What's going on?

This morning (8 July), Science Europe & the European University Association, with the European Commission, hosted the 3rd stakeholder assembly of the reform of research assessment initiative.

Summer is nearly upon us, and we have prepared an overview of the many and varied activities carried out by Science Europe in the first six months of 2022 - a perfect reading list wherever you may be enjoying the summer weeks ahead. 

On 22 June, the co-initiators of the Stick to Science initiative have sent an open letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, asking her to intervene urgently in the critical issue for science created by the delay of the association of the United Kingdom and Switzerland to Horizon Europe.

Science Europe will contribute to the EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF) 2022 with sessions on several key topics: the green and digital transition, research careers, open science, and the reform of research assessment systems.

The Annual Meeting of the Global Research Council took place from 30 May to 3 June in Panama City. It was co-hosted by the National Secretariat of Science, Technology, and Innovation of the Republic of Panama (SENACYT) and the National Science Foundation of the United States (NSF).

At ESOF 2022 (13–16 July, Leiden, the Netherlands), Science Europe representatives will participate in four sessions. Besides, Sciences Europe is co-organising the Presidents’ reception with EuroScience. The programme also features a number of Science Europe Member Organisations.

On 10 June, the Competitiveness Council adopted Conclusions on Research Assessment and the Implementation of Open Science.

The first Workshop of a cycle of three events dedicated to Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence took place on 24 May. A main line of Science Europe is to promote ‘Brain Circulation’, as opposed to the ‘Brain Drain’ phenomenon.

The European reform of research assessment initiative is taking shape, and the Reform of Research Assessment Agreement is almost final. Soon, the process of establishing a coalition before the end of 2022 will start.

Science Europe welcomes the Council Conclusions on research assessment and open science as they recognise the need for a renewed approach to research policies and practices to evolve towards a more positive research culture.

We are pleased to welcome the National Research Foundation of Ukraine (NRFU) and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) as members of Science Europe.

On the occasion of the Science Day organised by the National Research Foundation of Ukraine (NRFU), Science Europe and its Member Organisations again express their solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

As of 18 May, Science Europe counts 40 Member Organisations from 30 European countries. On that date, the General Assembly unanimously approved the applications of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) and the Ukrainian National Research Foundation (NRFU).

Science Europe welcomes the DFG position paper "Academic Publishing as a Foundation and Area of Leverage for Research Assessment" on two important and timely topics.

Curiosity is the driving force of discoveries and research. To inspire youth to discover the wonderful world of science and research, ETAG held a national Student Researcher's Festival on 12 and 13 April.

The 2021 Galileo Galilei Medal was awarded to Alessandra Buonanno, Thibault Damour, and Frans Pretorius.

The Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics celebrated its 70th anniversary, growing from a research institute on the atomic nucleus and cosmic particles to a reference point in Italy and internationally on research in particle physics.

On 29 April, the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA), Formas, and Science Europe organised an online panel discussion on ‘Good Advice for (Young) Science-Policy Advisors’, as a side event to the conference ‘Science Advice Under Pressure’ by SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies).

The reform of research assessment initiative continues to take major steps forward, with several milestones on the horizon this month.

Together with cOAlition S, OPERAS, and ANR, Science Europe organised the first webinar for the organisations and individuals who endorsed the 'Action Plan for Diamond Open Access'. Since its launch, it has been endorsed by over 80 organisations and more than 50 individuals.

The report of the symposium ‘Science for Net-Zero Transition: Linking Green Objectives with Societal Development’ was published.

Substantial discrepancies exist in European research and innovation capacity. To support capacity-building in European countries with lower R&I performance, Science Europe and its Task Force on Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence are launching a series of activities.

Thierry Damerval is the President and CEO of the French National Research Agency (ANR), as well as a Member of the Science Europe Governing Board. Secretary Lidia Borrell-Damián spoke with him on 15 March in relation to the French Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of the year.