Transcript Slide 1

SUPPORTING RESEARCH IN
EUROPE
NORBERT KROO
EUROPEAN RESEARCH COUNCIL AND
THE HUNGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
UNICA, 15.05.2008
GROWING SIGNIFICANCE OF KNOWLEDGE
KNOWLEDGE BASED SOCIETY (ECONOMY)
INNOVATION ORIENTED SOCIETY
RESOURCES (LABOUR, MATERIALS, ENERGY, CAPITAL,
KNOWLEDGE). SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE!
(danger to treat knowledge as a tradable commodity)
NEW PRACTICES INRESEARCH (multidisciplinary,groups)
NEW PRIORITIES (sustainable development,jobs, competitiveness)
DRYING OUT TECHNOLOGIES
GLOBALIZATION. CRITICAL SIZE. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
NEW POTENTIAL REVOLUTIONS (BIO-, NANO-, INFO-TECHNOLOGIES )
SCIENCE IS CHANGING
* THE COMPLEXITY OF KNOWLEDGE INCREASES  DEEPER
KNOWLEDGE IN NARROWER FIELDS
* INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH EXPANDS.
(COMPLEX PROBLEMS)
* THE COST OF RESEARCH (INFRASTRUCTURE) SKYROCKETS.
GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT NEEDED.
* INCREASING CRITICAL SIZE IN RESEARCH. NETWORKING.
(BOTH FINANCIALLY AND IN HUMAN POTENTIAL)
* STRONGER INFLUENCE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE
ECONOMY
* NEW WAYS OF DOING SCIENCE: „KNOWLEDGE BORN IN CYBERSPACE” THROUGH THE INTERACTION OF DISLOCATED SCIENTISTS
* DEVELOPMENT COSTS BEYOND THE POSSIBILITIES OF
COMPANIESREQUEST FOR STATE INTERVENTION, COMPANY
CONSORTIA (JTI!)
* SCIENCE HAS BECOME FULLY INTERNATIONAL. GLOBALIZATION
THE ECONOMY PROFITS FROM RESEARCH
(IN MANY WAYS)
-RESULTS OF BASIC RES. GET RIPE FOR APPLICATIONS
(HOLOGRAPHY)
-RESEARCH FOR GENERAL GOALS (CANCER RESEARCH)
-RESEARCH FOR CONCRETE GOALS (HIGH SPEED
COMMUNICATION NETWORKS)
-BYPRODUCTS OF BASIC RES (WWW, LANDING ON MOON)
-CONTRACTS FOR COMPANIES (ACCELERATOR MAGNETS)
PARADOXICAL ISSUES (1)
1.THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SCIENCE INCREASES WHILE THE
INTEREST OF THE YOUNG GENERATION DECREASES
(knowledge paradox)
2.THE TIME NEEDED TO ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE INCREASES
AND THE OBSOLESCENCE TIME OF IT DECREASES
(time paradox)
3. GOOD RESEARCH IN EUROPE, BUT LOOSING GROUND IN
COMPETITIVENESS (innovation paradox)
PARADOXICAL ISSUES (2)
4. THE ROLE OF R&D IN COMPETITIVENESS INCREASES,
BUT THE DECISIONMAKERS ARE OFTEN TEMPTED TO
FORGET ABOUT IT (competitiveness paradox)
5.THE SHARE OF GOVERNMENTS IN FINANCING R&D
ACTIVITIES IS DECREASING BUT THE ROLE OF THE
REMAINING CONTRIBUTION IS INCREASING
(governance paradox)
AND NOW ON EUROPEAN ISSUES:
EUROPEAN TRADITIONS
MANY (100 YEAR, 30 YEAR, 1. AND 2 WORLD) WARS
RENAISSANCE
ENLIGHTENMENT
GALILEI, KEPLER, NEWTON, MAXWELL,…
INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION
THE CRADLE OF MODERN SCIENCE
RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR GENERATION!
SKILLS IN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION!
TRADITIONAL UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
BOLOGNA (drives universities to be more managable)
TRADITIONAL PUBLICATION CULTURE
WEAK POINTS OF EUROPEAN (BASIC)
RESEARCH
1. WEAK COOPERATION ALONG STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
2. FRAGMENTED RESEARCH
3. LACK OF FINANCES FOR TRAINING, MOBILITY AND RESEARCH
INFRASTRUCTURE
4. LACK OF SCIENTIFIC-TECHNOLOGICAL COHESION
5. LOW VOLUME OF EXCELLENT RESEARCH AND SMALL NUMBER OF
EXCELLENT RESEARCH TEAMS
6. NEGLECT OF EU LEVEL ATTENTION ON
BASIC RESEARCH . DIPLOMACY?
EUROPEAN
PRESENCE ON THE
GLOBAL
PUBLICATION
„MARKET”

1


2
3
R&D RECOGNIZED AS A KEY TO COMPETITIVENESS AND NEW (HIGH TECH.) JOBS
INCREASED RESEARCH POTENTIAL NEEDED
HUMAN CAPITAL (NATIONAL AND EUROPEAN EFFORTS)
PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE (ESFRI!, e-IRG, RI-WG)
STRONG (BASIC) RESEARCH BASE (G.W. Bush)
ERC (excellence – competition on European level)
HIGHER R&D SPENDING
APPROPRIATE INSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM
IMPROVED ACADEMIA - INDUSTRY RELATIONS
BETTER SCIENCE - SOCIETY RELATIONS
MORE ATTENTION TO INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER LISBON?
THE CONCEPT OF THE EUROPEAN RESEARCH AREA
BARCELONA (3%)
GÖTEBORG (SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT)
THE CONCEPT OF TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS
ERC ! [community efforts should not concentrate solely
on competitiveness, but on the foundations of it,
namely (basic, strategic) research]
EIT? (changing concept, fine-tuning process)
positive developments, but not at the end yet.
BUDGET (>70Mrd  >54Mrd EURO)
WIDENING OF THE EUREAN KNOWLEDGE
BASE (EUROPEAN RESEARCH AREA) (1)
- HARMONIZATION OF NATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAMMES
- RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE IN (BASIC) RESEARCH
(at present no financing on European level; ERC)
- RECRUITMENT, TRAINING AND CAREER PATH OF SCIENTISTS
(700 000 scientist-engineer positions until 2010)
- ATTRACTIVE RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT
- BETTER USE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESEARCH POTENTIAL OF
LESS DEVELOPED REGIONS (e.g. new member countries)
ERA (2)
- BALANCED RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE
THE WEAKEST POINT IN CENTRAL EUROPE
PRACTICALLY NO LARGE FACILITIES
STRUCTURAL FUNDS!
- MOBILITY. HUMAN RESOURCES
MARIE CURIE SCHEME (BALANCED USE)
TWO WAY STREET
YOUNG SCIENTIST GRANTS
- THE 3% ISSUE
DEBATE ON ERA RELAUNCHED! THE GREEN PAPER.
ERA(3): to keep science on the top
of the agenda (renewed efforts)
1. MOBILITY
2. WORLD CLASS RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE
3. EXCELLENT RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS (public-private
cooperation)
4. EFFECTIVE KNOWLEDGE SHARING
5. WELL COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMMES AND
PRIORITIES
6. OPENING ERA TO THE WORLD
ABOUT
EUROPEAN LEVEL COMPETITION:
-ADDED VALUE: HIGHER QUALITY RESEARCH
COOPERATION, NETWORKING:
-CRITICAL MASS (INTELLECTUAL AND FINANTIAL)
-LESS DUPLICATION, FRAGMENTATION
SUPPORT OF EXCELLENCE:
-GOOD FOR ALL
BUT THE SAME APPLIES TO THE PROPER
USE OF STRUCTURAL FUNDS!
FP6
MAIN INSTRUMENT OF ERA
CONCENTRATING AND INTEGRATING EUROPEAN
RESEARCH
STRUCTURING ERA
STRENGHTENING ITS FOUNDATIONS
FP7
NEW APPROACH: THE BASIS!
THE FOUR SPECIFIC PROGRAMMES!
ERC; JTI
RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES
RESEARCH POLICY OF THE EU:
-TO SUPPORT EXCELLENT RESEARCH: FP7
AND OF COHESION POLICIES:
-TO REDUCE GRADIENTS BETWEEN REGIONS: STRUCTURAL FUNDS
SYNERGY (COMPLEMENTARITY) OF THEM:
-TO MOBILIZE THE R&D POTENTIAL ON ALL LEVELS
-TO IMPROVE RESEARCH CAPACITY
THE RE-VITALIZATION OF ERA
-MOBILITY, INFRASTRUCTURE, INSTITUTIONS, COORDINATION,
INTERNATIONALIZATION, EXCELLENCE, COOPERATION IN
COMPETITION, BETTER USE OF THE RESEARCH CAPACITY OF
THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE UNION
BASIC PHILOSOPHY OF FP7
THE BASIS OF THE LISBON PRINCIPLES: KNOWLEDGE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE KNOWLEDGE TRIANGLE:
-RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY
-EDUCATION AND TRAINING (IN RESEARCH TOO)
-INNOVATION
INCREASED EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH (FP7!)
ERA;3%; LESS BUREAUCRACY
BETTER USE OF EXISTING CAPACITIES
MORE EFFICIENT UTILIZATION OF SCIENTIFIC
RESULTS (IN PRODUCTS, PROCESSES, SERVICES)
ON THE CONTENT (1)
FOUR SPECIFIC PROGRAMNES:
- COOPERATION (COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS;
NETWORKS; COORDINATION; THIRD COUNTRIES)
- IDEAS (; ALL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL
FIELDS; INDIVIDUAL PERSONS OR GROUPS;
ERC AS THE RUNNING ORGANIZATION!
- PEOPLE: MARIE CURIE PROGRAMME
(CAREER DEVELOPMENT; CONNECTION WITH THE
NATIONAL SYSTEMS)
ON THE CONTENT (2)
- CAPACITIES ( RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE;
RESEARCH FOR SME-S; REGIONAL RESEARCH;
SCIENCE AND SOCIETY)
PRIORITY COOPERATION THEMES (9):
HEALTH; FOOD; AGRICULTURE; BIOTECHNOLOGY; ICT;
NANOSCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; NEW MATERIALS
AND TECHNOLOGIES; ENERGY; ENVIRONMENT AND
CLIMATIC CHANGES); TRANSPORT AND AERONAUTICS;
SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES; SECURITY AND
SPACE RESEARCH.
ON RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE (1)
IT’S SIGNIFICANCE TO FACILITATE INNOVATION AND
COMPETITIVENESS
THE PUBLICATION „INDUSTRY” IS ALSO AN ELEMENT OF
THIS INFRASTRUCTURE. OPEN ACCESS!
THE ESFRI ROADMAP (35 FACILITIES)
ON RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE (2)
HIGHER FINANTIAL SHARE OF THE EU IN RI-S
A STRONG E-INFRASTRUCTURE
A STRONGER EU-COORDINATION AND SINGLE VOICE
MORE HOMOGENEOUS DISTRIBUTION OF RI-S
NETWORKING OF SMALLER RI-S
A SIGNIFICANT SHARE OF THE STRUCTURAL FUNDS
NUMEROUS ACTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH
GOVERNANCE AND OF LEGAL CHARACTER
ERC
„SCIENCE IS TO SEE WHAT EVERYONE HAS SEEN BUT
THINK WHAT NO ONE HAS THOUGHT”
ALBERT SZENT-GYÖRGYI
IDEAS!
(Frontier research)
GALILEI
IDEAS:
CREATIVITY
Ernő Rubik’s cube
ERC (1)
ONE OF THE KEY INSTRUMENTS TO REALIZE
THE ERA CONCEPT (ONE OF THE FOUR SPECIFIC
PROGRAMMES OF FP7). THE NEED TO RE-THINK ERA
EXPECTED BENEFITS
- NEW KNOLEDGE, IDEAS, DISCOVERIES
- HIGHER QUALITY BY EUROPEAN LEVEL COMPETITION
- STRONGER EUROPEAN RESEARCH EFFORTS
- DECREASING FRAGMENTATION
- MINIMAL DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS AND RESOURCES
- THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION MAY HAVE A BETTER
VIEW OF RESEARCH IN EUROPE
ERC (2)
HOW?
TO PROMOTE EXCELLENCE IN ALL AREAS OF SCIENCE
COMPETITIVE FUNDING. SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF
EXCELLENCE
TO SUPPORT GROUP RESEARCH BUT INDIVIDUALS TOO
(FIRST OF ALL YOUNG RESEARCHERS, HIGH RISK,
INTERDISCIPLINARY)
MINIMAL BUREAUCRACY. OPEN ON GLOBAL SCALE!
EARLY STAGE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR SCHEME
ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATOR GRANT SCHEME
SPECIAL PARALLEL EUROPEAN PROGRAMMES FOR
TRAINING AND MOBILITY (TO INCREASE THE QUALITY
AND NUMBER OF RESEARCHERS IN EUROPE)
ERC (3)
OWNERSHIP AND FUNDING:
ERC CREATED BY THE UNION AND ITS HEADS OF STATES
ACCOUNTABLE TO THE EC THROUGH ITS GOVERNING BODY
AUTONOMOUS SCIENTIFIC DECISION MAKING BODY
FUNDING MAINLY FROM THE EU BUDGET ( FP-S ARE THE
ONLY POSSIBLE EU SOURCES)
AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE
POSSIBLE (E.G. TO OBTAIN FINANCES OR TO BUILD UP
OTHER FORMS OF CO-OPERATION)
~7.5 BILLION EURO IN FP7 (~LINEAR INCREASE
300M-1.7B , 2007- 2013)
Strategic Aims
Overview
Boost European excellence in "Frontier Research"

by investing in the best researchers and ideas

through competition at European level



on the basis of scientific excellence as the sole
criterion
raising incentives towards quality and aspirations of
individual researchers
providing benchmarks and leverage towards
broader (structural) improvements in European
research
Why “Frontier Research”?
Traditional terminology (“basic” / “applied”
research “science” vs. “technology”) is no
longer appropriate:
Research at the frontiers is characterised by
an absence of disciplinary boundaries
New discoveries are often triggered by real
world problems (and vice-versa)
Progress in understanding phenomena and
techniques for investigation go hand in hand
ERC(4):The Scientific Council
Members & Role
22 most respected researchers reflecting the full scope of
European research and scholarship

proposed by an independent
identification committee

appointed by the Commission
(for 4 years, renewable once)
Role:

Establishes overall scientific strategy
establishes annual work programmes (incl. calls for proposals, evaluation
criteria); defines peer review methodology; ensures selection and
accreditation of experts


Controls quality of operations and management
Ensures communication with the scientific
community. Open access!
1st Call ERC Starting Grant
Massive response
Domain
Number
of
proposals
%
of
proposals
%
of budget
pre-allocated*
Life Sciences
3,396
37,0
40
Physical Sciences &
Engineering
4,408
48,1
45
Social Sciences & Humanities
1,363
14,9
15
Total
9,167
* Indicative budget established by ScC (Work programme 2007)
1st Call ERC Starting Grant
Geographical distribution of applications
Cluster
PI residence %
Host Institution
location %
EEC6: BE, DE, FR, IT, LU, NL
44.8
46.2
Next 9 of EU15: AT, DK, EL, ES, FI, IE,
PT, SE, UK
35.5
37.2
Next 12 of EU27: BG, CY, CZ, EE, HU,
LT, LV, MT, PL, RO, SI, SK
8.6
8.8
Assoc/cand. states: CH, HR, IL, IS, NO,
RS, TR
7.9
7.8
AU, CA, JP, NZ, TW, USA
2.8
0
AL, AR, BR, BF, CN, EG, IN, IR, KH,
ME, MX, SN, TN, RU, SG, UA, UZ, ZA,
ZW
0.4
0
100
100
ERC Starting Grant: Statistics
Some preliminary statistics are available:
•
•
•
Average requested grant size: 1 M€
Female/male applicants: 30/70%
Mostly from single institutions:
No. of
Institutions
1
2
No. of
Proposals
8011
578 268 124 74
•
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
17
22
41
20
20
12
6
3
2
4
1
2
1
Broad distribution of time for PI after PhD:
Year
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
%
1.7
8.7
13.6
14.6
15.1
15.0
13.6
12.4
4.2
STARTING GRANT PANEL STRUCTURE
1.
Physical Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Universe and Earth Sciences (8 panels)
Panel PE1 - Mathematical foundations
Panel PE2 - Fundamental constituents of matter
Panel PE3 - Condensed matter in physics and chemistry
Panel PE4 - Material and chemical sciences
Panel PE5 - Information and communication
Panel PE6 - Engineering sciences
Panel PE7 - Universe science
Panel PE8 - Earth system science
2.
Biological and Life Sciences (7 panels)
Panel LS1 - Molecular, cellular and developmental biology
Panel LS2 - Genetics, genomics, bioinformatics and systems biology
Panel LS3 - Organismic physiology, including infection and immunity
Panel LS4 - Neurosciences
Panel LS5 - Evolutionary, population and environmental biology
Panel LS6 - Medical and health science research
Panel LS7 - Applied life sciences, biotechnology and bioengineering
3.
Social and Human Sciences (5 panels)
Panel SH1 - Individuals and organisations
Panel SH2 - Institutions, behaviour, values and beliefs
Panel SH3 - The human mind and its complexity
Panel SH4 - Cultures and cultural diversity
Panel SH5 - The study of the past and of cultural artefacts
Nationality
Number of proposals by gender and nationality
45
Male
40
Female
35
30
32 countries
25
20
15
10
5
0
DE
IT
FR
UK
IL
NL
ES
BE
SE
FI
HU
CH
AT
EL
US
CY
IE
JP
PL
PT
AR CA
CN
DK
RU
TR
AU CZ
NO RO
SI
SK
ERC Advanced Grant (ERC Advanced
Investigator Researcher Grant)
 Designed to support excellent investigator-initiated
research projects by established independent research
leaders
 Targeting researchers who have already established their
independence as team leaders and are exceptional
leaders in terms of significance of their research
achievements (in the last 10 years)
up to 5 years,
up to € 2,5 million per
grant
~3000 Starting Grants
over 7 years of FP7
(2007-2013)
 Natural sci.:997; Life sci:766; Soc. sci.+humanities:403
ERC(5)
MISSION OF THE SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL OF
ERC
(more than money distributor):
DECIDE ON SCIENTIFIC STRATEGY
MONITOR AND CONTROL QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE
ESTABLISH A COMMUNICATION STRATEGY (INCL. TO THE
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
MULTDISCIPLINARITY,
SUPPORT OF HIGH RISK RESEARCH
EXPECTED BENEFITS FOR EUROPE
FROM THE ERC
ENCOURAGING AND SUPPORTING THE BEST TALENTS
SUPPORT THE BEST IDEAS IN FRONTIER RESEARCH
STATUS AND VISIBILITY OF RESEARCH LEADERS
DYNAMIC STRUCTURAL EFFECTS ON THE EUROPEAN
RESEARCH SYSTEM. COOPERATION IN COMPETITION
MAY NORTURE EUROPEAN SCIENCE BASED INDUSTRY
INVEST QUICKLY INTO THE KNOWLEDGE BASE
PARALLEL NEED TO INVEST INTO THE
RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE (ROADMAP) and
COOPERATIVE ARRANGEMENTS (ERA-NET)
SYNERGY WITH THE OTHER PARTS OF FP7
MY VISION ON EUROPEAN SCIENCE
CHANCE TO SHAPE, STRUCTURE AND BETTER FUND SCIENCE
IN EUROPE (on all -EU, national and regional- levels)
-structures and institutions evolve rapidly,
-the activity of the newly founded ERC (historical sign.),
-the re-launching of the ERA concept (Green Paper)
-there is a chance to re-visit the EU budget for R&D and the
treaty,
-the renewed activity to stimulate the better use of the
Structural Funds for R&D.
BY PROPERLY ADDRESSING WEAKNESSES AND
EXPLORING STRENGTHS. SUPPORT THE BEST!
TO CONCLUDE
EUROPE HAS TO SPEED UP IT’S EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN
THE KNOWLEDGE BASE TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE ON
GLOBAL SCALE,
THE CHANCE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IS THERE,
AN IMPROVED RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE IS ONE OF THE
PRECONDITIONS, HUMAN POTENTIAL THE OTHER (ERC!)
FAST DISSEMINATION OF SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS (OPEN
ACCESS!). JTI!
THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY,
THIS CAN BE DONE IF THE NEW INSTRUMENTS (TP-s, ERC)
ARE OPTIMALLY EXPLORED AND THE IDEAS FORMULATED
WITHIN ERA ARE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION
HUNGARIAN ACADEMY OF
SCIENCES