ALLEA Calls For Balanced And Secure International Research Collaboration In A Changing World

In a statement published today, ALLEA, the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, highlights the urgent need to safeguard openness, research integrity, and academic freedom in international research collaborations while addressing emerging security concerns in a rapidly and radically changing geopolitical landscape.

As a longstanding advocate for open and responsible science, ALLEA urges European and national policymakers, research funders, and academic institutions to adopt a harmonised and principles-based approach to research security.

“Europe must find a balanced path that manages risks without undermining academic freedom and scientific progress,” said Professor Pawel Rowinski, ALLEA President and a lead contributor to the statement. “This is not just about protecting research—it’s about protecting the values that underpin it.”

Towards a European Framework for Research Security

ALLEA’s statement welcomes established frameworks like the EU Council Recommendation on Enhancing Research Security and builds on extensive exchange with its Member Academies, the scientific community, and European Institutions. It offers a distinctly European perspective on navigating the complexities of international collaboration in an increasingly fragmented geopolitical landscape.

The statement stresses the importance of capacity building and harmonised rules within the European Research Area (ERA) to empower researchers and institutions. Seeking to tackle the enormous global challenges by enabling sustainable and secure international scientific partnerships in a responsible manner, it calls for creating fair conditions of equitable access to research security resources and clarifying responsibilities.

Integrating Freedom and Responsibility

While academic freedom remains a cornerstone of science, ALLEA underscores that it comes with responsibilities. Researchers and institutions must carefully evaluate potential risks while adhering to principles of research ethics and integrity.

“Research security frameworks must not close doors but enable informed choices, allowing science to thrive without compromising its openness,” said ALLEA Vice President Marie Louise Nosch, another principal contributor.

Key Recommendations from ALLEA’s Statement:

  • Balancing Openness and Security: Research policies must integrate openness with robust security measures to mitigate risks without restricting academic freedom.
  • Harmonised Rules Across Europe: ALLEA calls for a unified framework across the ERA to provide consistency and clarity for researchers and institutions.
  • Capacity Building: Policymakers and institutions must invest in tools and training that equip researchers at all career stages to manage collaboration risks effectively.
  • Guidance for Sensitive Partnerships: ALLEA advocates for clear guidelines to support collaborations in environments that may not fully respect academic freedom or institutional autonomy.

ALLEA’s Commitment

This statement, developed by a dedicated task force alongside the ALLEA Working Group on the European Research Area, reflects ALLEA’s ongoing commitment to fostering science as a global public good. Through its work, ALLEA continues to promote secure, inclusive, and globally relevant scientific collaboration.

This statement builds on the key topics discussed at the ALLEA General Assembly in May 2024 in Berlin, where a major focus was responsible internationalisation in science. Specifically, the discussion centered on how to encourage and foster international research collaborations during times of geopolitical crises, while preventing the misuse of science and technology. To this end, ALLEA invited insightful comments from experts, including Juras Banys (President of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences and ALLEA Board Member), David Harel (President of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities), Mark Walport (Foreign Secretary of The Royal Society), Yves Flückiger (President of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences), Antonio Loprieno (Former ALLEA President), and Pawel Rowinski (ALLEA President), in a video discussion:

 

The full statement, “ALLEA Statement on Research Collaboration and Research Security in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape,” is available here.

 

Top Scientists Advise European Commission on Solar Radiation Modification Technologies

A group of leading scientists nominated by academies has provided advice to the European Commission about solar radiation modification technologies through the Scientific Advice Mechanism. This advice underscores that solar radiation modification technologies are not yet mature and deploying them could have many effects, both intended and unintended.

The Scientific Advice Mechanism provides independent scientific evidence and policy recommendations to the European institutions.

For decades, technologies have been proposed that would reduce or counteract global warming by reflecting sunlight away from the Earth. These proposals, known as “solar radiation modification” technologies, include stratospheric aerosol injection, cloud brightening, and others.

However, none of the technologies is mature and deploying them could have many effects, both intended and unintended. They could have negative impacts on ecosystems, change rainfall patterns, and hamper food production. Moreover, they would not address the direct impacts of greenhouse gases.

The benefits and risks of these proposals are also highly uncertain. Member of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors, Prof. Nebojsa Nakicenovic, adds that “Deploying them could have effects on the climate in different parts of the world which would be difficult to predict and difficult to manage in practice.”

“These climate interventions could present grave risks if they are ever deployed, or come to be relied upon to protect critical habitats—coral reeds, Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets, farmland key to food security—by lowering temperatures in a world of global warming,” says Prof. Benjamin Sovacool, co-chair of the SAPEA working group. “Our Evidence Review Report synthesises the vast evidence on these controversial options, with a wonderful inclusion of work in the social sciences, arts, and humanities,” he adds.

Some solar radiation modification applications would need to run for generations-long timescales and have impacts across the entire planet. A strong global governance framework would be needed for this, with adequate representation for all affected parties, and with compensation mechanisms for those potentially harmed. No such framework exists, and it is not clear how one could be created.

More information

Scientific Advice Mechanism, Group of Chief Scientific Advisors, Solar Radiation Modification, Scientific Opinion No. 17.

Scientific Advice Mechanism, Science Advice for Policy by European Academies, Solar Radiation Modification, Evidence Review Report.

European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies, Solar Radiation Modification, Ethical perspectives, Opinion No. 34.

Online events.

 

 

German Physicist Viola Priesemann Awarded ALLEA’s 2024 Madame de Staël Prize 

 

ALLEA is proud to announce that German physicist and Board Member of the German Young Academy (“Die Junge Akademie”), Viola Priesemann, has been awarded the 2024 Madame de Staël Prize for European Values in recognition of her remarkable scientific achievements in the field of physics, her exceptional leadership, and her profound commitment to fostering a coordinated European response during the pandemic. 

Prof Dr Viola Priesemann is a Board Member of “Die Junge Akademie”, professor of Physics at the Georg-August University and group leader at the Max-Planck-Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organisation in Göttingen.  She is a member of the Board of the Campus Institute for Data Science, the Cluster of Excellence ‘Multiscale Bioimaging’, the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Her research focuses on living and artificial neural networks, carving out the basic mechanisms of self-organisation, learning, and efficient coding.  

During the Covid-19 pandemic, she brought together and coordinated a transdisciplinary team of researchers to develop coordinated mitigation strategies. This team published several papers in The Lancet, including a practicable, transdisciplinary ‘Action Plan for Pan-European Defense against new SARS-CoV-2 variants.’ Within integrating researchers from small countries and disciplines this endeavor reflects the very values of European unity, transdisciplinary research, and the promotion of an open and inclusive science advancement in Europe. 

The selection committee felt that Priesemann’s unwavering dedication to fostering an environment in which interdisciplinary research can flourish and the advancement pan-European cooperation in science, policy, and public health during a global crisis were both outstanding in their own right, as well as complementary to ALLEA’s own mission of facilitating scientific collaboration across borders and disciplines.   

“The jury wholeheartedly agreed to award Viola Priesemann with the 2024 Madame de Staël Prize in recognition of her exceptional scientific leadership and dedication to fostering European collaboration. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Prof Priesemann brought together a team of researchers, from various countries and diverse disciplines, to coordinate mitigation strategies, resulting in several papers, including a practicable ‘Action Plan for Pan-European Defense against new SARS-CoV-2 variants.’ Her work reflects the very values embodied in the Prize – of promoting science as a global public good, facilitating scientific collaboration across borders and disciplines, and strengthening the impact of science in society,” said Paweł Rowiński, President of ALLEA and chair of the Madame de Staël Prize Jury. 

 

Read more about the Madame de Staël Prize here. 

ALLEA Presidency Meets Key European Partners During Brussels Tour

On 21-22 November 2024, the ALLEA President Paweł Rowiński was pleased to visit Brussels together with the ALLEA Vice-Presidents Annette Grüters-Kieslich and Marie-Louise Nosch to engage with key European partners.

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Event Report: ALLEA at the World Science Forum 2024 in Budapest

ALLEA was honored to participate in the 11th World Science Forum (WSF) 2024, contributing to critical discussions on research assessment, academic freedom, and the intersection of science, policy, and society as a driver of change in a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.

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ALLEA Discusses ‘One Health’ at Akademientag 2024

On 6 November 2024, ALLEA participated as an official partner in “Akademientag“, an event organised by the Union of Academies, an association of eight German science academies. Titled “Living in Healthy Cities – Living Healthy in Cities”, the event brought together experts to examine the complex interactions between urban environments and health from an interdisciplinary perspective.

With rapid urbanisation and demographic shifts, the focus on healthy cities has never been more relevant. Held at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the event offered a range of formats addressing current science issues to a growing audience interested in understanding and improving urban health. The event saw over 300 attendees, a turnout that exceeded expectations and highlights the growing interest in the Akademientag.

At the ‘Europe Table’, ALLEA invited participants to a lively exchange with two experts on the One Health approach: Tuomas Aivelo, from the Finnish Research Council (Suomen Akatemia), and Antje Kohlrusch, a representative of the City of Munich’s health department. The experts challenged participants’ vision of healthy cities and provided insights on how the One Health approach can be implemented from the European to the city level. The opportunity to bridge the conceptual framework of One Health at the EU level with practical examples from the city of Munich proved to be particularly valuable. The topic of urban health was explored from diverse perspectives, including urban planning, nutrition, mobility, architecture, and historical views of cities, highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of creating healthier urban environments

As part of the programme, ALLEA Vice-President Annette Grüters-Kieslich co-hosted discussions comparing healthy cities across Europe. Professor Grüters-Kieslich remarked, “In Europe, 75% of the population lives in cities, facing a complex mix of challenges including mobility, pollution, noise, social disparities, isolation, and violence. This intersection of factors influences the health and well-being of everyone, but there is a disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups, such as children, adolescents, and the elderly, for whom targeted solutions are urgently needed. European cities need to learn from each other and share best practices to develop a cohesive strategy for improved population health outcomes. The collaboration across disciplines and borders that the ‘One Health’ approach necessitates is a core priority for ALLEA, which brings together expertise from over 40 academies across Europe in its mission to foster innovation in science and evidence-based policy.”

“The collaboration across disciplines and borders that the ‘One Health’ approach necessitates is a core priority for ALLEA, which brings together expertise from over 40 academies across Europe in its mission to foster innovation in science and evidence-based policy.” 

– Professor Annette Grüters-Kieslich, ALLEA Vice-President

 

 

ALLEA Participates in Akademientag

On 6 November 2024, ALLEA will participate as an official partner in “Akademientag”, a joint event dedicated to the most relevant and current science issues, organised by the Union of Academies, an association of eight German science academies.

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ALLEA Calls for EU-Wide Harmonisation of Secondary Publication Rights for Scholarly Research

In a recent statement, ALLEA expresses its strong support for Secondary Publication Rights (SPRs), a legal mechanism that allows researchers to freely share publicly funded scholarly articles via institutional or other non-profit repositories.

As a longtime advocate for equitable Open Access (OA) publishing, ALLEA welcomes the introduction of SPRs in several European countries and calls for EU-wide harmonisation to standardise these rights and improve their effectiveness.  Said Professor P. Bernt Hugenholtz, principal author of the statement, “Secondary publication rights are powerful rights in the hands of the scientific community. They allow us to freely share our publications online on non-profit sites and archives without the excessive costs associated with Gold Open Access publishing. Now that several EU countries have introduced these rights in their national laws, it is important to harmonise them at the EU-level so the rules are the same across Europe.” 

SPRs as Key Enablers of Green Open Access 

First introduced in Germany in 2014, SPRs now exist in six EU countries, allowing those researchers to disseminate publicly funded work for non-commercial purposes, often following an embargo period. Researchers in countries with SPRs have found them to be a vital tool in openly sharing their research findings as they avoid the often-hefty costs associated with Gold OA models. 

The majority of EU countries have however not adopted SPRs, and their effectiveness is further limited by inconsistent rules across Europe. For example, while some countries allow only the Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM) to be shared, others permit the sharing of the Version of Record (VoR). Embargo periods also vary widely, ranging from zero to twelve months. These differences continue to create legal uncertainty and pose an additional barrier for international collaborations. 

“Secondary publication rights are powerful rights in the hands of the scientific community. They allow us to freely share our publications online on non-profit sites and archives without the excessive costs associated with Gold Open Access publishing.”

P. Bernt Hugenholtz, Principal Author and Professor of Law, Institute for Information Law, University of Amsterdam

Features of a Harmonised SPR across Europe 

ALLEA, therefore, calls for the European Commission to implement harmonised legislation that would enable SPRs to be uniformly applied across all 27 Member States. The statement, prepared by the ALLEA Permanent Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights (PWGIPR), outlines several factors that should be defined in an effective, harmonised EU-wide SPR for research: 

  • Subject Matter: The SPR should apply to all published scientific articles, studies, dissertations, reports, and conference proceedings resulting from publicly funded research. This would include works from researchers at state-funded institutions and those receiving at least 50% public funding. 
  • Embargo Period: ALLEA advocates for zero embargo periods for preprints and AAMs, allowing them to be shared immediately. However, for VoR publications, a short embargo (up to three months) could be justified to allow publishers time to recover their investment.
  • Authorised Use: Researchers should be able to share their work via non-profit repositories, institutional websites, personal websites, and social media platforms. The SPR should apply regardless of any contractual obligations with publishers or copyright transfers. 
  • Binding Nature: The SPR must be enforceable, even when publishers are based outside the EU or when contracts are governed by non-EU laws.  

As the Chair of PWGIPR, Professor Alain Strowel, explains, “Non-harmonised rules on SPRs are preventing the emergence of a common European Research Area that would allow publications to be made accessible at the same time throughout Europe despite varying contractual practices. Now more than ever, it is essential to champion the creation of a single, borderless market for research, innovation, and technology across the EU.”

“Non-harmonised rules on SPRs are preventing the emergence of a common European Research Area … Now more than ever, it is essential to champion the creation of a single, borderless market for research, innovation, and technology across the EU.”

Alain Strowel, Chair of PWGIPR and Professor of Law, UCLouvain and the University Saint-Louis, Brussels 

This statement was published at the start of International Open Access Week 2024, which continues “the call to put ‘Community over Commercialisation’ and prioritise approaches to open scholarship that serve the best interests of the public and the academic community.”

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.