, and I’m proud to contribute to this mission.” 

-Emilija Stojmenova Duh, Chair, ALLEA Task Force on Trust in Science

For ALLEA and its Member Academies, strengthening public trust in science is not a new endeavour, but it is more urgent than ever. Together, the Paris conference and the launch of ALLEA’s new Task Force mark an important step in advancing evidence-informed, socially responsive, and trustworthy science across Europe at a time when it is needed most. 

ALLEA Welcomes Joint Proposal by Universities and Research Institutes in Europe: Shared Vision, Unified Voice for FP10 Amendments

On December 1, 2025, leading organisations representing Europe’s research and innovation community presented a coordinated set of amendments to the European Commission’s proposals for the 10th EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10). ALLEA welcomes and fully supports this joint initiative.

United by a simple and urgent call, the signatory organisations emphasise the need for Europe to act at the speed and scale the moment demands. The decisions taken in the coming period must demonstrate a clear and ambitious step change in Europe’s capacity to lead globally in cutting-edge research and innovation, accelerating both technological and societal progress underpinned by scientific excellence.

To this end, CESAER, the Coimbra Group, the European University Association (EUA), EU-LIFE, the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, the League of European Research Universities (LERU), and the Young European Research Universities Network (YERUN) have released:

● A cover note that provides a concise overview of our shared objectives and key proposals for the future of Horizon Europe (2028-2034).
● A full list of the jointly proposed amendments to the FP10 legal texts.

Together, these organisations represent more than 900 universities and research institutes across Europe. Their message is clear: FP10 must be equipped to strengthen Europe’s capacity to generate excellent research, attract world-leading talent, and translate knowledge into meaningful societal and economic impact. The proposed amendments aim to ensure that the final FP10 legal framework aligns with the needs of the research and innovation community and maximises the programme’s contribution to Europe’s resilience, competitiveness, and long-term prosperity.

ALLEA commends this collective effort and shares the commitment to a strong and ambitious FP10 that reinforces Europe’s scientific leadership.

The next chapter of Horizon Europe presents a unique opportunity to strengthen Europe’s research and innovation ecosystem. ALLEA will continue to advocate for a framework that empowers the scientific community and fully unlocks Europe’s talent and potential.

ALLEA Co-Organises Flagship Conference on Research Security

From 28-30 October, ALLEA co-organised the European Flagship Conference on Research Security in Brussels, together with the European Commission and 11 other partners.

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ALLEA Responds to the Call for Evidence on the ERA Act

ALLEA, representing the European Academies of Sciences and Humanities, welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for an ERA Act as a major step toward a fully integrated single market for research, knowledge, and technology. The Act should build on existing initiatives, legally anchor the 3% R&D investment target, and address persistent disparities across Member States and regions. This requires transparent national plans, measurable milestones, and targeted capacity-building measures for smaller and less-developed regions to strengthen infrastructures, avoid brain drain, and enhance participation in ERA priorities.

The ERA Act must improve framework conditions for researchers by creating stable and attractive career pathways, particularly for early- and mid-career researchers, including portable and flexible funding schemes such as starter and smaller grants. It should harmonise recognition of qualifications, simplify mobility procedures, and institutionalise family-friendly provisions. The Act should also advance Open Science through sustainable and equitable mechanisms, strengthen the resilience of research infrastructures, and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy in funding while safeguarding the integrity of peer review.

Fundamental values must be at the heart of the ERA Act: academic freedom should be legally anchored, research integrity and ethics promoted (including for emerging technologies such as AI), and equality, diversity, and inclusion systematically strengthened. Excellence-driven, investigator-led research, including the ERC, must be preserved and reinforced. At the same time, the ERA Act should foster responsible openness to global collaboration, ensure proportionate research security, and explicitly integrate the social sciences, humanities, and arts into European research strategies. By embedding these principles, the ERA Act can deliver a truly inclusive, open, and competitive ERA that supports trust in science and benefits society across Europe and beyond.

The ERA Act is a historic opportunity to create an integrated and competitive single market for research and innovation. To succeed, it must: legally anchor investments, align EU and national priorities, improve framework conditions, safeguard fundamental values, ensure inclusivity across disciplines and regions, and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.

ALLEA and its Member Academies are ready to contribute expertise and support in shaping and implementing the ERA Act.

Read ALLEA’s full response to the Call for Evidence on the ERA Act here.

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 Working Group on the ERA Meets at the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters

On 11 October 2024, the ALLEA Working Group (WG) on the European Research Area (ERA) convened at the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters in Copenhagen.

The meeting gathered representatives from across Europe to discuss key issues that will shape the future of European research and innovation. One of the primary topics was the next European Research Area (ERA) Policy Agenda. The Working Group reviewed recent developments and upcoming priorities for the ERA, highlighting the need for policies that foster collaboration and support throughout Europe’s research landscape. Members emphasised the importance of coordinated efforts to address talent retention, promote Open Science, and streamline processes to maintain Europe’s global leadership in research. 

The meeting also addressed inequalities in the European research landscape. WG ERA reaffirmed its commitment to reducing disparities between member states, particularly by supporting Widening countries, and ensuring that all regions contribute to, and benefit from, Europe’s scientific advancements. 

As discussions turned to the future of the European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10), WG members examined the evolving priorities for FP10. They stressed the importance of balancing support for fundamental research with mission-driven projects that address pressing societal challenges. 

Discussions also addressed current threats to academic freedom, which is fundamental to the integrity and success of research. In light of some concerning developments, members of WG ERA reiterated the importance of protecting researchers’ rights to pursue their inquiries without undue interference or censorship. Safeguarding academic freedom in the European Union and beyond is essential for fostering a vibrant research environment, where innovative ideas can flourish and where scientists can engage with critical societal issues without fear of retribution.  The topic of research security was also debated. Members discussed the rising geopolitical risks to international collaboration and emphasised the need for a balanced approach to simultaneously protecting intellectual property and ethical norms while maintaining openness in research partnerships. 

This meeting strengthened the role of the ALLEA Working Group on the ERA in shaping European research policy and advancing collaboration across the continent. WG ERA remains committed to promoting excellence, inclusivity, and security in European research as the ERA and FP10 evolve. 

Event report: European Research Collaboration in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape – How Open Can We Be?

ALLEA marked its 30th anniversary with its general assembly in Berlin on 22–23 May 2024. The event featured a public symposium which convened prominent researchers, policymakers, and civil society representatives from across Europe to explore the complexities and opportunities of open research collaboration in today’s evolving geopolitical climate.

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