Archive for category: ALLEA News

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In November 2013, ALLEA issued a Statement on the Enhancement of Open Access to Scientific Publications in Europe. The recent developments at national level, in particular in the Netherlands, offer a good opportunity for ALLEA to reiterate its support for the Open Access model in a follow-up statement to the original document (accessible via the above link).

With the Internet, it is now possible to share the research results at a low cost throughout the world, including in more remote or less developed regions. The results of publicly funded research should be made freely accessible online. Open Access publications can more easily be identified and are thus read and quoted more often. Open Access publishing is beneficial to science and researchers, but as well to the users, the public and society as a whole.

Both the green and the gold routes to Open Access should be envisaged taking into account the specificities of the various academic fields (natural sciences vis-à-vis humanities and social sciences).

It is advisable that authorities define targets for the implementation of an Open Access policy. The transition to an Open Access model should be supported by the authorities.

For the transition to succeed, researchers should be aware of the advantages of Open Access. They should advocate the conversion of publishers towards an Open Access model when they are involved in the publishing process, whether as author, reviewer or member of editorial boards.

ALLEA thus supports all the attempts to work out a balanced solution in favour of Open Access, and in particular the negotiations between the academic community and the publishers that take place in various countries.

This follow-up statement was issued by the ALLEA Permanent Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights in March 2015.

To download the follow-up statement as a PDF, please click here.

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ALLEA’s recently released first newsletter of 2015 focusses on the topic “The Role and Relevance of Science Education for Modern Societies”. In this context, the newsletter features an interview with MEP Silvia Costa, Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education as well as a section highlighting investigation-based science education (IBSE). This issue also reports on a variety of activities and developments within the scope of ALLEA.

We often speak about building a European Research Area, but what about its logical prerequisite: a European Education Area? Science education is key for not only inspiring and preparing the future generations of scientists and researchers to engage in scientific careers, but also for increasing the overall scientific literacy in our societies, which plays a major role in preparing citizens to take part in scientific debates – for example, in situations where politics and science intersect and require the votes of the public.

Thus, with this newsletter’s focus topic, ALLEA offers an overview of the role and relevance of science education for modern societies. The accompanying ALLEA interview with Silvia Costa, Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) at the European Parliament, offers a glimpse into the perspectives of CULT regarding science education. Moreover, the newsletter explains the importance of IBSE as a pragmatic approach towards providing effective science education to young pupils.

Additionally, this newsletter issue recaps numerous developments regarding science policy and the EFSI regulation and details ALLEA’s recent activities vis-à-vis the European institutions. It also reports on thediverse recent activities of all five ALLEA Working Groups, who perform the bulk of ALLEA’s scientific work.

The newsletter furthermore announces the 2015 recipient of the All European Academies Madame de Staël Prize for Cultural Values, Dame Helen Wallace of the British Academy, who will be awarded the prize by the European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas, in the context of the ALLEA General Assembly on 23 April 2015 in Lisbon.

On Tuesday, 24 March 2015, ALLEA is participating in a debate jointly organised with the European Science Foundation (ESF) and the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS). The event is taking place at 18:00 in the EPRS Library Reading Room on the premises of the European Parliament and focusses on the topic of demographic change, a critical subject for the future of Europe.

The speakers include the ALLEA President, who is delivering the introductory address, as well as a panel of experts from both academia and the European Parliament including Professor Ursula Staudinger, Founding Director of the Robert N Butler Columbia Aging Center, and Dr. Harald Wilkoszewski, Head of the Information Centre Brussels of Population Europe, the Network of Europe’s Leading Demographic
Research Centres. After the panel discussion, a debate is envisioned with members of the European Parliament to allow for further examination of demographic change and its many facets, which include aspects such as the ageing society, low childbirth rates, and labour policies, among others.

In the wider context, the event seeks to explore how scientific perspectives can demonstrably contribute to developing effective approaches and solutions for major societal challenges. More concretely, it illuminates the value of contributions from the humanities and social sciences in particular for addressing pressing cross-cutting issues such as demographic change, which is highly influenced by social and economic factors. Thus, issues such as demographic change are also indicators for the growing need to consider both scientific perspectives from the social sciences and humanities as well as from the more technical fields when developing policies that tackle societal challenges..

Click here to download the event programme.

ALLEA, in view of the regulation proposed by the European Commission, and under discussion in the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament, to establish the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), which foresees a cut to the EU research and innovation programme Horizon 2020 by €2.7 billion, fully endorses the following recommendations originally published by its member, the British Academy, on 18 February 2015. ALLEA urges those in the European institutions mentioned to work towards amending the EFSI regulation accordingly during the upcoming deliberations:

Boosting job creation and economic recovery in the European Union will not be served by taking money away from funding streams such as Horizon 2020 and the European Research Council. On the contrary, this would undermine our ability to fuel sustainable prosperity and growth by neglecting the substantial contribution that high-quality research and innovation makes to our economy and society. The Commission is cutting the Horizon 2020’s budget by 8.4% in 2016 and 8% in 2017. These are deep and damaging cuts, particularly affecting the Union’s ability to respond to grand challenges and develop excellent research.

We believe that there is a risk of fundamental weaknesses in the EFSI’s governance, accountability and priorities. Firstly, the Fund’s proposed governance indicates a reliance on non-expert civil servants. We recommend that a far more inclusive and decentralised governance structure be introduced. Member States should be empowered to short-list suggested projects to a decision-making body of independent experts, made up predominantly of researchers, and not only those affiliated with the Commission. We would, additionally, strongly recommend the involvement of the President of the European Research Council and its Scientific Council in the decision-making process.

Secondly, as regards accountability we recommend that the Managing Director, the Commission and the European Investment Bank report in person quarterly to the Council and in particular the Budgets; Industry, Research and Energy; and Economic and Monetary Affairs Committees of the European Parliament. We also recommend that the appointment of the Managing Director and Deputy Managing Director of the Fund should be approved by the European Parliament and the Council.

Thirdly, the Investment Plan as announced in December and the Regulation proposing the EFSI’s establishment reflect changing notions of the ESFI’s priorities. We are surprised that the Commission is so vague about the priorities of this instrument at this stage.

We recommend that the Fund focuses on five priorities or principles, which are written into the proposed Regulation aligned with the Europe 2020 strategy. They are: excellent research; education and training initiatives in particular to reduce inequalities; supporting the move to a low carbon economy; sustainable growth-enhancing infrastructure to help fight poverty and social exclusion; and providing working capital and risk financing to SMEs to drive employment.

In addition, we strongly recommend that existing and demonstrably effective delivery mechanisms for funding, such as the European Research Council and Horizon 2020, be used to deliver as much EFSI funding as possible. For example, with excellence in research being one EFSI priority, it is clear the European Research Council should be fully involved in selecting successful projects and in delivering the funding granted.

Click here to download the PDF version of the statement.

Click here to download the original statement issued by the British Academy.

On 21 November in Rome, the ALLEA President participated in the Balzan Prizewinners’ Interdisciplinary Forum, which was organised by the host, the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, as well as the International Balzan Prize Foundation.

Photo / Fondazione Balzan “Premio”, Milano

Professor Günter Stock introduced the forum with a keynote lecture. In his speech, he underlined the advantages prestigious awards such as the Balzan Prize offer the science and research system. By forming a list of desiderata that include such needs as true interdisciplinarity, the preservation of the roots of innovation – namely, curiosity-driven research including that in the social sciences and humanities – and effective science education for the younger generation, Professor Stock laid the groundwork for discussing the role of academies and foundations in achieving these goals.  He placed particular emphasis on the historic ability of academies and foundations to provide a safe environment for new ideas and research projects away from the mainstream and identify new challenges and needs at their earliest stages. Furthermore, he highlighted the unique position of these institutions in bringing science and the public closer together in order to promote a productive space for public deliberation. Lastly, Professor Stock lauded the cooperation between the Balzan Foundation and the Accademia dei Lincei as a glowing example of academies and foundations joining forces and emphasised the benefits of more institutions engaging in cooperative activities on behalf of the scientific community.

Photo / Fondazione Balzan “Premio”, Milano

Opening remarks were provided by Alberto Quadrio Curzio, Vice-President of the Accademia dei Lincei, who noted ALLEA’s “fundamental role” in addressing science policy issues, and Salvatore Veca, Chairman of the Balzan General Prize Committee. The 2014 Prize recipients, introduced by members of the General Prize Committee, then spoke about their careers while emphasising the achievements that earned them the Prize. The talks were followed by comments by panellists and questions from the audience, with Enrico Decleva, the President of the International Balzan Prize Foundation, acting as moderator.

To read Professor Stock’s keynote lecture, please click here.

To view a video of the forum, please click here.

The International Balzan Prize Foundation’s aim is to promote culture, the sciences and the most meritorious initiatives in the cause of humanity, peace and fraternity among peoples throughout the world.

Currently, four annual awards are given: two in literature, moral sciences and the arts; and two in the physical mathematical and natural sciences and medicine. Prize winners must designate half of their awards for research projects preferably carried out by young humanists and scientists.

At intervals of no fewer than three years, the Balzan Foundation also awards a prize for Humanity, Peace and Fraternity among Peoples.