The 13th Science Europe High Level Workshop on the ERA

Participants were welcomed by Claude Meisch (Minister for Higher Education and Research, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg) and Marc Schiltz (President of Science Europe). Ulrike Felt provided a keynote address, introducing the different dimensions in research culture and challenging participants to think about research as being about people and their lives, and to approach the dialogue on the sustainability of research from an ecosystem perspective.

In a true test of the hybrid format, a panel chaired remotely by Melanie Welham discussed central concepts of research culture from the perspectives of the research community, research performing organisations, and research funding organisations. Science Europe was delighted to welcome Jean-Eric Paquet to the workshop to discuss current European Commission initiatives related to research culture and the European Research Area, such as the Pact for Research and Innovation and the Reforming Research Assessment Initiative.

A second panel discussion focussed on two important subjects: research careers, and the rewards and incentives systems. Chaired by Mari Sundli Tveit, the panel (Ismael Rafols, Noémie Aubert Bonn, and Sabina Leonelli) provided a set of provocations on the two topics, which were further explored by participants in breakout group discussions later in the afternoon.

Three representatives of the research community introduced the session of ministerial interventions with a vision for the European Research Area in 2030. This was followed by statements from ministerial representatives of Slovenia, Portugal, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Slovakia, France, Estonia, Belgium, and The Netherlands.The workshop closed with lively discussions across four physical and four remote breakout groups with many ideas to take forwards in Science Europe’s work on research culture.

A full workshop report will be published in the coming weeks.