The EUA underlines that universities, being inherently internationally oriented institutions, should prioritize collaboration and openness in research endeavors.
The EUA underlines that universities, being inherently internationally oriented institutions, should prioritize collaboration and openness in research endeavors.
The European University Association emphasizes the importance of open cooperation as the default option for international research collaboration in Europe, despite the challenging geopolitical situation.
The EUA underlines that universities, being inherently internationally oriented institutions, should prioritize collaboration and openness in research endeavors.
While Europe’s universities acknowledge the challenges related to security and ethics in international collaborations, the EUA suggests that these concerns can be addressed without resorting to cutting cooperation.
The EUA highlights the importance of avoiding risks in international research collaboration but emphasizes that this doesn’t mean excluding cooperation. Instead, it suggests implementing concrete arrangements, such as stricter cybersecurity measures in specific contexts, to manage potential risks effectively.
The response aligns with the broader goal of maintaining open and collaborative relationships in the field of research.
Understanding of international research
The proposal seeks to establish a common understanding of international research cooperation in Europe, emphasizing the principle of being “open where possible, closed where necessary.”
Research security has become a more prominent and sensitive issue in Europe, leading to initiatives by the European Commission to address challenges in international cooperation in research and innovation.
The guidelines on foreign interference in EU research, published in January 2022, provide measures for higher education institutions and research organizations to identify and mitigate risks related to foreign interference. The overall goal is to enhance the security and integrity of collaborative research efforts.
Restrictive measures in the future
Thomas Jørgensen, the director for policy coordination and foresight at the EUA, has noted that while collaboration remains relatively open in Europe, there is a growing scrutiny and a sense that circumstances might lead to more restrictive measures in the future.
He expresses hope that the European Commission’s proposal for Council recommendations on research security will bring coherence between Brussels and the member states.
“It is important that the research discussion is an integral part of the larger security discussion, so that we do not just agree among ourselves how to balance openness and responsibility, but that there is a broad recognition within the whole security and strategic autonomy field of how academic cooperation can be managed,” said Jørgensen.
Research collaboration risks
The EUA emphasizes the significance of universities’ self-governance in addressing risks related to research collaboration. It emphasizes that identifying risks in security, ethics, and integrity requires close dialogue between authorities, universities, and the academic community actively involved in collaborations.
The European Commission plans to release its proposal for recommendations on research security in the first quarter of 2024.
During a Science|Business conference in December, Slaven Misljencevic, a policy officer at the Commission’s research directorate, explained the Commission’s rationale for the call for input on research security. He noted that since the end of 2019, there has been a rise in foreign interference cases targeting EU higher education institutions and research-performing organizations.
Raising EU research outputs
As EU research framework programs prioritize innovation, universities of applied sciences are contributing within Horizon Europe, the EU’s key funding program for research and innovation. They are now looking for targeted calls that match their resources and capabilities to better support UAS’ contributions.
UAS encompass a range of second-tier higher education institutions, including polytechnics, regional colleges, and institutes of technology. Originally focused on teaching, these institutions are now gradually expanding into research activities.
