Europa risks undermining its competitiveness if it cuts funding for scientific research at this very moment. That was the warning issues by European Research Council (ERC) President Maria Leptin on Wednesday during the symposium on the campus of the International Institute of social Studies (ISS) in The Hague. Together with Rianne Letschert, Minister for Education, Culture and Science, she called for a strengthening of fundamental research, whilst negotiations on the next European budget are taking place in Brussels.
The symposium, organised by Erasmus University Rotterdam and the European Research Council, brought together scientists, research funders, administrators and policymakers from across Europe at the ISS campus. The gathering took place at a crucial moment: the European Union is currently drawing up its budget and research programme for the coming years, whilst at the same time Europe faces major social, economic, and geopolitical challenges.
Continue to invest in scientific research and in collaboration
According to Minister Letschert, Europe may not have abundant natural resources, but it does have something that is at least as valuable: knowledge. That is precisely why, she argued, Europe must continue to invest in scientific research and in cross-border collaboration.
In her keynote speech, the minister expressed her support for a strong role for the ERC within the next Horizon Europe programme. She also pointed out that the Netherlands intends to invest heavily in science and research once again in the coming years: the government is allocating an additional €428 million per year on a structural basis for this purpose. According to Letschert, these investments strengthen the Dutch research and innovation ecosystem, enable strategic choices for the future, and help to attract, develop, and retain talent, as well as to protect academic freedom.
Moreover, she emphasised that investing in knowledge pays off: Horizon Europe is the only major European programme from which the Netherlands receives more funding than it contributes; so far, every invested has yielded almost double the return.
Letschert also emphasised that technological leadership alone is not enough and that, alongside the natural and technological sciences, the social sciences and humanities are indispensable in tackling major societal challenges. Whether these relate to climate change, migration, inequality or digitalisation. Research is one of the best investments Europe can make.
Research is one of the best investments Europe can make
Maria Leptin, too, explicitly framed the discussion in the context of the European budget negotiations. In her view, research is not an expenditure item, but an investment in Europe's future. She believes that fundamental research forms the basis for the innovations on which the European economy and society rely in the long term.
Leptin argued that we must not balance Europe's budget by cutting back on Europe's future. The breakthroughs that are now driving our economy all began as a result of curiosity, not as a business plan. She emphasised that investment in research and innovation is neither a cost to be managed nor a budget item, but one of Europe's most strategic investments in its future—an investment with enormous returns.
Using examples, Leptin demonstrated that groundbreaking innovations often stem from research whose societal applications are not yet clear in advance. In her view, this underlines the importance of curiosity-driven research and of an independent European Research Council, where scientific quality is the guiding principle. Like Letschert, she emphasised that technological leadership alone is not enough and that, alongside the natural and technological sciences, the social sciences and the humanities are indispensable when it comes to addressing all major global societal challenges.
'The business community and employers are now also speaking out to say that we must continue to invest in knowledge and in young people'
Professor Annelien Bredenoord
Chair of the Executive Board
Freedom of science and fundamental research are indispensable
For Erasmus University, the symposium underscores the importance of an open European knowledge community. Professor Annelien Bredenoord, Chair of the Executive Board of Erasmus University Rotterdam: 'This day made it abundantly clear that investing in research is not a luxury you can afford when times are good, but a prerequisite for a Europe that can compete and remain resilient. What gives me hope is that this message no longer comes solely from the scientific community. The business community and employers are now also speaking out to say that we must continue to invest in knowledge and in young people. If we unite these voices in addressing the Member States, the case for a higher research budget will be much stronger.'
The keynote speeches were followed by panel discussions on the future of the European research and innovation system. Participants included, amongst others, Nobel Laureate Ben Feringa, NWO Chair Marcel Levi, ERC Scientific Council member Karin Roelofs, ODISSEI Director Tom Emery, Aida Todri-Sanial (Eindhoven University of Technology), Caroline Klaver (Erasmus MC) and Oane Visser (ISS), alongside representatives from research organisations, government and the business sector. They discussed, amongst other things, the relationship between fundamental research and innovation, technological sovereignty and the contribution of science to solving societal challenges.
The meeting highlighted just how important it is for the scientific community, policymakers and research funders to continue their dialogue, particularly at this time. The decisions Europe takes in the coming period regarding investment in research and innovation will be of great significance for the scientific and societal challenges of the future.
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