European research organisations, led by Coimbra Group, EU-LIFE and YERUN, have issued a joint statement calling on the European Commission and Member States to preserve the bottom-up structure of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). The statement responds to a proposal to introduce directionality in the 2026–2027 Work Programme by steering project calls toward predefined areas.
The signatories stress that MSCA’s success lies in its openness to all fields and topics, driven by researchers’ initiative and scientific excellence. Imposing thematic restrictions risks narrowing the scope of innovation and limiting opportunities for early-career researchers.
MSCA in its current state already delivers significant contributions to strategic areas even before any political prioritisation is envisioned. More than 1,000 ongoing projects focus on artificial intelligence, backed by nearly €1 billion in EU funding under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. Over 170 projects address quantum technologies, and thousands of MSCA researchers are involved in work related to the EU Missions.
Also notable is that the demand for MSCA continues to grow, while the budget has seen only marginal increases between funding cycles. While the primary message is about preserving MSCA’s model, the signatories also encourage a significant funding boost in the next Framework Programme (FP10) to match the programme’s expanded impact and address the structural challenges that research careers face.
ALLEA has extended its support to the statement alongside YERUN, Coimbra Group, EU-LIFE, Aurora Universities Network, CESAER, EASSH, ECIU, EUA, Eurodoc, Initiative for Science Europe (ISE), LERU, MCAA, PolSCA, SPARC Europe, The Guild, UNICA.
ALLEA Supports Joint Statement Warning that Introducing Directionality in MSCA Would Risk Undermining the Programme’s Success
European research organisations, led by Coimbra Group, EU-LIFE and YERUN, have issued a joint statement calling on the European Commission and Member States to preserve the bottom-up structure of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). The statement responds to a proposal to introduce directionality in the 2026–2027 Work Programme by steering project calls toward predefined areas.
The signatories stress that MSCA’s success lies in its openness to all fields and topics, driven by researchers’ initiative and scientific excellence. Imposing thematic restrictions risks narrowing the scope of innovation and limiting opportunities for early-career researchers.
MSCA in its current state already delivers significant contributions to strategic areas even before any political prioritisation is envisioned. More than 1,000 ongoing projects focus on artificial intelligence, backed by nearly €1 billion in EU funding under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. Over 170 projects address quantum technologies, and thousands of MSCA researchers are involved in work related to the EU Missions.
Also notable is that the demand for MSCA continues to grow, while the budget has seen only marginal increases between funding cycles. While the primary message is about preserving MSCA’s model, the signatories also encourage a significant funding boost in the next Framework Programme (FP10) to match the programme’s expanded impact and address the structural challenges that research careers face.
ALLEA has extended its support to the statement alongside YERUN, Coimbra Group, EU-LIFE, Aurora Universities Network, CESAER, EASSH, ECIU, EUA, Eurodoc, Initiative for Science Europe (ISE), LERU, MCAA, PolSCA, SPARC Europe, The Guild, UNICA.
Event Report. 2025 ALLEA General Assembly, ‘Europe and the Arctic: Science and Diplomacy’
A summary of the scientific symposium ‘Europe and the Arctic: Science and Diplomacy’, held as part of the 2025 ALLEA General Assembly, which took place on 3-4 June in Copenhagen, Denmark, kindly hosted by the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters.
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.
ALLEA Welcomes the UK Young Academy as its 61st Member
ALLEA can now count among its members the UK Young Academy following recent election by current membership. This addition marks the eighth Young Academy within the ALLEA network. Bringing this academy into ALLEA’s network not only supports young academics – it fosters further cooperation between Young and Senior Academies as well.
The UK Young Academy is a UK-wide, interdisciplinary membership organisation of early-career individuals who are passionate about making a difference in the world. Bringing together a diverse membership of researchers, innovators, clinicians, professionals, academics and entrepreneurs, it works to tap into the collective potential and expertise of its membership to tackle important issues in society at local, national and global levels, and provide a voice to the UK’s early-career landscape.
The Young Academy was established in 2022 as a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the seven senior academies across the UK and Ireland: the Academy of Medical Sciences, British Academy, Learned Society of Wales, Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Irish Academy, Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the Royal Society. It currently sits under the operational auspices of the Royal Society.
ALLEA Welcomes the Young Academy Finland as its 60th Member
ALLEA can now count among its members the Young Academy Finland following recent election by current membership. This addition marks the seventh Young Academy within the ALLEA network. Bringing this academy into ALLEA’s network not only supports young academics – it fosters further cooperation between Young and Senior Academies as well.
Young Academy Finland is a multidisciplinary organisation for young researchers that aims to promote research and strengthen the status of science and scholarship in society. Its aim is to create dialogue between different disciplines and between researchers and society in general. It promotes open science practices and aim to make the perspective of young researchers more prominent in public discourse on science and scholarship. It also aims to encourage students to pursue a career in research by building connections between researchers and schools.
Young Academy Finland was established by the Finnish Academy of Sciences and Letters with the help of an endowment from the Emil Aaltonen Foundation in 2017. Its members are elected by the Finnish Academy of Sciences and Letters for four-year terms, and through an open call we also look for candidates to be proposed to become members. Its operations are run by Science Coordinator.
SAM Conference – Building Bridges: Shaping Europe’s Science-For-Policy Landscape
ALLEA Responds to Continued Attacks on Academic Freedom in the United States
Today, ALLEA has released a new statement in response to the most recent restrictions imposed by the U.S. Administration on the academic sector, re-affirming the importance of upholding the fundamental principles of academic freedom and institutional autonomy.
We remain deeply concerned by the continued censorship of research designs and publications in the United States, the increasing marginalisation of scientifically relevant topics from public discourse, and the growing cuts to funding in key areas of research targeted at academic institutions. The new executive orders that freeze billions in federal research funding—including in critical fields such as biomedical and environmental research—are likely to inflict severe harm not only within the U.S. but globally.
We recall the overwhelming response to our previous statement in February 2025, which addressed threats to academic freedom and international research collaboration. That mobilisation, supported by more than 160 research institutions across Europe and beyond, reflected a shared understanding that defending academic freedom is an urgent and universal responsibility. We underscore our continued commitment to standing up against serious threats to the autonomy of science, which are incompatible with the principles of an open and democratic society.
In light of these developments, we call upon all scientific institutions, political decision-makers, and the broader public to recognise and defend the essential role of independent science in the U.S. and worldwide. The statement reiterates the need for clear regulatory frameworks to shield academia from undue interference, to guarantee the rights of scholars and students, and to maintain the autonomy of research. We urge governments across the globe to refrain from coercive actions against academic institutions and instead to engage in constructive dialogue that supports and protects the independence of research and higher education.
Read the full statement here.
Breakthrough Prize Opens 2026 Public Nominations in Partnership with ALLEA
The nomination period is now open for the 2026 Breakthrough Prizes in Fundamental Physics, Life Sciences, and Mathematics. Regarded as the world’s most prestigious science awards, the Breakthrough Prizes recognise transformative achievements across key scientific disciplines. Nominations can be submitted online via breakthroughprize.org until 11 July 2025.
Now in its 14th year, the Breakthrough Prize continues to spotlight leading minds in science, offering individual awards of $3 million in each of the three main categories. Additional awards include the New Horizons Prizes for early-career researchers and the Maryam Mirzakhani New Frontiers Prizes for early-career women mathematicians.
For the tenth year, the Breakthrough Prize partners with ALLEA to engage the European scientific community and support the nomination process. ALLEA’s involvement reflects its ongoing commitment to recognising scientific excellence and advancing international cooperation in research. Through this partnership, ALLEA helps ensure that the diversity and breadth of European researchers are represented in this global initiative.
Winners of the 2025 Breakthrough Prizes were announced earlier this month during the globally televised gala ceremony, often referred to as “The Oscars of Science”. The 2026 laureates will be celebrated at the next annual event in a similar format.
For more information on the nomination process, prize categories, and eligibility criteria, please visit breakthroughprize.org.
ALLEA General Assembly 2025
ALLEA Board Meeting