ENHANCING INTERNATIONALLY COMPETITIVE RESEARCH IN EUROPE

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ENHANCING INTERNATIONALLY COMPETITIVE RESEARCH
IN EUROPES UNIVERSITIES

• KEY MESSAGES FROM PS7

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ISSUE 1. CREATING A MORE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH
FUNDING ENVIRONMENT   ISSUE 2. RECRUITING AND
TRAINING A NEW GENERATION OF WORLD CLASS
RESEARCHERS   ISSUE 3. UNIVERSITIES AS THE
OPTIMAL ENVIRONMENT FOR ENHANCING THE DYNAMISM OF
THE EUROPEAN RESEARCH BASE  
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ISSUE 4. NETWORKING BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES,
NON-UNIVERSITY CENTRES AND INDUSTRY   ISSUE 5.
ENHANCING UNIVERSITY AUTONOMY AND FLEXIBILITY
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• ISSUE 1. CREATING A MORE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH
  FUNDING ENVIRONMENT
•  
• 1. High rates of return on investment in research
•  
• 2. Two major competitive deficits in Europe
• The relative decay of basic research
• The new talent into research
•  
• 3. Need for a Common Market in research.

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• 4. Vital processes to enhance the dynamism and
  competitiveness of European research
• a major funding stream to support basic research
  allocated, on the sole criterion of excellence
• a powerful stream of long-term advanced
  fellowships, allocated on the basis of personal
  excellence alone, and located wherever desired by
  the holder (including in industry)

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ERC as a potential instrument at the European
level   1. An ERC must aim high or not at all,
and must, therefore - represent a Europe-level
additionality - fund basic research - have
sufficient funding to make a major impact -
allocate funds exclusively on the basis of
excellence - be an autonomous body, accountable
to its sponsors, but not directed by them -
evaluate proposals by peer review - not take
away funds from existing national funding
processes.
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2. Public spending on basic research must be
provided at the outset.   3. Long term planning
of ERC is needed to adequately plan for the
future.   4. Achieving the 3 of GDP target will
require an average 1 increase in current
spending.
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ISSUE 2. RECRUITING AND TRAINING A NEW
GENERATION OF WORLD CLASS RESEARCHERS   Advanced
fellowships should be created with two key
objectives 1) to attract and retain the best
research talent from Europe and the rest of the
world 2) to set new standards of attainment for
European research, and for the large growth in
research manpower implied by the Lisbon 3
objective.
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It is essential to 1 recruit early on
(secondary level) 2 provide excellence in
training (Europe is good vv US) 3 guide career
development 4 improve working conditions 5
provide financial benefits 6 stimulate peer
recognition
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• Europe has good models
• EMBL international fellowships
• UK Royal Society Research Fellowship scheme

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• ISSUE 3. UNIVERSITIES AS THE OPTIMAL ENVIRONMENT
  FOR ENHANCING
• THE DYNAMISM OF THE EUROPEAN RESEARCH BASE
•  
• Research-intensive universities must play a
  crucial role in regenerating Europes research
  base, because
• they offer a uniquely broad range of research
  that can be reconfigured to address new problems,
  as well as a vital capacity for
  interdisciplinarity
• they are most cost-effective than independent
  research institutes
• it is most cost-effective to fund research in
  research-intensive institutions.

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2. Centres capable of playing the pivotal
research-intensive role 3. Diversity of mission
and strong networking
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• ISSUE 4. NETWORKING BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES,
  NON-UNIVERSITY
• CENTRES AND INDUSTRY
•  
• Europes university system should consist of a
  diverse spectrum of institutions.
• Natural complementarity should be the basis for
  networks of institutions.
• Only in this way can efficiencies of scale and
  integration be achieved that can compete
  globally.

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• The necessary development of research-intensive
  universities should be associated with processes
  of networking along three axes
• between universities
• between universities and major non-university
  centres of expensive infrastructure and national
  laboratories
• between universities and industry, and private
  and public policy agencies.

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• ISSUE 5. ENHANCING UNIVERSITY AUTONOMY AND
  FLEXIBILITY
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• Universities need
• More autonomy
• Greater financial flexibility
• This will enable universities to play to their
  strengths in response to the needs of society,
  research and research training.

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Summary key points
Priority Policy response
Basic research ERCNational programs
Real international excellence Competition without political overtones
Research to support teaching Separate funding national
Attraction of research careers Graduate schools (PhD) Postdoc programs/fellowships with free mobility
Diversity of universities (excellence in diversity) Autonomy of universitiesDrivers (EU, National, Regional)
Coupling with users Regional development plansTechnology transfer system