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EC RISE Group at the Polish Academy of Sciences

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On 20 March 2018 the Polish Academy of Sciences hosted Experts of the Research, Innovation and Science Policy (RISE) Group (https://ec.europa.eu/research/openvision/index.cfm?pg=expert-groups-rise). The RISE experts advise the Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas. The event was chaired by Prof. Jerzy Duszyński, President of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Dr Daria Gołębiowska-Tataj, Chair of the RISE Group.

The meeting  was a part of “Tour d'Europe”, the RISE mission to European capitals focused on the field of research and innovation and its role in wider European policy. During three interactive sessions the RISE experts and the representatives of the Polish research bodies (policy advisers, economists, and academics) discussed  main economic and policy perspectives on research and innovation, as well as the key findings of the RISE report “Europe’s Future: Open Innovation, Open Science, Open to the World – Reflections of the RISE Group”.   

The participants of the meeting discussed how the EU and national policies can address the global sustainable development goals and be more responsive to citizens’ needs. Also, observing a growing mistrust in science among the citizens, the participants considered the necessity for a new, more positive narrative of R&I in Europe which will show how science and innovation can help solving societal challenges and satisfy specific needs of citizens.

It was also stated that Europe must find its own model of universities, a more entrepreneurial one that combines bottom-up creativity with top-down empowerment. Funding to basic research, including ERC, should be increased. Experts stressed the need to open up the EU R&I instruments, particularly in joint undertakings led by large companies. The benefits of EU R&I funding should be better distributed - smaller grants, more actors. This would help to avoid putting more efforts on coordination than on research and innovation as such.

The funding rules should also be less prescriptive to enable scientists to develop their ideas and not to be forced to adapt to highly specific calls with narrowly defined scope. Another problem faced by R&I in the European policy is the lack of continuity of projects, centres of excellence and infrastructure, which are set up but then their activity remains underfunded.  

Furthermore, the way scientific performance is measured today does not incentivize researchers to pursue the excellent science. Instead, they rather orient their behaviour to master the rules of the system. An excessive bureaucracy should be replaced by trust building and willingness to take risks and accept failures.

A final report on Opening R&I for EU’s future will be presented after the end of the RISE tour in mid-2018.

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Foto: Mirosław Mlekicki