The meeting started with the Vice-Presidents welcoming Jörg Niehoff, Deputy Head of Unit from the Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation for a timely discussion on the next framework programme for R&I (FP10). The conversation focused largely on how we can boost R&I excellence in widening countries and foster capacity building opportunities in excellence-based funding programmes. Following the joint statement of The Guild, LERU and CE7 on their joint priorities for FP10, the Vice-Presidents highlighted the need for the programme to focus on cutting-edge R&I activities and its ability to attract best researchers to participate.
Focusing on Romania’s participation and experience in the framework programmes, Vice-Presidents had an opportunity to gain insights from Adrian Curaj, former Minister and now General Director of the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding in Romania. The conversation highlighted the importance of regional funding in supporting the efforts of the R&I community.
On the second day of the meeting the discussion centered on the recently launched Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence (CoREs). In June 2023, The Guild and ARUA announced the launch of seventeen Clusters during a summit in Brussels. Vice-Presidents reflected on the process thus far and discussed key issues that are emerging as we are embarking on the first year of the initiative. The Vice-Presidents especially highlighted the need to develop new funding instruments to better support Africa-Europe scientific collaborations, as The Guild and a coalition of research organisations advocated for in June.
The meeting ended with a discussion on the future of the European University alliances. The members stressed the added value of alliances, including the potential for research collaboration. Vice-Presidents mentioned the complexity and the cost of the initiative, but at the same time acknowledged the opportunity to do things differently compared to other projects.
14 September 2023