In a globalised research ecosystem, collaboration is key. This collaboration also brings challenges linked to the diversity of scientific and legal environments. Science Europe supports the development of improved mechanisms to support cross-border collaboration and contributes to the development of international dialogue on the topic.
Knowledge and its production are not bound by national borders. In an increasingly complex and interconnected global scientific ecosystem, effective collaboration is key to push the frontiers of knowledge and innovation, maximise its economic and societal impact, and strengthen the attractiveness of Europe as a research and innovation hub.
Science Europe Member Organisations share an ambition to support excellent science and a competitive Europe in the world landscape. They collaborate to allow their research communities to work in the most productive national and international configurations, in order to address research challenges but also to support less research intensive regions.
Science Europe works to foster cross-border collaboration within and beyond Europe while reducing the administrative burden for researchers. To this end, sufficient funding and appropriate tools are needed for researchers that collaborate across borders in diverse scientific and legal environments.
Cross-border collaboration also involves a degree of interoperability. Collaborative schemes must favour common approaches based on mutual trust and understanding between organisations.
Dialogue at global level, including the sharing of data and best practices, is also fundamental for high-quality collaboration among research organisations worldwide.
Science Europe Member Organisations collaborate to design new strategies and develop mechanisms for increased and more effective collaboration within and outside of European borders. In this context, Science Europe supported 12 of its members in the development of Weave, a cross-European initiative to fund and support excellent international research projects.
Elsewhere, Science Europe provides its Member Organisations with a platform to exchange knowledge and practices to continuously improve the tools available for collaboration, and develop solutions to challenges faced by national research communities. It also seeks to promote international cooperation between researchers through the organisation of Sino-European networking workshops on COVID-19.
Science Europe is also an active voice in the international research community. It contributes to the active European involvement in the Global Research Council and participates in discussions designed to find common understanding on topics of specific importance for research and researchers across the world.
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Every year, autumn is the period where participants of the Global Research Council (GRC) meet at regional level to prepare the world-wide discussion that takes place the following spring.
The 10th World Science Forum (WSF) took place at the International Convention Center in Cape Town, South Africa, 5–9 December 2022. The WSF is a forum that addresses the social, economic relevance, influence and responsibilities of science, and the 2022 edition addressed the issue of “Science for Social Justice”. The event was organised by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA), Member of Science Europe that recently re-joint our organisation, in cooperation with UNESCO, the International Science Council (ISC), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC) and the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP).
Together with UKRI, Science Europe is organising the European Regional Meeting of the Global Research Council to provide input to the 2023 GRC Annual Meeting.
Several initiatives attempt to bridge the R&I gap between Eastern and Western Europe, including the European Commission's €3.3bn "Widening" plan, and the relaunched ERA. Implementation remains difficult, however. Science Europe sponsored and co-organised the first regional event of the new Science|Business Widening Initiative to address this issue.
The 19th Annual Meeting of the Science and Technology in Society Forum (STS forum) took place at the Kyoto International Conference Center, Kyoto (Japan), 2-4 October 2022, with the participation of nearly 1,000 global leaders in science and technology, policymaking, business, and media from over 80 countries, regions, and international organizations.
For Science Europe, 2021 was a very important year: the association celebrated its 10th year of existence. Founded in 2011, it has grown into a respected and influential voice in the European research policy debate. Moreover, we published a new Strategy Plan for 2021–2026, which maps our collective objectives and sets a specific yet flexible action framework over the next five years.
Science Europe supports the call for open and barrier-free science collaboration between European countries, including Switzerland and the UK, made in the newly-launched Stick to Science initiative.
In December 2020, the EU knowledge community collectively welcomed the provision in Protocol I of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement for the UK to associate to Horizon Europe. Now, at the end of the first year of Horizon Europe’s implementation, the procedure to officialise the association is in a deadlock.
The European Union’s research and innovation community urges the European Commission and UK Government to work towards a successful UK association to Horizon Europe as soon as possible.
The Nobel Prizes were announced between 4 and 11 October this year, honouring the greatest achievements in medicine, physics, chemistry, literature, peace, and economic sciences.