In a recent stakeholder consultation, ALLEA, through its Working Group on the European Research Area, submitted guiding principles to the European Commission for the development of the next EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (currently referred to as ‘Framework Programme 10’), the successor of Horizon Europe, which will begin in 2028. Its stance on Framework Programme 10 (FP10) underscores the importance of global thinking and action, widening participation, and promoting research capacities to address ongoing inequalities – within and beyond the EU.
A central theme in the submitted position is the protection of academic freedom and research integrity, which it views as essential for scientific progress and innovation. ALLEA especially calls for greater support for currently underrepresented researchers (including early- to mid-career researchers and researchers from EU15 countries,) and urges funding schemes to foster creativity and innovation.
The position highlights the significance of existing schemes for widening participation in EU research projects, which encourage collaboration and support less well-resourced institutions. It emphasises the need for excellence to be distributed fairly across the EU and neighbouring nations to advance research continuously and effectively, as well as reduce inequalities in the research ecosystem.
ALLEA further stresses the need for strengthening basic research, as well prioritising long-term institutional funding models over project-based financing, simplification of application and evaluation procedures, and the importance of multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary research.
In conclusion, ALLEA’s position on FP10 emphasises global collaboration, widening participation, research freedom, and simplification, ultimately advocating for a more inclusive and diverse approach to European research funding.
The stakeholder consultation was conducted under the umbrella of the European Research and Innovation Area Committee (ERAC) Ad-hoc Task Force on “Guidance for the next Framework Programme for R&I”. This task force will write an opinion, which is due to be adopted by ERAC in June 2024, in order to provide the Commission with timely input for the next Framework Programme.
TechEthos Policy Event: Ethics for the Green and Digital Transition
On 14 November, TechEthos will hold an in-person policy event in Brussels, Belgium, co-hosted by Barbara Thaler, Member of the European Parliament & STOA Panel.
Task Group on IP System for New Genomic Techniques Meeting
The ALLEA task group on creating an IP system for new genomic techniques is scheduled to meet on 10 November 2023. This is a closed meeting.
ALLEA Participates in EU-Funded Project to Support Reforms in Research Assessment
Research assessment has the aim of making well-informed decisions about funding, hiring, and promotion, and remains a core pillar of our research system. However, while current assessment practices provide an important means to support the advancement of knowledge and recognise and reward excellence, they rely heavily on quantitative approaches rather than qualitative evaluation. Likewise, they often fail to acknowledge the diversity of the research outputs and skills that are needed for a thriving research ecosystem.
In October 2023, a consortium of European research stakeholder organisations embarked on a Horizon Europe-funded project in order to bring research assessment beyond its simplistic reliance on quantitative indicators. The three-year-long project has a budget of €5 million and aims to enact a systemic reform of research assessment following the principles and commitments agreed upon by the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). ALLEA has been actively involved in the drafting of this European agreement, and was one of the early signatories and members of the coalition.
The “CoARA Boost” project is led by the European Science Foundation (ESF), and includes, alongside ALLEA, leading European network organisations for (early career) researchers, research funders, and universities committed to promoting change. The key objectives of the CoARA Boost Project are to i) strengthen CoARA’s operational capacity, ii) catalyse knowledge development, policy evolution, and institutional change in research assessment, iii) facilitate the collection and exchange of information, and iv) widen the Coalition’s membership in Europe and beyond.
The consortium will convene for a kick-off meeting in Brussels on 7-8 December 2023 to delve into the specifics of the collaboration, which will play a pivotal role in advancing CoARA’s mission.
ALLEA approaches the topic of research assessment through its various working groups and task forces. A complete overview of these activities can be found here.
CERN Director-General Fabiola Gianotti Awarded ALLEA’s 2023 Madame de Staël Prize
ALLEA is proud to announce that particle physicist Fabiola Gianotti has been awarded the 2023 Madame de Staël Prize for European Values in recognition of her remarkable scientific achievements and her exemplary leadership as Director-General of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).
“I am deeply grateful to ALLEA for this prestigious award, and truly honoured to receive it in the context of my work as the Director-General of CERN, one of Europe’s greatest achievements from the perspective of scientific excellence, societal impact and international collaboration, as well as for the values of diversity, inclusion and open science that it embraces and promotes,” said Fabiola Gianotti about her nomination.
The selection committee felt that Gianotti’s efforts in pursuing CERN’s mission of bringing European nations together and her commitment to fostering an environment in which research can flourish beyond national boundaries 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 Fabiola Gianotti with the 2023 Madame de Staël Prize, as recognition of her outstanding scientific work in particle physics and, most notably, her exemplary achievements in shaping a truly collaborative research community at CERN. Under her directorship, CERN has evolved to become a research environment in which European values such as cultural diversity, borderless collaboration, and equal opportunities are central and essentially contribute to achieving the highest scientific standards,” said Antonio Loprieno, President of ALLEA and chair of the Madame de Staël Prize Selection Committee.
Watch the keynote speech Prof Gianotti delivered at the 2024 ALLEA General Assembly, which took place in Berlin on 22-23 May 2024.
Read more about the Madame de Staël Prize here.
ALLEA Addresses Dangerous and Exploitative Predatory Publishing Practices during International Open Access Week
Over the past two decades, open access publishing has rapidly grown into a global industry, making scholarly publications readily available to researchers, policymakers, and the general public. While this has generally been seen as a positive development, the predominant “Gold” open access route has also given rise to unforeseen challenges.
On the occasion of International Open Access Week 2023, ALLEA is contributing to the discourse around “Community over Commercialization” through the publication of a statement issued by the Permanent Working Group on Science and Ethics, with Professor László Fésüs (Hungarian Academy of Sciences) as principal author, ‘Curbing Predatory Practices in Open Access Publishing‘.
The statement is both a set of guidelines and an appeal to the broader research community to collectively identify and disempower so-called “predatory” journals with subpar editorial and publication standards. The proliferation of such outlets comes with increasingly sophisticated exploitative practices, impacting researchers, eroding research integrity, and wasting financial and human resources. Indeed, the 2023 revised edition of the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity explicitly states that supporting or using journals, publishers, events, or services that undermine research quality is a violation of research integrity norms and is considered misconduct.
Read the full statement here
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.
Framework Programme 10: ALLEA Advocates for Widening Scientific Cooperation and Freedom of Research
In a recent stakeholder consultation, ALLEA, through its Working Group on the European Research Area, submitted guiding principles to the European Commission for the development of the next EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (currently referred to as ‘Framework Programme 10’), the successor of Horizon Europe, which will begin in 2028. Its stance on Framework Programme 10 (FP10) underscores the importance of global thinking and action, widening participation, and promoting research capacities to address ongoing inequalities – within and beyond the EU.
A central theme in the submitted position is the protection of academic freedom and research integrity, which it views as essential for scientific progress and innovation. ALLEA especially calls for greater support for currently underrepresented researchers (including early- to mid-career researchers and researchers from EU15 countries,) and urges funding schemes to foster creativity and innovation.
The position highlights the significance of existing schemes for widening participation in EU research projects, which encourage collaboration and support less well-resourced institutions. It emphasises the need for excellence to be distributed fairly across the EU and neighbouring nations to advance research continuously and effectively, as well as reduce inequalities in the research ecosystem.
ALLEA further stresses the need for strengthening basic research, as well prioritising long-term institutional funding models over project-based financing, simplification of application and evaluation procedures, and the importance of multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary research.
In conclusion, ALLEA’s position on FP10 emphasises global collaboration, widening participation, research freedom, and simplification, ultimately advocating for a more inclusive and diverse approach to European research funding.
The stakeholder consultation was conducted under the umbrella of the European Research and Innovation Area Committee (ERAC) Ad-hoc Task Force on “Guidance for the next Framework Programme for R&I”. This task force will write an opinion, which is due to be adopted by ERAC in June 2024, in order to provide the Commission with timely input for the next Framework Programme.
First Annual Meeting of Academy Communications Professionals
SAPEA and ALLEA are jointly organising a 2-day workshop for communications professionals working at academies across Europe.
Klimalecture #9: Climate Protection and the Future of Nutrition in Europe
The Junge Akademie (German Young Academy) invites you to its ‘Klimalecture #9’, an insightful online lecture where the crucial intersection of climate protection and the future of nutrition in Europe will be explored. This event is organised in collaboration with the Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) to the European Commission.
ALLEA Working Group on the ERA Meeting