Updated daily at www.ResearchProfessional.com 21 January 2016 Director-general Smits sets ambitions for 2016 – p6 BRICs Back in the game – p4 Space Military communications top European agenda – p5 Plans for EU innovation council take shape Dual model floated to provide both advice and funding The proposed European Innovation Council is likely to by Laura Greenhalgh [email protected] take the form of a body to provide high-level advice on innovation policy coupled with a discrete funding However, there is general agreement that the EIC programme, early discussions suggest. would need to be much more flexible than the ERC, due An internal document summarising talks on the EIC to the greater complexity of innovation. “You need a in late 2015 concludes that balancing both functions very adaptive beast,” the Commission official says. would be the best way to improve innovation in Europe. Ehler suggests that the EIC could use challenge prizes A single funding programme would serve to unite to fund solutions to technological problems and pro- the complex arrangement of existing initiatives for vide support for “disruptive” innovation. Jerzy Langer, innovation, while the advisory function would allow chairman of the Commission’s Future and Emerging the EIC to direct framework conditions in Europe on Technologies advisory board, says that Horizon 2020’s issues as diverse as venture capital taxation, univer- FET programme could form the basis of EIC funding— sity reform and funding simplification. and that this could be piloted in 2017, whereas other The European Commission document, dated 16 options would take longer. “The Commission needs to December, states that a taskforce of officials set up take visible and immediate action to maintain credibil- by the Commission’s directorate-general for research ity in the idea of an EIC,” he says. to develop the concept has not yet determined a pre- Supporters of basic research are already voicing con- ferred model for the EIC. The Commission will launch a cerns that the EIC could divert Horizon 2020 funds away public consultation in January, with a firm proposal to from researchers. Peter Tindemans, secretary-general be circulated by the summer, it states. of Euroscience, describes the EIC as a “bad idea”, and The plan, which is being championed by EU research says that innovators should be securing venture capital commissioner Carlos Moedas, has the support of several rather than public funds to support business ideas. senior Commission advisers and MEPs, who say that it However, the Commission official says that discus- could act as a nucleus for political attention and addi- sions on the EIC should not become preoccupied with tional funding, as the European Research Council (ERC) Horizon 2020 funding. “It should be above all about has for basic research. “It could be a practical tool but policy and strategy,” the official says, adding that also a political tool—an important instrument to regain determining conditions for innovation will have much momentum,” says German MEP Christian Ehler, who is greater impact across Europe than the relatively small involved in the Parliament’s working group on the EIC. amount of funding the Commission has at its disposal. “The voice of innovation and the conversation Moedas must now persuade other commissioners to about innovation is not yet strong or loud enough,” support his plans, ahead of a discussion in June. a senior Commission official says. “This is the funda- Ehler says that MEPs are likely to back the idea, and mental problem, which the EIC could help to solve.” that it should also be possible to gain the support of One idea circulating is that the EIC’s funding arm member states—as long as it doesn’t could work on the core principles of the ERC, of high require additional funding. competition and freedom. “The administrative side The document says that the Every new opportunity should be as simple as possible,” says Luc Soete, an Commission intends to pilot the fund- for research funding economist at Maastricht University and chairman of the ing arm of the EIC during the second from every sponsor in the EU, US & beyond Commission’s main research advisory group. The EIC half of Horizon 2020, with a full-scale could select projects for their potential to leverage exter- launch only likely during Horizon Independent news nal funding, he says, and mirror ERC grant mobility by 2020’s successor programme, which Direct from Brussels ensuring recipients have full access to national markets. starts in 2021. Issue No. 422 2 editorial Research Europe, 21 January 2016

Edited by Colin Macilwain [email protected] Tel: +44 20 7216 6500 Fax: +44 20 7216 6501 Unit 111, 134-146 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3AR

elsewhere

“Given these are the issues that will impact Management myth the way all Americans live for decades to come, why are they so often the exception in debates, rather than the expectation?” Sheril Kirshenbaum, executive director of the Europe doesn’t need another ‘innovation’ layer US campaign group ScienceDebate, wants to make issues such as mental health, climate change and research funding mainstream in presidential candidate debates. Scientific A European Commission document has proposed that a pilot European American blog, 11/1/16. Innovation Council be established this year, with a view to having a fully fledged EIC in the successor to Horizon 2020, due to start in 2021. “There’s no handy stripe in the rock layers to mark the Anthropocene yet.” As is clear, however, from the document reported in our cover story, It will be a big challenge for geologists to pin- the composition and function of the council remain entirely up for grabs. point the start date of the latest geological Options include: something akin to the existing European Research age, says environmental author Gaia Vince, after an International Union of Geological Council; a hard-driving, top-down innovation agency modelled on the Sciences’ working group reached a consensus United States Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (Darpa); and, that the Anthropocene, defined by human effectively, a new layer of management for existing EU innovation pro- impact, has begun. BBC News, 8/1/16. grammes. Each approach has advantages and drawbacks. “The computer actually gives me a flexibili- The EIC project is modelled politically on the ERC, which was proposed ty to change portions of the piece and adjust more than a decade ago and successfully incorporated into Framework 7. structures on a large scale more easily.” New York-based sculptor Elliott Arkin says The ERC tapped additional resources to support the diversification of the that many artists are using robots to create Framework programme to give large grants to individual academics, for highly accurate structures, due to the falling basic research. But the ERC’s success and undoubted prestige may have cost of technologies that mimic an artist’s sent a false signal. Setting up a basic research agency to support top sci- arm movements. The Art Newspaper, 7/1/16. entists was relatively straightforward. No corresponding model exists for “If you see somebody experimenting in the public support of industrial innovation. a laboratory in the opening scenes of a Darpa—at least in its early, less-bureaucratic days—is often cited as movie or TV programme, you figure that something dangerous is going to emerge.” such a model. Its dynamism is superficially attractive. But in our present James Gunn, historian and founder of the age of transparency and accountability, Darpa’s original approach of sec- Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction, says an anti-science bias is entrenched in onding talented programme managers and giving them carte blanche to Hollywood movies. Euroscientist, 23/12/15. support what they like is difficult to implement at the Pentagon. It is even harder to see how it could be applied at the Commission. “Cost and risk are measured in more than That leaves the option of appointing and staffing an EIC to oversee just dollars. It’s measured in lives; in mis- sion accomplishment and mission failure.” the Future and Emerging Technology flagships and other existing inno- US Navy energy policy director Jim Goudreau vation-support instruments and advise the Commission on innovation on the rising use of renewable energy sources in the military, to cut down on dangerous mis- policy, including regulation. It has been fashionable to assume that sions to deliver fuel. Politico, 31/12/15. councils of this type, staffed by former business executives, are somehow inherently superior to oversight by professional civil servants, as at pre- sent. That was the thinking behind the UK Technology Strategy Board, decade now called Innovate UK, for example. But it isn’t really clear that these benefits exist. In fact, bureaucrats may be more discerning, responsible and intellectually rigorous in their approach than an outside board. “People tend to forget that It is important that discussions about the EIC establish precisely what this is in reality a nuclear it is expected to achieve. It is obvious that the ‘innovation lobby’ views facility, containing large such a council as a useful funding counterweight to the ERC. But the ERC quantities of radioactive has a specific, discrete function: it does not oversee all, or even most, of material and explosive and the Commission’s research budget. toxic substances.” What must definitely be avoided is the introduction of an EIC for its own sake, to lend a narrative to Horizon 2020’s successor. The EU has A spokesman for the Working Group against the ESS in Lund opposes the done that before, with the 2008 launch of the European Institute of planned construction of the European Innovation and Technology, whose effectiveness is yet to be proven. Spallation Source in the region, after It is up to Carlos Moedas, the research commissioner, and his team to Swedish universities and authorities build a case that the EIC is actually going to add value, in circumstances supported its location there. where additional resources are unlikely to be available. That case is still a Research Europe, 19 January 2006 long way from being made. Research Europe, 21 January 2016 news 3 what’s going on

Auditors to probe JTIs The European Court of Auditors will assess the performance of research and innovation agencies and Joint Technology Initiatives in 2016, the court has announced. Its 2016 work programme sets out a review of JTIs and the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency as priorities for the coming year.

Funders urged to share plans on research infrastructure Greater cooperation on research infrastructure development is needed to ensure long-term sustainability, a report from the research funders’ association Science Europe has said. The report, published on 14 January, said that countries, regions and organisations involved in research infrastructure planning should exchange information on their strategic priorities and investigate opportunities for cooperation.

Efsi said to mobilise €50bn The European Fund for Strategic Investment mobilised €50 billion in 2015, the European Investment Bank has claimed. The EIB Group, comprising the EIB and the European Investment Fund, provided €7.5bn guaranteed by Efsi in 2015, the EIB said on 14 January. This supported additional finance from national banks and industry, which brought the total financing guaranteed by Efsi in 2015 to €50bn, or 16 per cent of the total Efsi target up to 2020.

Juncker shuns green groups European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker did not meet a single environmental lobby group in 2015, despite one-on-one meetings with 18 business and industry organisations, figures from Juncker’s website have shown. The European Environmental Bureau, which represents 140 environmental organisations, said that several requests for such meetings were sent by both the bureau and Green 10, a group of ten of the largest environmental organisations and networks in Europe.

Dutch universities strike deal with Elsevier The VSNU, the Association of Universities in the Netherlands, has reached an agreement with the academic publisher Elsevier on subscriptions to, and open-access publishing in, its journals. The three-year agreement will give researchers at Dutch universities access to Elsevier journals and enable them to publish open-access in some of the journals, the VSNU said on 10 December.

Publishers to demand researcher IDs The American Association for the Advancement of Science, PLOS and Embo Press are among the publishers that will require ORCID numbers for papers’ corresponding authors from 2016. A group of eight journals and publishers signed an open letter on 1 January committing them to require ORCID numbers in a bid to encourage academics and publishers to adopt the identifiers.

Dutch presidency commences The Netherlands took the reins of the European Council presidency on 1 January, launching an 18-month work programme to include a review of European Research Area advisers, changes to the monitoring of research programmes and progress on open science in Europe. The Dutch presidency will be followed by Slovakian and Maltese presidencies, and this trio will be responsible for the mid-term review of Horizon 2020 (see View, page 8). 4 news Research Europe, 21 January 2016 europe

council of state funding agencies. A co-fund with BRICs on the rise the Russian Ministry of Education and Science After a sharp decline, international participation in Horizon is also in its early stages. “We expect that the num- 2020 seems to be recovering. Amanda Stringfellow reports. ber of successful projects between the EU and Russia When the EU stopped automatic funding for Brazil, will increase thanks to this,” Melkonyan says. Russia, India and China (BRIC) under the Framework However, involvement has not increased at the same rate programme in 2012, the involvement of these countries in all four BRIC countries. Some have attributed this to their plummeted. Russian participation was hardest hit with 61 vastly differing economic and scientific systems, which the participants in 2013 dropping to just 7 in 2014. China’s Commission ignored in its decision to treat them as a bloc involvement fell by 70 per cent, and the number of partic- for Horizon 2020 funding. Such a distinct grouping “does ipants from India and Brazil more than halved (see table). not exist in science”, says Vasco Azevedo, a geneticist at “Most researchers are not willing to undergo a labori- the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte in ous and time-consuming process of proposal submission Brazil. “I don’t see the research systems as comparable.” to work in a consortium at their own costs,” says Marine India has yet to show increased participation in 2015, Melkonyan, Horizon 2020 national contact point in Russia. and it has been much slower to agree a co-funding mecha- This was a shock for both researchers and policymak- nism with the EU, says Sean Angiolillo, head of research ers, who were hoping to capitalise on the strength of projects at education consultancy firm IndoGenius, based the BRIC countries to bolster the EU programme. The in New Delhi. The EU and India have experienced “grow- response has been a concerted effort by the Commission ing pains” in their relationship while trying to develop to get these countries back on board—and the latest funding mechanisms on an equal footing, he says. Teresa Commission statistics show that it appears to be working. de Oliveira—a policy researcher from the Centre for Social By 29 October 2015, when the latest data were gath- Innovation in Austria and coordinator of the Indigo Policy ered, the number of Chinese participants had risen to 20, project on EU-India cooperation—says that the Indian compared with 13 in the whole of 2014. Russian partici- ministry will “fight to have its own rules” for joint projects, pants had climbed to 18, and Brazil had already equalled and that these discussions are ongoing. its 2014 participation. Meanwhile, Russian participants are fearful that The rise could be attributable to the Commission’s their recovery could be limited. George Safonov, direc- decision to set up co-funding mechanisms, which tor of the research centre at Moscow’s Higher School of pledge funds for jointly agreed priorities. Previously, a Economics, says that 2016 will be crucial for the rela- fundamental problem was convincing nations to pay for tionship between the EU and Russia in science. “The their involvement in a programme where European deci- political situation means coordination between govern- sions rule. “To get countries interested they have to be ment structures is limited,” says Safonov. “Adjustments involved in the priority setting,” says Dan Andrée, head need to be made—and it’s a critical time now.” of the Brussels office of the Swedish innovation-funding There are positive signs to be taken from EU research agency Vinnova and a senior Commission adviser. commissioner Carlos Moedas’s pledge to ensure that The co-funding mechanisms agreed under Horizon Horizon 2020 remains “open to the world”—one of his 2020 include a €28-million fund with the Chinese science three priorities for his term in office. His director-general, ministry, launched in December. There are 20 topics tar- Robert-Jan Smits, has said that international cooperation geting cooperation with China in the work programmes will be a priority for 2016 (see Interview, page 6), and says for the next two years, including calls on chronic diseas- he believes there is significant commitment to work on es, plant breeding and the relationship on the part of the BRIC countries, as well The changing climate urbanisation. as from the EU. “These countries really see the quality of Number of organisations participating in For Brazil, research European science and they want to be part of it; they don’t Framework programme on advanced biofuels only want to cooperate with the United States,” he says. will be funded under In conjunction with the participation figures, there 2013 2014 to Oct 2015 the 2016 work pro- is optimism that this approach could be the start of a Brazil 18 7 7 gramme with €5m from resurgence in long-term BRIC country participation, says Russia 61 7 18 India 18 8 5 its science ministry, Manfred Horvat, an international research policy adviser China 46 13 20 the São Paulo Research at the Vienna University of Technology. “I think there is Foundation and quite an opportunity that, with time, participation will Source European Commission E-CORDA database, Oct 2015 Confap, the Brazilian substantially increase.” Research Europe, 21 January 2016 news 5

Flagship European space programme emerges

A satellite communications programme combining civil by Craig Nicholson [email protected] and military functions is set to become Europe’s next major space project, after Copernicus and Galileo. However, Alice Bunn, director of policy at the UK Govsatcom will combine commercial communications Space Agency, expressed concern about the programme’s with more secure military communications. At an event in mission, stating that it was not clear how Govsatcom Brussels on 11 January, François Rivasseau, special envoy would strengthen European telecommunications, which at the EU’s European External Action Service, said that are “already world-leading”. Govsatcom will be a European flagship programme as it Govsatcom will probably be allocated several billion supports three EU strategies due to be published in 2016: a euros from the EU budget. The two existing flagships, space strategy, a defence action plan and a global strategy Copernicus and Galileo, have been allocated around on foreign and security policy. €6.7bn and €11bn respectively up until 2020. The design and governance of the programme have The EDA is conducting a feasibility study on military yet to be determined, but it will probably remain under requirements for Govsatcom, while the Commission national control because of the sensitivity of mili- examines civilian requirements. A schedule for the pro- tary communications. Bodies including the European gramme is due to be completed in 2025. Commission, the European Defence Agency, the EEAS The plan to build Govsatcom comes as the EU builds on and the European Space Agency, as well as industry, will its space competencies, introduced under the 2007 Lisbon share the costs of the programme. Treaty, and on efforts to progress joint European defence Speaking at the Eighth Annual Conference on EU capabilities, including a preparatory action to incorporate Space Policy on 13 January, EDA chief executive Jorge defence research in the next Framework programme. Domecq said that Govsatcom would be the first European Increasing synergy between space and defence will be space initiative to combine civil and defence communi- a priority for the EU’s 2016 space strategy, industry com- cations, paving the way for more dual-use programmes. missioner Elzbieta Bienkowska said at the conference. Mixed response to planned EU applications cull A two-step process that will see 80 per cent of applica- by Amanda Stringfellow [email protected] tions for EU funding rejected at the first stage will be rolled out across future Horizon 2020 calls, the director- many projects will be funded, rather than being set at general for research Robert-Jan Smits has said. 20 per cent. “Those that are invited to submit the full Smits said that the two-stage evaluation process—used application should have at least a one-third chance of for only a handful of Horizon 2020 calls at the moment— being funded,” he says. In calls with a huge number of will be extended to all programmes. The Commission will applicants, taking even a fifth of proposals to the second reject 80 per cent of applications on the basis of a short stage could leave final applicants with too slim a chance 10-page proposal, so just 20 per cent of applicants will be of support, he says. asked to produce a full 70-page application. Yulia Matskevich, EU research development man- The changes would mean a huge saving for research ager at Brunel University in London, agrees that the institutions in Europe, says Michael Browne, head of selection process needs to be changed. However, she says European research and innovation at University College the Commission needs to alter other aspects of its two- London. “Putting in an application is a big investment stage evaluation before rolling it out. A lack of feedback on and at the moment there is a lot of wasted effort.” proposals in the first stage means researchers don’t have Previously, applicants have complained that too enough opportunity to improve their applications, she many projects were progressing to the second stage says. In addition, having different evaluators at each stage in calls with a two-step process. “Some proposals that risks a “lack of consistency” in the evaluation, she says. got through to stage two have had feedback saying the Smits says that the change will be introduced gradu- project is out of scope,” Browne says. “That should have ally to account for the fact that a two-stage procedure been picked up at the primary stage.” could take longer. The Commission has previously But Browne says that the number of proposals pass- pledged to limit the time it takes for Horizon 2020 appli- ing to the second stage should vary according to how cations to be funded to eight months. 6 news Research Europe, 21 January 2016 interview robert-jan smits

policy or data protection, for exam- ple, as their domains. A driving force But Smits says that he will “advise, not prescribe to” member Robert-Jan Smits has big ambitions for his second term states, as the EU is “often seen as an overenthusiastic mother-in- at the helm of the directorate-general for research at law, who thinks she knows it all” the European Commission, he tells Laura Greenhalgh. when it comes to policy. He hopes that the benefits of coordinated Receiving guests in his spacious office in the Orban action across the Commission will speak for themselves. building of the European Commission in late December, “Influencing the clinical trials directive will have a much Robert-Jan Smits looks very much at home. Smits is the greater impact on innovation in the pharmaceutical sec- Dutch commander-in-chief to the department’s Portuguese tor than if we spend €3bn on funding.” political figurehead, Carlos Moedas. After more than five While seeking influence across the wider Commission, years in the job, Smits says he’s still on a mission to realise Smits is still busy troubleshooting at home. A few some major ambitions for EU research and innovation. years ago, under pressure to curb any expansion of the Sitting at his walnut boardroom table with views of Commission’s own staff and in keeping with his own ambi- the Square Frère-Orban’s church spire, it soon becomes tions, he launched the biggest internal changes in DG clear that these ambitions run well beyond Horizon 2020 research’s 30-year history. Due for completion in 2020, and the administration of its €75-billion budget. “Our the reorganisation will see a significantly smaller DG department isn’t just about handing out research funds,” research, with grant administration outsourced and the he says. “I want to integrate science and innovation with directorate itself concentrating on policy and strategy. economic policymaking at the highest level.” “Of course it has an impact on staff morale,” Smits Smits details how his interest lies in big-picture poli- says. “Any change is difficult. But my role is to make sure tics, and in putting the traditional niche of research policy we have buy-in, and motivate everybody that this is the high on the agenda of Europe’s political leadership. “I am right way forward—which I’m convinced it is.” frustrated that economic models have no place for sci- Implementation of Horizon 2020 also demands atten- ence,” Smits says. So he has hired a team of economists tion as it approaches mid-term review. A major concern, he to work at DG research, to come up with better macroeco- says, is to ensure the entire annual budget is spent by the nomic models that could eventually become mainstream. end of the year, so it doesn’t return to the Commission’s He’s also pushing for closer monitoring of science and central fund: “I’m checking the figures daily.” innovation targets in the Commission’s annual assess- Smits says that he’s very proud of the Horizon 2020 roll- ment of national governments, the European Semester. out; he cites the size of its budget, the simplification of its “I see this as my core business,” he says. procedures, and its reorganisation around societal chal- Smits is aiming high in his attempts to improve the lenges as examples of its success. The mid-term review environment for science and innovation in business and will spell changes, he says, with steps planned to improve society. Perhaps shrewdly, he’s identified an opportunity the experience of grant applicants (see News, page 5), as to dovetail this objective with the regulatory reform agen- well as the likely pilot of a European Innovation Council. da of conservative Commission president Smits says that the Commission is “gradually stepping Robert-Jan Smits Jean-Claude Juncker. On 15 December, away from the European Research Council model” for the 2010-present Director- Smit’s directorate outlined research EIC, after realising that innovation can’t realistically be * general for research areas that could be used to make the funded in the same way as research—a view confirmed this 2010 Deputy direc- case for regulatory reform, in a working month by an internal Commission document (see Cover). * tor-general at the document pitched to tally with Juncker’s The coming year will see Smits continue to encourage Commission’s Joint Research Centre plans. “We are trying to push the inno- non-European participation in Horizon 2020, following 2005-2010 Director of vation principle to make European rules visits to India and China last year, and try to close the gap * the European Research better,” he says. in scientific performance between old and new member Area at DG research Smits has a strong ally in Moedas, states, he says. As the Dutch presidency takes up the 2002-2005 Head of unit who has made innovation his priority. reins of the Council of Ministers, it also offers opportuni- * at the DG research His support could prove necessary: in ties to make progress on their priority of open access. * 1989-2005 Several entering the realms of national econom- Smits has already bucked the time-honoured tradition positions at DG research ic policy, Smits risks offending member of five-year rotations for director-generals after being 1985-1989 Civil serv- states. Taking on regulatory change reinstated last year. But he’s clearly got no intention * ant at the ministry of economic affairs, the will also encroach on other Commission of relaxing in post during 2016. “I hope we can make a Netherlands directorate-generals, who view energy huge leap forward,” he says. Research Europe, 21 January 2016 comment 7 peter fisch view from the top Want a simpler Horizon 2020? Get rid of work programmes

When only 14 per cent of applications to the first disadvantage. There is no requirement for real transpar- round of Horizon 2020 funding calls were successful, ency and for the average researcher it remains a mystery down from 20 per cent in Framework 7, the European why certain topics are in and others out. Commission was criticised. Research institutions, con- Drafting is based on consensus, so left-field topics have sultancies and others blamed in particular the 2014-15 only a slim chance of making it to the final document. work programmes—the documents that set out the The very nature of the process might actually prevent the funding opportunities available—for not having worked innovation that is Horizon 2020’s raison d’être. properly. The Commission has recently published the It is time to ask—as, surprisingly, no one seems to have work programmes for 2016-17 and expressed its hope of done—whether this colossal effort is worth it or whether improving the situation. we might be better off without work programmes. But focusing on oversubscription obscures more fun- Obviously, abolishing the main tool for reducing damental problems with the work programmes. demand for funding would drive the number of applica- Public research funding creates an interface between tions up and the success rate down. With the bureaucratic two different worlds. The research world is, supposedly, restrictions and exclusions removed, we would see, for the spontaneous and in a sense erratic; the administrative first time, the true demand for funding. Admittedly even world aims at solid long-term planning and exact imple- more time would be spent on unsuccessful grant applica- mentation. The EU’s work programmes for research tions but the benefits would more than compensate. funding are positioned exactly on this borderline. And Abolishing annual work programmes would repre- while EU research spending has increased roughly sent the single greatest simplification in the history of 20-fold in the past 30 years—changing from small-scale, European research policy. It would free up the enormous targeted activities to the world’s largest multinational intellectual resources that are occupied with drafting, research programme—the administrative fundamentals adopting, disseminating, interpreting and understand- have not changed. ing piles of work programme texts. Officially, the work programmes’ job is to provide spe- Getting rid of all this red tape would allow research- cific and strategic focus. In fact, however, their main ers to focus entirely on their proposals, thus improving function is to reduce demand for funding by restricting their quality. Abandoning work programmes would put access to a limited number of research topics each year. the competition for scarce resources back to where it In economic terms, work programmes are a tool for belongs: in the rigorous evaluation of all proposals for rationing demand. Yet there is little evidence in the eco- their scientific quality and societal relevance. It would nomic literature that rationing demand is an effective stop the distorting practices of lobbying and mini- way to manage scarce resources. mise the risk of bias. Calls would attract surprising and So the basic principle of work programmes is a prob- truly innovative proposals, based on the creativity of lem. The same goes for their implementation. Preparing researchers rather than the consensus among the insid- work programmes has become a major bureaucratic ers who draft the programmes. endeavour, generating 1,800 pages of text every two Most importantly, such an approach would send a years. These documents list eligible research topics but strong and simple message: Horizon 2020 supports the whether they offer anything more concrete in terms of best research teams in realising their ideas—full stop. analysis or strategy is doubtful. Their content also differs The objective of Horizon 2020 is not to ensure ‘ade- substantially each year, denying researchers consistent quate’ success rates or to keep its main beneficiaries in funding opportunities. their comfort zone. Horizon 2020 is meant to organise a Many people are involved in drafting work pro- fair and open selection of the best projects grammes, including external experts from academia and to move Europe ahead. Keeping the ideas ‘No one seems industry, various Commission services and representa- of openness and innovation in mind, tives from EU member states. This could favour the most it might be appropriate to go for more to have asked effective lobbyists and put less experienced entrants at a original ideas, rather than preparing even more extensive work programmes for the whether this Peter Fisch, former head of unit in the European years to come. colossal effort Commission’s directorate-general for research and Something to add? Email comment@ innovation, blogs on research policy at www.peter-fisch.eu. ResearchResearch.com is worth it.’ 8 comment Research Europe, 21 January 2016 view from the top tim buiting Dutch presidency aims for openness and togetherness

When unveiling its plans for the EU presidency in the tem. Dekker will encourage other member states to seek first half of 2016, the Netherlands announced that its similar nationwide deals between universities and schol- term would be “sober”. The British in particular—who arly publishers, and will push for the adoption of Council do not associate the EU with teetotalism—reacted with conclusions on open access. There will also be a ministe- surprise, until the Dutch realised that the confusion rial conference on open science on 4 and 5 April 2016, stemmed from poor translation. “Sober” was changed to which is intended to produce a European action plan. “efficient”, clarifying the nation’s intentions for both its presidency and the attendant catering. In preparation for the presidency, the Dutch have As befits an efficient presidency, all events will be held stuck close to the Commission’s established priorities. at one location: the old marine grounds in Amsterdam. Work will continue in existing areas, such as the circular There will be only one Competitiveness Council meeting economy and skills. on research and innovation, as the agenda was too slim The preliminary preparations also saw the Dutch to justify two. Perhaps the most symbolic decision is to parliament call for a conference on the multi-annual reuse the logo from the last Dutch presidency in 2004. financial framework. Several political parties, including Efficiency will be needed: the Dutch are facing a dif- the ruling Labour party, feel that the current budgetary ficult and packed six months. The refugee crisis and system needs reform. A conference would be timely, as security threats will no doubt influence the agenda, as preparation for a revision of the framework will start dur- will the looming possibility of a Brexit. ing the Dutch presidency. In this environment, the Dutch will have to choose Although little is expected from the revision, the their battles carefully. As far as research and innova- debate could give us a glimpse of how member states tion go, open access is without a doubt the top priority, view the future of EU budgeting. closely followed by a proposal for improved framework One challenge will be not to lose other member states conditions for research and innovation, and the along the way; not all EU countries, for example, place Framework 7 ex-post evaluation. the same importance on open access. Indeed, with the The Dutch are widely seen as leaders on open science. Schengen area agreement under fire, the EU’s periphery The deal struck late last year between the Association of in turmoil and growing anti-EU movements in member Universities in the Netherlands and scholarly publishers states, keeping all on board will be a challenge in every such as Elsevier, to create a publishing environment more aspect of the Dutch presidency. friendly to open access, is a prime example. In such heated circumstances, the Dutch tradition of Sander Dekker, the Dutch minister for education, consensus-based decision making, known as the polder culture and science, and research commissioner Carlos model, might be crucial. The habit of involving all con- Moedas have already issued a joint statement urging pub- cerned parties in debate is slow, but effective. Preventing lishers to adapt to 21st-century realities. They also voiced the splintering of an ever-more divided Europe would be support for Dutch universities during their lengthy stand- an achievement in its own right. off with publishers. Dutch education and research institutes, working The deal did not impress everyone. In an interview through Neth-ER, won’t be idle. In an effort to harness with Neth-ER, Robert-Jan Smits, the director-general for the momentum of the Dutch presidency, institutes will research and innovation, said that the agreement lacks be organising a multitude of conferences and other ambition, “to put it mildly”. Smits was events. The Neth-ER office will also be organising pre- disappointed that the agreements did not paratory and livestream events in Brussels, connected to ‘Keeping all include an obligatory data-management ministerial conferences in the Netherlands. on board will plan, containing a request for beneficiar- We are looking forward to an inspiring and innovative ies to adhere to the Commission’s “fair presidency. Stay in touch with the Dutch. be a challenge principles” on open access, which state More to say? Email [email protected] that publications should be findable, in every accessible, interoperable, and reusable. Tim Buiting is a policy adviser at Neth-ER, a Brussels- aspect of the Be that as it may, the Dutch will use based not-for-profit organisation that helps publicly their presidency to campaign hard for a funded Dutch knowledge institutes to influence European presidency.’ transition to a more open research sys- research and education policy. Research Europe funding opportunities 21 January 2016 every new opportunity every discipline

management dissertation award highlights deadlines 1166061 europe Opportunities from previous issues FR International Union for Quater- EU smart urban futures Smart urban futures of Research Europe, listed by closing nary Research skills enhancement grants 1169710 JPI Urban Europe, supported by the Euro- JPI Urban Europe, date. European Commission and pean Commission under the Horizon 2020 associated funders marked EU. FR International Union for Quater- supported by the European nary Research international focus programme, invites pre-proposals for its Each entry is followed by a Web id groups grants 1169707 ERA-NET Cofund smart urban futures. This call aims to create sustainable and Commission under the FR International Union for Qua- Horizon 2020 programme, January ternary Research project grants economically viable urban areas. Projects 260069 may last up to three years. The budget is EU ERA-Net EuroTransBio transna- €23.5 million. invites pre-proposals for CH Lausanne Federal Polytechnic 29 tional call for proposals 1160924 Web id: 1187467 its ERA-NET Cofund smart Antarctic circumnavigation expedi- FR European Society of Cardiology tion project 1187781 Email: [email protected] arrhythmias and cardiac pacing Deadline: 15 March 2016 [1] urban futures. The budget training fellowship 1175642 DE Merck Serono grant for growth innovation 1182670 is €23.5 million [1]. FR European Society of Cardiology EU protection certificates DK Nordisk Skibsrederforening clinical electrophysiology training The Directorate-General for Internal Mar- fellowship 1175648 maritime law scholarships 1165020 H2020 Ebola outbreaks ket, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Solar Facilities for the Euro- NO Kavli Trust research grants FR invites tenders for a study on the legal The Innovative Medicines 30 1158993 pean Research Area call for access 1172225 aspects of supplementary protection Initiative Joint BE Alpro Foundation scientific certificates in the EU. The tenderer will 31 paper award for young scientists CH Spine Society of Europe grants inform the decision on whether to come Undertaking invites 1161272 1182539 forward with a new SPC title at European applications for its eighth UK Biochemical Society centenary PL The Polish Mathematical Society level and whether to revise the existing award 1161323 international Stefan Banach prize SPC legislation. The contract is worth 1183011 call. The budget is worth CH European Respiratory Society €200,000. up to €70 million [16]. child lung health research fellow- Web id: 1188129 ship 1186670 February Deadline: 4 February 2016 [2] AT European Academy of Neurology Education policy UK British Society for Neuroen- spring school for young neurolo- EU consumer law check gists 205249 1 docrinology project support grant The Education, 1163782 The Directorate-General for Justice and NL European and Developing Consumers invites tenders for a study to Audiovisual and Culture Countries Clinical Trials Partnership DE European Foundation for the Dr Pascoal Mocumbi prize 1187563 Study of Diabetes/Novo Nordisk support the fitness check of EU consumer Executive Agency invites programme for diabetes research in law. The tenderer will assess whether IT European Association for Europe 1157979 the directive objectives of the fitness applications, via its Theoretical Computer Science Gödel prize 1161231 DE European Molecular Biology check have efficiently achieved consumer Erasmus+ programme, Organisation gold medal 206979 protection and market integration. The BE European Federation for Me- contract is worth €900,000. for key action three – dicinal Chemistry Nauta award for CH European Respiratory Soci- pharmacochemistry 1173177 ety clinical training fellowships Web id: 1188250 support for policy reform 1186695 Email: [email protected] BE European Federation for Medicinal [3] and initiatives for policy Chemistry Prous Institute – Overton DE Fritz Thyssen Stiftung transat- Deadline: 5 February 2016 and Meyer award for new technolo- lantic postdoctoral fellowship for innovation. Grants are gies in drug discovery 1173179 international relations and security EU ecodesign 1166206 worth up to €2 million per BE European Federation for Medici- The Directorate-General for Energy invites nal Chemistry UCB-Ehrlich award for DE German Academic Exchange tenders for single framework contracts project [21]. excellence in medicinal chemistry Service group study visits 1180184 for the provision of preparatory studies, 1173178 NL International Continental review studies and technical assistance. Earth observations FR European Society of Cardiology Scientific Drilling Program/European The tenderer will provide technical assis- early-career training grant 1187709 Consortium for Ocean Research Drill- tance on ecodesign, energy labelling, tyre The European Environment FR European Society of Cardiology ing/International Ocean Discovery labelling and energy star. The contract is research grants 201603 Program MagellanPlus workshops worth up to €8 million. Agency invites tenders for series programme 1166025 FR European Society of Cardiology Web id: 1188241 services supporting their training grants 201601 NL Netherlands Institute for Radio Email: ener-tender-2015-619@ec. Astronomy ASTRON/Joint Institute europa.eu implementation of the UK Feminist Review Trust research for very-long-baseline interfer- Deadline: 11 February 2016 [4] grants 253602 ometry in Europe summer student copernicus programme. programme 1166080 UK Forensic Science Society EU Eurostars programme The contract is worth research scholarship 210581 UK Research Society for Victorian CH International Bone Research Periodicals field development grant EUREKA invites applications for the Euro- €3.2 million [22]. Association Robert Schenk research 1187473 stars programme. This funds collaborative prizes 199508 UK Research Society for Victorian research and innovation projects that will Inequality dynamics UK International Society for Profes- Periodicals Linda H Peterson fellow- be rapidly commercialised. The average sional Innovation Wiley innovation ship 1187472 project includes three to four participants ERA-Net NORFACE invites from two to three countries with a project applications for its budget of €1.4 million. Web id: 199550 programme on dynamics of Online Funding Search Deadline: 18 February 2016 [5] inequality across the life- For full details of every funding opportunity, visit EU fisheries data framework www.ResearchProfessional.com course. Funding is worth The Directorate-General for Maritime up to €1.5 million per Online subscribers can view full details of any funding opportunity by Affairs and Fisheries invites tenders for simply searching for the Web id number as free text in a funding search. a study on availability and dissemination project [45]. of data collection framework data. The tenderer will contribute to improving the not to be Funding search timeliness, quality and availability of DCF data for end users, whilst reducing the bur- Search photocopieD Free text: 1234567 x den on member states for making this data For subscriptions call +44 20 7216 6500 available. The contract is worth €600,000. 10 funding opportunities Research Europe, 21 January 2016

Web id: 1188224 EU railway innovation up to three years. Nanotechnology grants Email: [email protected] Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking, with finan- Web id: 253323 VolkswagenStiftung invites applications Deadline: 19 February 2016 [6] cial support from Horizon 2020: Societal Email: [email protected] for its integration of molecular compo- Challenges, invites applications for the Deadline: 11 February 2016 [24] nents in functional macroscopic systems EU low carbon technology following calls: grants. These promote research on the EUREKA invites proposals for projects •H2020-S2RJU-2015-01 first open call Genetic diseases research advancement of molecular or nanoscale under its Eurogia2020 cluster. Funding for proposals for non-JU members. The Jérôme Lejeune Foundation invites units to more complex functional systems supports multidisciplinary, innovative Web id: 1188165 applications for its research grants. These at a macroscopic scale. Supplementary research and development projects on •H2020-S2RJU-2016-01 first open call support research on intellectual dis- support for summer schools, laboratory energy technologies that will reduce for proposals for non-JU members. ability from genetic origin appearing in rotations and conferences, sabbaticals and carbon footprint, improve energy effi- Web id: 1188166 early childhood. Grants are worth up to visiting professorships is also available. ciency and develop solar, wind, biomass Deadline: 17 March 2016 [18] €40,000 each. Web id: 1167889 or geothermal technologies. Web id: 213435 Email: dettenwanger@ Web id: 1161448 EU maritime projects Email: conseilscientifique@ volkswagenstiftung.de Email: [email protected] The Directorate-General for Maritime fondationlejeune.org Deadline: 2 August 2016 [32] Deadline: 19 February 2016 [7] Affairs and Fisheries invites proposals Deadline: 7 March 2016 [25] for its call on interoperability improve- EU personal data security EU citizens calls ments to enhance information sharing EU urban actions The European Union Agency for Network The Education, Audiovisual and Culture for maritime surveillance. This supports The Directorate-General for Regional and and Information invites tenders for the Executive Agency invites proposals for member states in improving their infor- Urban Policy invites applications for its provision of a framework on appropriate the following calls under its Europe for mation systems to enhance cross-sector urban innovations actions initiative. This security measures for the processing of citizens programme: and cross-border information exchange provides urban areas throughout Europe personal data. The tenderer will design •European remembrance, with grants to improve the effectiveness of national with resources to test innovative solu- a framework that supports small and worth up to €100,000.Web id: 1159033 authorities in ensuring safe, secure and tions to the main urban challenges, and medium organisations in implementing •civil society projects, with grants environmentally protected seas. Grants see how these work in practice. Funding appropriate security measures. The con- worth up to €150,000.Web id: 1183155 are worth up to €400,000 per project. covers up to 80 per cent of eligible costs tract is worth up to €55,000. Deadline: 1 March 2016 [10] Web id: 1183416 over three years. Additional grants of Web id: 1188167 Deadline: 31 March 2016 [20] €20,000 and €15,000 are available for Email: [email protected] EU civil protection grants project preparation and project closure Deadline: 9 February 2016 [34] EU education policy respectively. The Directorate-General for Humani- Web id: 1188105 tarian Aid and Civil Protection invites The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Greek research grants Executive Agency invites applications via Email: [email protected] The Alexander S Onassis Public Benefit proposals for projects on prevention Deadline: 31 March 2016 [26] and preparedness in civil protection and its Erasmus+ programme for key action Foundation invites applications for its three – support for policy reform and foreigners fellowship programme. This marine pollution. This call supports the EU cardiovascular diseases efforts of participating states and eli- initiatives for policy innovation. This aims promotes Greek language, history and gible third countries focusing on areas to improve the efficiency of education ERA-CVD, with support from the European culture abroad, thereby creating ties of Commission, invites proposals for its first where a common European approach is and training systems and youth policies cooperation between members of the call on transnational research projects more appropriate. Grants are worth up through the collection and evaluation foreign academic community and their on cardiovascular diseases. This aims to to €800,000 each, covering up to 75 per of evidence on the systemic impact of Greek counterparts. develop translational innovative projects cent of eligible project costs. innovative policy measures. Grants are Web id: 157906 worth up to €2 million per project. for the diagnosis and therapy of heart fail- [email protected] Web id: 213189 Email: Web id: 1177959 ure. Projects may last up to three years. Deadline: 26 February 2016 [35] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]. Web id: 1188378 Deadline: 14 March 2016 [13] eu Email: [email protected] EU healthcare tenders EU marine protected areas Deadline: 14 April 2016 [21] Deadline: 8 March 2016 [27] The Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency invites tenders The Directorate-General for Maritime EU Earth observations EU neurodegeneration for a behavioural survey for HIV/Aids and Affairs and Fisheries and the Executive The European Environment Agency invites The EU Joint Programme for Neurodegen- associated infections, and a survey and Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enter- tenders for services supporting their erative Disease Research invites proposals tailored training for community-based prises invite tenders for the study on the implementation of the copernicus pro- for its joint transnational call on harmo- health workers. The tenderer will carry out economic benefits of marine protected gramme. The tenderer will support the nisation and alignment in brain imaging a knowledge, attitudes and practice sur- areas. This aims to evaluate how maritime implementation of cross-cutting activities methods for neurodegeneration. This vey, and tailored training for community- protected areas provide benefits to spe- for coordination of the in situ component aims to address issues of key relevance based health workers to improve access, cific blue economy sectors, with the aim to of the copernicus programme, the Euro- for the future use of brain imaging tech- quality of prevention, diagnosis of HIV/ feed the results into relevant EU policies. pean programme for the establishment niques in neurodegeneration research. Aids, sexually transmitted infections and The contract is worth up to €300,000. of a European capacity for earth observa- Grants are worth up to €50,000 each. viral hepatitis and health care services for Web id: 1188231 tion. The contract is worth €3.2 million. Web id: 1187770 men who have sex with men. The contract Deadline: 14 March 2016 [14] Web id: 1188170 Email: [email protected] is worth approximately €2 million. Email: [email protected] Deadline: 10 March 2016 [28] Web id: 1186154 EU H2020 Ebola outbreaks Deadline: 8 February 2016 [22] Email: [email protected] The Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint EU neuroscience Deadline: 9 February 2016 [40] Undertaking invites applications for its East European studies ERA-Net Neuron invites proposals for eighth call. Proposals may address the The University of Helsinki's Aleksanteri European research projects on external EU health and vaccination topic IMI2-2015-08 Ebola and other filo- Institute invites applications for its visit- insults on the nervous system. These The Consumers, Health and Food Execu- viral haemorrhagic fevers (Ebola+) pro- ing fellowships. These provide scholars aim to facilitate multinational research tive Agency has publiched the following gramme – future outbreaks. The budget in Russian and Eastern European studies projects on the topic. invitations to tender: is worth up to €70 million. with the opportunity to visit and carry out Web id: 1188188 •European structural and investment Web id: 1187750 research at the Aleksanteri Institute and Email: [email protected] funds support in the area of health – build- Email: [email protected] the University of Helsinki. Fellowships are Deadline: 14 March 2016 [29] ing knowledge and capacities for moni- Deadline: 16 March 2016 [16] worth up to €9,000 over three months. toring and implementation, supporting Web id: 1166176 Microvascular complications innovation and effectiveness, worth an EU H2020 medicines Email: [email protected] The European Foundation for the Study of estimated €745,000.Web id: 1188107 The Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Deadline: 5 February 2016 [23] Diabetes, in collaboration with Boehring- •two studies on vaccination in the Undertaking invites applications for its er Ingelheim, invites applications for EU member states, worth an estimated seventh call. This aims to improve health EU nanomedicine its European research programme in €220,000. Web id: 1188035 by speeding up the development of, and ERA-Net EuroNanoMed II invites propos- microvascular complications of diabetes. Email: [email protected] patient access to, innovative medicines, als for its joint transnational call. This This aims to stimulate European basic and Deadline: 9 February 2016 [41] particularly in areas where there is an supports projects that combine innova- clinical research in the field. Grants are unmet medical or social need. tive approaches in the field of nano- worth up to €300,000 each. Theme group fellowships Web id: 1188183 medicine and encouragees transnational Web id: 1172958 The Netherlands Institute for Advanced Email: [email protected] collaboration between public and private Email: [email protected] Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences Deadline: 17 March 2016 [17] research groups. Funding is awarded for Deadline: 1 April 2016 [31] and the Lorentz Center invite proposals for Research Europe, 21 January 2016 funding opportunities 11 their theme group programme. This enables manufacturing industry by co-funding Parkinson's disease International exchanges theme group members to collaborate on research projects performed by enter- The Cure Parkinson's Trust invites applica- The Royal Society invites applications for research that bridges the humanities or prises and their strategic partnerships. tions for its research grants. These support the standard programme of its interna- social sciences with the natural sciences Web id: 1166040 laboratory or clinical projects that have tional exchanges scheme. This stimulates or technology. Three- or five-month resi- Email: [email protected] the potential to lead to a cure for Parkin- new collaborations within the natural dential fellowships are offered. Deadline: 17 March 2016 [51] son's disease, or that represent a sub- sciences between scientists in the UK and Web id: 1177468 stantial advance in treatment. Grants are overseas. Grants are worth up to £12,000 Email: [email protected] EU HIV statistics worth up to £250,000 (€330,500) each. (€15,900) each. Researchers may also Deadline: 1 March 2016 [44] The European Centre for Disease Preven- Web id: 1162652 receive the £1,000 Colin Pillinger interna- tion and Control invites tenders for devel- Email: [email protected] tional exchanges award to communicate EU inequality dynamics oping methods to improve the accuracy of Deadline: 4 February 2016 [62] their research to the general public. ERA-Net NORFACE invites applications HIV estimates in EU/EEA countries. The Web id: 1162434 for its research programme on dynam- tenderer will develop a set of methods Security threats research Email: international.exchanges@ ics of inequality across the life-course. or tools, which will allow member states The Centre for Research and Evidence royalsociety.org This supports transnational research to improve the utility of HIV national on Security Threats invites proposals Deadline: 23 February 2016 [70] focused on understanding the dynamics surveillance data and to provide better for its call on research for understand- of inequalities as they unfold over the estimates for some key parameters. The ing, mitigating and countering security Endocrinology prizes life course, casual processes in relation contract is worth €455,000. threats. Funding supports innovative eco- The European Society of Endocrinology to these inequalities, the impact of these Web id: 1188143 nomic, behavioural and social science invites nominations for the Geoffrey Har- inequalities on social cohesion and the Deadline: 12 February 2016 [53] research that contributes to understand- ris prize. This recognises an established identification of opportunities for policy ing of contemporary security threats, or researcher in the field of neuroendo- interventions to increase possibilities EU hepatitis C research that enhances the UK's capacity crinology. for social mobility. Funding is worth up The European Centre for Disease Preven- to detect and mitigate such threats. The Web id: 192708 to €1.5 million per project. tion and Control invites tenders for the total budget is £1.25 million (€1.65m). Email: [email protected] Web id: 1188046 development of a seroprevalence survey Web id: 1187927 Deadline: 28 February 2016 [71] Email: [email protected] for hepatitis C in EU/EEA countries. The Email: commissioning@crestresearch. Deadline: 30 March 2016 [45] tenderer will collect and synthesise infor- ac.uk EU metrology grants Deadline: 5 February 2016 [63] The European Association of National Nordic PhD courses mation and evidence for conducting the survey among general populations and Metrology Institutes (EURAMET e.V.) The NOVA University Network invites key population groups. The contract is Hearing research grants invites applications for its call in the fol- applications for its PhD grants. These pro- worth €410,000. Action on Hearing Loss invites applica- lowing topic areas – metrology for energy, vide funding for PhD courses, veterinary Web id: 1188137 tions for its flexi grants. These support metrology for environment, metrology specialisation courses as well as course Deadline: 16 February 2016 [54] small-scale activities that strengthen research for pre- and co-normative pro- series. Grants may cover accommodation, hearing research in new ways to benefit jects, and research potential – within travel, remuneration for external teach- Biomedical residences people with hearing loss, tinnitus or other the European Metrology Programme for ers, meals, and miscellaneous costs. The hearing-related conditions. Grants are Innovation and Research. NOVA Board provides an additional grant The Brocher Foundation invites applica- Web id: 1161610 tions for residency at its centre in Geneva. worth up to £5,000 (€6,600) each. of €2,500 to cover administration. Web id: 258666 Email: [email protected] Web id: 199285 This enables researchers to stay at the Deadline: 29 February 2016 [72] centre to start or complete a research Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Deadline: 8 February 2016 [64] Deadline: 10 February 2016 [46] project on ethical, legal and social impli- cations of recent medical research and Jewish fellowships rest of world EU marine biotechnology new medical technologies. Successful applicants are offered a workplace and The Rothschild Foundation (Hanadiv) Era-Net ERA-MarineBiotech invites appli- accommodation for one to four months. Europe invites applications for the fol- cations for its second transnational joint Marine ecology Web id: 260299 lowing fellowships: The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences call for research projects. This aims to •doctoral fellowships, worth up to stimulate joint European R&D activities Email: [email protected] invites applications for its grants-in-aid. Deadline: 14 February 2016 [56] £48,000 (€63,500) each. Web id: 1177306 These aim to defray the costs of BIOS in- within marine biotechnology related to •doctoral fellowships in archival valorisation of bioactive molecules from house charges or act as starter funds to CERN student programme research, worth up to £48,000 each. help with laboratory fees, boat rental or the marine environment. Web id: 257129 CERN invites applications for its openlab similar, or projects that lead to continued Web id: 1187122 •postdoctoral fellowships, worth up to Email: [email protected] summer student programme. This enables research at the institute. Grants are worth £32,500 each. Web id: 210007 up to US$3,000 (€2,800) each. Deadline: 16 March 2016 [47] students wishing to work on advanced IT Email: fellowships@ Web id: 186355 projects to visit CERN, attend lectures, rothschildfoundation.eu and visit the accelerators and experimen- Email: [email protected] Advanced computing course Deadline: 11 February 2016 [65] Deadline: 15 February 2016 [73] The Partnership for Advanced Computing tal areas. Funding includes a CHF90 (€82) per day allowance, health insurance and in Europe invites applications for its inter- Agriculture and nutrition Huntington disease research national high performance computing travel allowance. The Department for International Devel- The Huntington Society of Canada invites summer school. This enables advanced Web id: 1162212 opment invites concept memos for its letters of intent for its new pathways scholars who use high performance com- Deadline: 28 February 2016 [57] competitive research grants to develop research programme awards. These sup- puting to conduct research instruction on innovative methods and metrics for agri- port projects that will lead to the next a variety of topics. Meals and housing is Oncology clinical visits culture and nutrition actions (IMMANA generation of targets for the treatment of covered for the selected participants, as The European Society for Medical Oncol- grants). These aim to accelerate the Huntington disease. Awards are worth up well as travel from outside Europe. ogy invites applications for its clinical unit development of interdisciplinary meth- to CA$150,000 (€95,900) each. Web id: 1171369 visits. Grants enable young oncologists to ods, metrics and tools to advance scien- Web id: 1179136 [email protected] Email: visit European oncology facilities to gain tific understanding of linkages between Email: bheimmyers@ Deadline: 15 February 2016 [48] insight into oncology care and transla- agriculture and food systems and health huntingtonsociety.ca tional research, and expand their profes- and nutrition outcomes. Grants are worth Deadline: 8 February 2016 [74] EU natural sciences sional network. Grants are worth €5,000 up to £250,000 (€330,600) each. ERANet-LAC invites proposals for its joint each. The host institute receives €1,000. Web id: 1182198 Science fellowships Web id: 260967 call on research and innovation. This sup- Email: [email protected] The World Academy of Sciences and the Deadline: 1 March 2016 [58] ports long-term collaboration between Deadline: 15 February 2016 [68] Chinese Academy of Sciences invite appli- researchers from Europe, Latin America cations for the CAS-TWAS president's and the Caribbean countries. EU solar energy Social sciences research PhD fellowship programme. This enables Web id: 1179747 SOLAR-ERA.NET invites proposals for the The Independent Social Research Founda- students to travel to China for PhD study Email: [email protected] following calls: tion invites applications for its mid-career for up to four years. Fellowships cover the Deadline: 10 March 2016 [50] •transnational call on concentrating fellowships. These support interdisciplinary costs of travel, visa, and a monthly sti- solar power. Web id: 1172318 research across the social sciences. Grants pend of up to CNY8,000 (€1,100) to cover EU manufacturing projects •fourth transnational call on photovol- are worth up to £60,000 (€79,400) each. accommodation and living expenses. ERA-Net ManuNet invites applications taics (PV4). Web id: 1172316 Web id: 1167564 Web id: 208020 for its transnational call. This aims to Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] enhance the competitiveness of Europe's Deadline: 11 April 2016 [59] Deadline: 19 February 2016 [69] Deadline: 31 March 2016 [76] 12 funding opportunities Research Europe, 21 January 2016

tenders usa policy diary Metal 3D printer *ESA Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation January International industry discovery and The European Space Agency invites ten- 26 A Strategic Approach to EU development partnerships ders for the development of a metal 3D Agricultural Research and In- Web id: 145706 printer demonstrator at the interna- No deadline [84] novation, Brussels, Belgium. To tional space station. The tenderer will 28. http://rsrch.co/1ndHK66 produce, assemble and validate a Euro- Mind & Life Institute 1440 awards ISSN 1366-9885 pean 3D printer demonstrator capable Web id: 1170171 28 Presidency Conference on Published every two weeks with of printing small objects using metallic Deadline: 5 February 2016 [85] the Multiannual Financial breaks at Christmas, Easter and materials at the ISS. Funding is worth Association for the Advancement of Cost Framework, Amsterdam, in summer. The next issue will be in excess of €500,000. Ref: 15.1MS.02. Engineering International competitive The Netherlands. published on 4 February. Deadline: 8 February 2016 scholarships http://rsrch.co/1TQ4VOm Letters to Web id: 1180434 Research Europe Absolute navigation *ESA Deadline: 7 February 2016 [86] February Unit 111, 134-146 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3AR, England The European Space Agency invites tenders BMI Foundation/Woody Guthrie Founda- 2 Horizon 2020 Infoday: Spread- [email protected] for absolute navigation at sub-centimetre tion Woody Guthrie fellowship ing Excellence and Widening Enquiries to level. The tenderer will study the feasibil- Web id: 173546 Participation, Brussels, Bel- ity of having real-time global navigation Deadline: 15 February 2016 [87] [email protected] gium. http://rsrch.co/1Se6FmX Tel +44 20 7216 6500 satellite system-based absolute naviga- Foundation for Prader-Willi research grants tion at sub-centimetre level. Funding is 4 Tackling the Migration Chal- Editor Colin Macilwain Web id: 174391 lenge through research, worth up to €500,000. Ref: 15.197.17. Deadline: 15 February 2016 [88] Comment and Analysis Editor Deadline: 17 February 2016 Brussels, Belgium. To 5. John Whitfield International Anesthesia Research Soci- http://rsrch.co/1Po7Ud1 News Editors ety mentored research awards Satellite ocean colour *ESA 5 European Open Science Cloud Laura Greenhalgh, Research Europe Web id: 1170932 Rebecca Hill, Research Fortnight The European Space Agency invites ten- Deadline: 15 February 2016 [89] for Research Workshop, Rome, ders for its call on fiducial reference meas- Reporters International Union of Pure and Applied Italy. http://rsrch.co/22VHitU urements for satellite ocean colour. The James Field, Cristina Gallardo, Chemistry/Chemical Works of Gedeon 8 Iter Conference: Industry and tenderer will establish and maintain spec- Eloise Johnston, Lindsay Richter prize International Fusion, Monaco. McKenzie, Anna McKie, Craig tral image traceability of ground-based Nicholson, Amanda Stringfellow fiducial reference measurements for sat- Web id: 1175577 To 11. http://rsrch.co/1Q0uz3N [90] ellite ocean colour radiometry. Funding Deadline: 15 February 2016 9 Antimicrobial Resistance Minis- Chief Sub Editor Kris Pedder is worth up to €500,000. Ref: 15.155.19. Sigma Theta Tau International/National terial Conference, Amsterdam, Sub Editor Martha Henriques Deadline: 26 February 2016 League for Nursing grants The Netherlands. To 10. Data Analyst Gretchen Ransow Web id: 1167681 http://rsrch.co/22VJ0LH Head of Funding Content *ESA Deadline: 25 February 2016 [91] Maya Berger Heat pipe evaporator 10 EIP Water Conference, The European Space Agency invites American Nuclear Society Landis young Funding Operations Manager member engineering achievement award Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. Yael Moscou tenders for the development of a flat http://rsrch.co/1Po9hID loop heat pipe evaporator based on Web id: 190038 Funding Content Managers advanced manufacturing technologies. Deadline: 1 March 2016 [92] 11 AAAS 2016 Annual Meeting, Charlotte van Hek, Mikael The tenderer will manufacture a flat Sigma Theta Tau International/Emergen- Washington DC, US. To 15. Järvelin, Sanja Vlaisavljevic loop heat pipe evaporator that would cy Nurses Association Foundation grant http://rsrch.co/1OLfC4M Editorial Researchers allow the evaporator to be in full contact Web id: 210722 18 EIT Information Day for 2016 Claire Braun, Sofia Capel, Ricki with the electronic box baseplate. The Deadline: 1 March 2016 [93] Enghoff, Marion Galley, Louise manufacturing of the flat evaporator Call for KICs, Brussels, Belgium. Jensen, Lotte Krause, Iqbal Sigma Theta Tau International/Rehabili- must use new techniques such as addi- http://rsrch.co/1OLgeHH Makboul, Sam Marberg, Monika tation Nursing Foundation grant tive layer manufacturing. Funding is Pallenberg, Marcia Rato, Mirella Web id: 258205 22 eMoocs Conference 2016, worth up to €500,000. Ref: 15.127.07. Rosenström, Dalia Saris, Simon Deadline: 1 March 2016 [94] Graz, Austria. To 24. Svendsen Deadline: 26 February 2016 http://rsrch.co/1L6tC3Q Department of State Request for popula- Production Manager Land call *ESA tion, refugees and migration humanitar- 25 University Business Forum, Katherine Lester ian research concept notes Vienna, Austria. To 26. The European Space Agency invites ten- Deputy Production Manager ders for its call on scientific exploitation Web id: 1188416 http://rsrch.co/1ZgJZS3 Rebecca Blease [95] of operational missions S1-4SCI land. The Deadline: 11 March 2016 Technical Director Steve Potter tenderer will foster new developments in Association for Computing Machinery/ March Editor, Research Fortnight the scientific exploitation of sentinel-1 Institute of Electrical and Electronics 1 Composite Indicators and Ehsan Masood data products. This includes the follow- Engineers Computer Society Eckert- Scoreboards: Sharing Best Chairman and Founder ing three study areas: exploitation of S-1 Mauchly award Practices, Brussels, Belgium. William Cullerne Bown coherence for land-cover and vegetation Web id: 251798 http://rsrch.co/1IZ425I Publisher Thérèse Claffey mapping; development and validation Deadline: 30 March 2016 [96] Sales Director Nicky Cooper of methods for soil moisture retrieval Consortium of Humanities Centers and 2 Webinar on IP in with S-1; development of S-1 snow map- Institutes/Chiang Ching-kuo Foun- Horizon 2020 Projects. Sales Managers ping methods and exploiting also syn- dation for International Scholarly http://rsrch.co/1Oe57Wa Jon Thornton, Alison Warder ergy with S3 data. Funding is worth in Exchange summer institutes in Chinese 3 The Challenges of Quality in Subscriptions excess of €500,000. Ref: 15.155.08. studies and global humanities Science, Ispra, Italy. To 4. [email protected] Deadline: 26 February 2016 Web id: 1184242 http://rsrch.co/1RH2237 Advertising London Deadline: 1 April 2016 [97] Orthogonal frequency *ESA 9 ESU Students’ Convention, Am- Trishita Shah, +44 20 7216 6528 Sigma Theta Tau International/Associa- [email protected] The European Space Agency invites ten- sterdam, The Netherlands. To tion of periOperative Registered Nurses 12. http://rsrch.co/1OmMOvG Published by *Research. ders for a live demonstration of orthogo- perioperative nursing grant nal frequency division multiple access Copyright © Research Research Web id: 211370 10 Horizon 2020 Energy Projects: Limited, 2016. technologies. The tenderer will develop Deadline: 1 April 2016 [98] Development Workshop, and demonstrate in a real scenario the All rights reserved Sigma Theta Tau International/Hospice Brussels, Belgium. Reproducing Research Europe feasibility of the orthogonal frequency http://rsrch.co/1N3mmoY division multiple access technologies in and Palliative Nurses Foundation end of by photocopying, electronic or satellite communication networks appli- life nursing care research grant 15 Big Data from Space, Tenerife, other means in any language Web id: 211373 Spain. To 17. without the permission of the cable to mobile or fixed satellite services. publisher is illegal. This activity is restricted to non-prime con- Deadline: 1 April 2016 [99] http://rsrch.co/1JFMg7m Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's tractors, including SMEs. Funding is worth April Please recycle after use. in excess of €500,000. Ref: 15.1TF.10. Research improved biomarkers and clini- Deadline: 1 March 2016 cal outcome measures programme 4 Open Science Conference, Am- NOT TO BE PHOTOCOPIED ------Web id: 1182232 sterdam, The Netherlands. To 5. *ESA is at: http://emits.esa.intw Deadline: 18 May 2016 [100] http://rsrch.co/1ZgKFGZ Research Europe, 21 January 2016 analysis 13 insider Animal alternatives At the end of 2015, the EU’s flagship Framework 7 programme on alternative methods for animal testing drew to a close. Eloise Johnston takes stock. In 2009, the European Commission launched a call for the institute, and a member of the Seurat-1 advisory panel. Safety Evaluation Ultimately Replacing Animal Testing con- “At the last minute, the Commission decided it would sortium, providing €25 million under Framework 7. With be more powerful to construct a consortium by fusing match-funding from the industry body Cosmetics Europe, together Framework 7 programmes.” This meant that from the goal of Seurat-1 was to find alternatives to the use of the outset Seurat-1 was quite an unwieldy machine. animals in repeated-dose toxicity tests, which determine Its monolithic nature and size presented challenges, whether a substance will cause harm after repeat exposure. Cotgreave says, particularly coordinating input from more Some who were close to the Seurat-1 consortium are than 300 scientists on common goals. Many of the scien- positive about its outcomes. “There were a lot of different tists were world-leaders in their fields, he says, but had scientists from different disciplines spread throughout little experience in predictive toxicology or risk assessment. Europe and also outside Europe,” says Derek Knight, sen- Meanwhile, Taylor questions whether the funding ior scientific adviser at the European Chemicals Agency provided was consistent with the initiative’s ambitions: and a member of Seurat-1’s advisory panel. “Considering “Seurat-1 sought to begin replacing animals for repeat- how complex it was, it worked very well.” ed-dose toxicity, which is a complicated thing.” To Seurat-1 has improved scientific understanding of meet this goal, an investment of hundreds of millions of how chemicals affect human health and has developed euros would probably be required and this would need valuable tools and techniques, Knight says. Techniques to be concentrated solely on R&D, she says, rather than developed by Seurat-1 have already been introduced to supporting the project management, training and admin- regulation, such as improvements to a method called read- istration that accompany such large-scale initiatives. across, which uses assessment data from one chemical to “These projects are not focused enough on the task in predict the effects of other chemicals of similar structure. hand,” she says. “This has an impact on public percep- This came about because the initiative worked closely tion—the public sees that €50m has been dedicated to with chemical regulators, Knight says, which “helped replacing animals and yet it hasn’t been done. There’s a steer it to short-term applications”. danger of actually giving out quite a negative message.” But Katy Taylor, senior science adviser at the campaign In 2013 the EU tried to share the burden by mandat- group European Coalition to End Animal Experiments, is ing a directive that national governments should assist in less positive. “Over the last five to 10 years, the United advancing alternatives. However, in 2013, seven countries States has made a lot of progress addressing the complex- allocated a total of only €18.7m to this. The UK, which ity of toxicity and changing the way that toxicologists do contributed the most, spent only 0.4 per cent of its annual their job. The EU has been trying to catch up with that, science budget on pursuing alternatives, Taylor says. and that’s what Seurat-1 was designed to do,” she says. The EU has backed a successor project to Seurat-1 “We’ve still got a long way to go, unfortunately.” under Horizon 2020, called EU-ToxRisk, which will The consortium was launched during a heady period receive a total of €30m in a seven-year period, but this of regulatory changes on animal testing. In 2007, the EU time there will be no matching funds from industry. introduced legislation for the registration, evaluation, Participants are optimistic that EU-ToxRisk, which authorisation and restriction of chemical substances, held its first meeting on 12 January, has benefitted which forced manufacturers to demonstrate product from the lessons learned from Seurat-1. Changes already safety but also insisted on minimising animal testing. introduced include mechanisms for more budgetary This period also saw a transition towards a ban on animal flexibility, Cotgreave says. “In Seurat-1, rechannelling testing for cosmetic ingredients, with an EU moratorium of funds proved a painful issue. Scientists on testing in 2009 and a full sales ban in March 2013. aren’t used to having their funds removed ‘The Seurat-1 Caught between animal-rights groups and the €73-billion because of changes in strategy.” annual turnover of the European cosmetics industry, the The management structure is also clearer, consortium’s Commission was under pressure to pair its regulatory deci- he says, in the hope that this will catalyse sions with assistance in finding alternatives. scientific progress. “In EU-ToxRisk, every- monolithic The structure of Seurat-1 was not a done deal from the one is on the same page from day one.” size presented start, says Ian Cotgreave, director of strategic scientific Something to add? Email comment@ development at Swetox, a Swedish toxicological research ResearchResearch.com challenges.’ 14 news Research Europe, 21 January 2016 uk & ireland

Newton Fund set to double by 2021

The Newton Fund for research projects between the UK by Cristina Gallardo [email protected] and developing countries is to roughly double in size, to reach a total of £735 million (¤964m), rather than the Johnson merely said that the fund would run until £375m originally planned. 2021, rather than 2019. The fund, which was launched 18 months ago, pro- The delay could be because the list of partner coun- vides money for UK academics to build collaborations tries is not yet finalised. The Newton Fund’s governance in developing countries through exchange programmes board is due to meet in February, when it is expected to or capacity building projects. The 15 partner countries, decide on whether the fund will invite more countries or which include Brazil, China, Turkey, Kazakhstan and increase engagement with its existing participants. The Malaysia, match the UK’s funding for the calls. rules of the fund say that as well as being on the OECD’s A briefing note sent by the Department for Business, Official Development Assistance list, countries must Innovation and Skills and seen by Research Europe’s sis- have a fairly developed research and higher education ter publication Research Fortnight heralds the success system and be able to provide match funding. Political of the fund and says that the UK government is “sig- stability is also seen as an important factor. nificantly increasing the funding for the Newton Fund One country whose participation looks certain is to enable the UK to build deeper and wider scientific Kenya. The circular says that the country has agreed partnerships”. By 2021, the briefing note says, the gov- to join on a trilateral basis with South Africa, with its ernment intends to increase the annual budget of the first bids being considered in 2017-18. A source close fund from £75m to £150m. to the fund says that Kenya would start by doing a small A spokesman from BIS confirmed that the fund would amount of work in collaboration with the British Council. be increased but would not confirm by how much until Pat Ng, international grants manager at the British after an official announcement. Such an announce- Academy, welcomes the larger fund. “The Newton Fund is ment was expected during the UK science minister like a big machine; it takes a while to start it up, but once Jo Johnson’s visit to India in December, but instead you’ve got that momentum, you can get so much further.”

UK risks losing influence on EU Ireland seeks place in Europe’s innovation elite uk&i funding programmes The Irish government has signalled an intention to in brief Leaving the EU could lead to a become one of Europe’s top nations for innovation by “volatile” relationship with the boosting national spending on R&D from €2.8 billion to European Commission, representatives from the UK’s €5bn a year by 2020. The move was outlined in Ireland’s national academies have said. Witnesses at a parliamen- Innovation 2020 strategy. Science Foundation Ireland’s tary evidence session on 12 January said that a Brexit 2015 end-of-year statement echoed this ambition, detail- would impair the UK’s ability to negotiate the design of ing plans to fund industrial research fellowships for EU Framework programmes. academics, and up to five high-budget research centres.

Economist to lead REF review Cameron defends decision to scrap CCS scheme The UK’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Prime minister David Cameron has said that the UK gov- has announced that a review of the Research Excellence ernment withdrew funding for a £1-billion (€1.3bn) Framework—the assessment exercise that is used to carbon capture and storage competition because the distribute £1.6 billion (¤2bn)of government funding costs of the technology had not dropped as expected. for research each year—will be led by British Academy Giving evidence to MPs on 12 January, Cameron defend- president and economist Nicholas Stern. The review will ed the decision, which was made shortly before the end consider alternative models of research assessment and of the four-year competition, saying that the economics is expected to report in summer 2016. of the plan “are really not working”.

BBC ignores culture of social science, academy says Oxford’s first female vice-chancellor sworn in The Academy of Social Sciences has said that the BBC Louise Richardson, the 272nd vice-chancellor of the must broaden its definition of science if it is to cover University of Oxford and the first woman to hold the health, public finance and migration more accurately. position, has begun her term by pledging an innova- In its response to the BBC Trust’s review of the organisa- tive future for the institution. Richardson, the former tion’s use of statistics, the academy says that without a principal and vice-chancellor of the University of St sufficient backdrop of social science, the BBC would not Andrews, was formally admitted to office at a ceremony be able to ensure the accuracy of the data it uses. on 12 January. Research Europe, 21 January 2016 news 15 nations

War of words erupts between French PM and sociologists over terrorism studies French terrorism researchers have hit back at assertions by James Brooks [email protected] by prime minister Manuel Valls that attempts to explain acts of terrorism through sociology serve to excuse them. most rigorous and most empirical way, of what is hap- At an event to mark the anniversary of a terrorist attack pening in the social world,” Lahire wrote. on a Jewish supermarket in Paris on 9 January 2015, Farhad Khosrokhavar, research director at the Cadis Valls said that there could be “no worthwhile explana- social-science school in Paris, wrote that the government tion” for the terrorists’ actions, stating that “to explain should draw on sociology to “mobilise all social sciences”. is to want to excuse”. Meanwhile, Geoffroy de Lagasenerie, a sociologist and This remark followed Valls’ comments to the Senate philosopher at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts, and the National Assembly in late November, in which said that Valls’ approach could be taken as a cue for he criticised researchers seeking to understand terror- academics to “reclaim the word ‘excuse’”. He said that ist actions. “I’m tired of people constantly looking for to excuse or apologise was a “beautiful project”, which excuses and cultural or sociological explanations as to “works rationally and generously to understand how why [the Paris attacks in November] happened,” he said. lives are formed, the violence that people have suffered, On 12 January, four sociologists voiced their con- the environments in which they live”. cerns about Valls’ statements in an article published in The discussion follows a decision by the CNRS, the left-leaning newspaper Libération. Bernard Lahire, France’s largest publicly funded research organisation, director of a research unit at Lyon’s Max Weber Centre, to launch a call for proposals on 18 November to under- used the example of climate researchers to denounce stand and prevent terrorist attacks. Valls’ views, writing that people would find it “ridicu- When launching the call, Alain Fuchs, the organi- lous” to say that they are complicit in deadly storms sation’s president, referenced CNRS researchers’ work because they research climate phenomena. Valls’ logic after the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris in 2015. Fuchs on terrorism research was equally flawed, he said. said that this research had deepened understanding of “We are neither prosecutors nor defenders nor judges aspects of human behaviour that “had been the subject but researchers, and our job is to make sense, in the of little research in France until then”. nations DFG floats changes to by senator Brigitte Gonthier-Maurin was rejected by Excellence Initiative other members of a senate committee inquiry. The CIR in brief Peter Strohschneider, the is estimated to have been worth €5.5 billion to French president of the Deutsche companies in 2015. Forschungsgemeinschaft, Germany’s largest public research funder, has said that the next phase of Germany’s Sparks fly at atomic energy body Excellence Initiative should focus on improving cut- The CEA, France’s commission for atomic and alterna- ting-edge university research. He said that funding for tive energy, is in the midst of a management upheaval, graduate schools and clusters of excellence should be national media reports have said. All but one of the replaced with a single fund for centres of excellence. organisation’s senior directors have been replaced since January 2015. It has been suggested the reorganisation French spending on the rise was orchestrated by the CEA’s high commissioner, Yves Government and industry investment in R&D in France Bréchet, following reports of a “poisonous” atmosphere increased in 2013 and is expected to have risen through at the agency. 2014, government analysis published in December has said. Total funding was €47.5 billion in 2013, a 1.3 per Freiburg investigation hints at lengthy misconduct cent increase on 2012. Industrial and government R&D An internal investigation into a doping scandal may spending rose by 1.4 per cent and 1 per cent respectively. have uncovered a history of data manipulation and plagiarism in sports medicine at the University of Government stands by R&D tax breaks Freiburg. Numerous theses and technical articles pro- Thierry Mandon, France’s secretary of state for research, duced by the university’s sports medicine department has defended the CIR tax-credit system for companies were scientifically flawed, chairwoman of the investi- that invest in R&D. At a Senate debate on 12 January, gating commission Letizia Paoli said on 6 January. The Mandon said the system had been essential in boosting commission has asked all scientists involved with the R&D investment. In June 2015, a critique of the system department between 1980 and 2000 to come forward. 16 news Research Europe, 21 January 2016 nordic

Swedish union rejects research audits

Sulf, the Swedish Association of University Teachers, by Jenny Maukola [email protected] has said that it opposes a proposed research evaluation exercise as a means to distribute funding to universities. In addition, universities already have internal peer The Swedish research council Vetenskapsrådet pro- review systems in place and researchers are exposed posed the FOKUS model in December 2014, following a to sufficient competition through academic publica- request from the government to come up with a means tion, according to Sulf. “FOKUS is beyond the accepted of increasing national research quality. In a consultation and obvious kind of scientific competition,” it says. response published on 7 January, Sulf opposes the sys- “The system could lead to increasing mistrust between tem saying that it will place unacceptable pressures on researchers and universities.” institutions, as they require the stability of government Sulf’s consultation response follows input from six block-grants to plan for the long term. research funders, including Vetenskapsrådet, the inno- Under the FOKUS system, research excellence and vation agency Vinnova and the environmental research impact would be evaluated through academic peer review council Formas. In October, these funders expressed every six years, with the results used to direct 20 per cent their support for the FOKUS model. of university block-grants. At present, this money is allo- However, the Knowledge Foundation, a funder sup- cated using metrics, including publication and citation porting collaborative academia-industry projects, records, and the amount of external funding won. expressed doubts in its input, saying that the FOKUS “After discussing the proposal within our organisation, model would be unlikely to improve commercialisa- we have decided to reject a system that links additional tion and business activities at universities. “Against evaluations to resources,” the response says. “We should the backdrop of major societal problems facing Sweden keep block grants free from this type of competition.” today, we need more promotion of research outside aca- Sulf says that the costs of running the evaluation— demia,” said Lars Ekedahl, a director at the foundation. estimated at 170 million Swedish kronor (€18.3m) per The decision on whether to implement the system will evaluation round—will not improve research quality be part of the government’s 2017 research bill, plans for enough to justify the costs. which will be presented this autumn.

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Norway faces long road as mergers begin On 1 January, the Norwegian by Eloise Johnston [email protected] government began a process nordic of mergers for universities The process follows similar exercises in Denmark in across the country. The plan, outlook 2007 and in Finland in 2010. And according to Curt announced in a white paper in Rice, rector of Oslo and Akershus University College March last year, will combine 15 higher education insti- of Applied Sciences, the institutions merging won’t tutions into five, as the government tries to increase the benefit equally. “The benefits will likely be greater for quality of higher education and research. smaller institutions than for bigger institutions,” he Bjørn Stensaker, a higher education policy special- says. “The bigger institutions will subsidise the com- ist at the University of Oslo, says that one effect of the petency-enhancement work that has to be done.” mergers will be more professionalisation of research Stensaker expects researchers joining larger institu- management to win international funding. “That’s part tions to be under more pressure to perform in line with of the political argument—that larger institutions have set strategies. “I expect there will be more top-down the capacity to develop support for European Research control concerning what sort of competition you should Council or Horizon 2020 funding, while smaller institu- enter and what kind of money you should spend.” tions don’t really have the capacity to do so,” he says. In addition, Rice says that researchers from the But as the mergers begin, Stensaker points out that smaller colleges will likely be subject to heightened these changes won’t happen overnight, and that sup- expectations of productivity as they join universities port services and research quality are likely to decline already subject to performance-based funding. “They in the coming decade. “When you merge institutions will experience tougher competition,” he says. with mixed research cultures and capabilities, you can’t But in the long run this will be positive, he says. harvest the benefits immediately,” he says. “There are a Researchers will be part of an institution with a louder lot of internal challenges to be taken care of.” voice at the political level. “Instead of having to lobby Changes underway include combining the Norwegian their own case at the research ministry, smaller institu- University of Science and Technology, the Sør-Trøndelag tions will be part of a much more visible organisation.” University College, Gjørvik University College and Once the mergers are complete, institutions will Aalesund University College to create the largest single have the luxury of bigger budgets, since national higher education institution in Norway. Other mergers allocations are based on student numbers. It is also will create amalgamations in the north and south-east likely that Norway could become more attractive to of the country. While not all institutions will be affect- international students, if the expected rise in quality ed, all five of the new universities include a merger with translates to improved global reputation. a college. Other institutions may also be combined, But until then, Norway’s researchers face a period including a merger of three colleges in western Norway, of uncertainly as institutions embark on the biggest and of several arts and design institutions in Oslo. reforms to higher education for half a century.

Denmark details infrastructure Report calls for reform at education ministry nordic facility investment Norway’s education ministry is micromanaging its agen- in brief The Danish government has cies and should create a directorate for higher education published a strategy listing 22 administration, a government-commissioned report has research and innovation infrastructure projects to be said. It added that there were too many small agencies to funded in the next five years. Of the proposals, nine are deal with higher education, with a lack of clarity on their in biotechnology, health and life sciences; six in energy, responsibilities. The report authors were Svein Gjerdrem, climate and the environment; two in physics; three in the a former governor of the Central Bank of Norway, and humanities and two in materials and nanotechnology. Sven Ole Fagernæs, Norway’s attorney general.

University funding cuts in Finland Finnish government considers PhD quota The Finnish parliament has approved a four-year freeze The education ministry in Finland plans to consult uni- of the university index, which determines university versities on a proposed cap of 1,600 a year on doctorate funding. The freeze is expected to result in a real-terms degrees, the broadcaster Yle has reported. A survey by funding cut of €75 million for universities in 2016. The the Finnish researchers’ union found that the number of parliament also approved a tuition fee increase for stu- unemployed PhDs exceeded 1,000 for the first time in April dents from outside the European Economic Area. 2015. About 1,800 doctoral students graduated in 2015. 18 news Research Europe, 21 January 2016 usa

Astronomy departments under fire over series of sexual-harassment allegations A prominent academic has been suspended by his institu- by Sam Lemonick [email protected] tion while another has been called out in Congress, as the field of astronomy is called on to deal with deep-seated on campus. So good on them,” Meg Urry, president of issues of power, complacency and sexual harassment. the American Astronomical Society and a researcher at The California Institute of Technology has suspended Yale University, told Science. a faculty member following the investigation of com- On the same day that news broke of the Caltech plaints of sexual harassment by two graduate students. suspension, CNN published an opinion piece by Urry Caltech did not name the astronomer, but several about sexual harassment in astronomy. She described news organisations have reported that he is Christian results of a survey, presented at an AAS meeting in early Ott, a computational astrophysicist who studies the January, in which 82 per cent of respondents reported energy produced by exploding stars. Ott has been at hearing sexist remarks from their astronomy peers. Caltech since 2009 and received tenure in 2014. Urry called the problem an old one that went back to a The university has decided that Ott will be suspended time when it was not unusual for professors to date and without pay and banned from campus for one year. He even marry their students. That, she said, turned many will be allowed to continue his research, but his com- women away from the field. munication with graduate students—five are listed on Also that day, Representative Jackie Speier, a his website—will be monitored. The university said California Democrat, spoke on the House floor about allowing him to have contact with those students was sexual harassment by college and university professors, meant to ensure that their education continued without giving another example of a case of sexual harassment in interruption. The students who filed the complaint were an astronomy department. members of his lab, but no longer are. Speier is asking the Department of Education to change Caltech announced in a memo on 4 January a number its policies regarding faculty who are found to have vio- of steps that it was taking to prevent and identify har- lated sexual harassment policies. She said the department assment on campus. “The letter says the institution is gives no guidance on what an institution should tell committed to doing better and that it plans to do a varie- another institution when a professor changes jobs. She ty of things to make women feel welcome and supported wants to make sharing such information mandatory. usa NIH introduces ‘rigour’ opposed to the idea of human involvement in climate requirements change. This marks a break in a deadlock that has lasted in brief Applicants for National Institutes months, and Lamar’s subsequent remarks indicate sof- of Health funding will soon be tening on both sides of the dispute. required to demonstrate that they fulfill certain meas- ures of scientific rigour. From 25 January, applications Congress probes football research dispute for most grant schemes will have to address four criteria: Four Democratic representatives have asked the National a solid scientific basis; a study design that can produce Institutes of Health to explain why funding donated to it valid and reproducible results; accounting for biological by the National Football League will not be used to sup- variables such as sex; and ensuring that chemicals and port a study on brain injuries. Frank Pallone, ranking biological resources are used as intended. member of the House commerce committee, and col- leagues wrote to the NIH and the Foundation for the NIH FDA nomination approved on 7 January asking about the $30-million donation and The US Senate has backed President Barack Obama’s any restrictions on it. nomination and confirmed the appointment of car- diologist Robert Califf as head of the Food and Drug Stem cell institute approves strategic plan Administration. California’s stem cell research funder will move ahead under a new strategic plan after a vote by its board of NOAA to hand over e-mails directors. The new approach, laid out in November In the latest development in a dispute between the 2015, charts a course for spending the $900 million National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that remains of the California Institute for Regenerative and House science committee chairman Lamar Smith, Medicine’s original $3 billion budget. CIRM intends Republican Representative of Texas, the agency has to concentrate on projects that will produce drug and released emails related to a paper that angered some device candidates and lead to clinical trials. Research Europe, 21 January 2016 news 19 world

Big rise for public R&D spending in Singapore Singapore’s government has announced an 18 per cent by Laura Greenhalgh [email protected] boost in spending on research and innovation in its lat- est five-year programme, pledging a total of $19 billion The Research Innovation and Enterprise 2020 Plan will (€17bn) until 2020. allocate more funds via competitive calls than previous The money, to be spent through the National Research programmes, prime minister Lee Hsien Loong told Asian Foundation, will cover basic and applied research, media at a press conference. “We are making major shifts investment in skills and support for small businesses. to capture more value from our investments—to make It will focus on two areas that have shown significant research more effective and to get more results,” he said. progress in recent years: advanced manufacturing and According to detailed figures published in local news engineering, and health and biomedical sciences. outlets, health and biomedical sciences will receive 21 per Funds will also be allocated for services and the digital cent of the funding—a total of $4bn—while advanced economy, and urban development and sustainability, manufacturing and engineering will get $3.3bn. while a significant amount has been dedicated to high- The topic of urban solutions and sustainability has risk, blue-sky projects. been allocated $900 million, and so-called services and The total allocation, signed off by the Research, the digital economy will receive $400m. Innovation and Enterprise Council on 8 January, repre- A total of $2.5bn has been set aside for the country’s sents about 1 per cent of the country’s GDP. It is nearly “white-space” research programme, which supports 20 per cent more than the $16bn spent in the preceding emerging areas of interest—up from $1.6bn in the previ- five years (2011 to 2015). ous five-year plan. The move continues a steep rise in support for science Meanwhile, $8bn will be allocated through grants that in Singapore, after R&D investment doubled between are not subject-specific, to build research capacity and 2000 and 2012, catalysing rapid improvements in the training and to support businesses and start-ups. This country’s scientific rankings and sparking growth in per- will include grants to attract researchers from overseas, sonalised medicine and hi-tech manufacturing industries. a focus for the country in recent years.

Brazil acts to bridge public- Academy chiefs join UN panel world private divide Heide Hackmann, executive director of the International in brief A framework for innovation to Council for Science, and Romain Murenzi, executive link university and business R&D director of The World Academy of Sciences and former was agreed by the Brazilian government on 11 January. Rwandan science minister, are among 10 individuals The legislation increases the number of hours that appointed to the UN’s latest advisory panel. The group will university-based academics are permitted to work with direct progress of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism, businesses or foundations. It also clarifies rules on intel- an initiative announced in June 2015 to help develop- lectual property and will make research funding more ing nations access science funding and technology and to flexible and less bureaucratic, the government said. improve the use of data in policymaking.

Chile rolls out free university tuition NZ academics win New Year honours Chile’s ministry of education has announced that stu- Clinical geneticist Joanne Dixon and mathematician dents from low-income households will no longer be David Gauld are among New Zealand scientists recog- liable for tuition fees, following a change in higher nised in Queen Elizabeth II’s New Year honours list. education law approved in December. Around 185,000 Dixon, a former president of the Human Genetics Society students will be eligible for free studies, and the state of Australasia, was recognised for her work with Genetic will provide an additional 2,500 million pesos ($3.2m) Health Service New Zealand; Gauld for his work setting to help universities cope with the loss of fees. up the New Zealand Mathematics Research Institute.

Modi plans to nurture Indian biotech Israel best placed to lead on neglected diseases The Indian government has announced that it will imple- International organisations should join Israeli institutes ment a national biotechnology strategy by 2020, aiming to study infectious diseases because of Israel’s location to increase turnover in the field to $100 billion (€92bn). and biotechnology expertise, American academic Peter The government will set up 40 biotech incubators and Hotez has said. Writing in The Jerusalem Post, the presi- 150 technology-transfer offices to promote the commer- dent of the Sabin Vaccine Institute in the United States cialisation of biotech-based products. Additional public said that countries in the Middle East and north Africa R&D investment will be provided, the government said. faced growing vulnerability to such disease outbreaks. 20 inside out Research Europe, 21 January 2016

Tale of two cities According to the Visit Brussels tour- across national borders was on average 471 per cent high- ist board’s 2016 data book, the Belgian capital is home er than domestic parcels. For letters things are slightly to 20 EU agencies occupying a sprawling 1.7 million better: cross-border prices are 324 per cent higher than square metres of office space. The city also houses domestic ones. So much for the ‘single market’. 20,000 declared lobbyists, nearly 1,000 foreign journal- ists and 5,400 diplomats. Jarringly, however, one in four Hidden forces The weekly newspaper New Europe was adults in the city live in households with no employment asked by the European Commission not to reveal the income and the overall adult employment rate stands at identity of a European research organisation for which a dismal 54 per cent. Sounds like an accurate picture, to its journalists had obtained confidential audit paper- those familiar with Brussels’ disturbingly bipolar vibe. work. In response, the newspaper obligingly published the documents online replacing all but one of the refer- Foul play As Britain’s EU referendum debate gathers pace, ences to the name of the organisation with pictures of the campaign in favour of leaving has hit a few hurdles. the notorious Star Wars villain, Darth Vader. Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, has claimed that he was the victim of a failed assassination Gone fishing As the staff of the departing Luxembourg attempt last October, when a wheel fell off his Volvo in EU presidency packed up, their goodbyes carried a France. Farage told reporters that the French mechan- sentimental tone. The presidency press team solemnly ics were certain of foul play, but they denied this to tweeted that they’d successfully transferred stewardship Liberation, leading Farage to retract his claim. More seri- of their office goldfish to colleagues at the EU Council. ously, perhaps, an opinion poll for UK newspaper The Times said that a surprisingly high number—28 per cent— On the ball Portuguese commissioner Carlos Moedas is of Ukip supporters would prefer to stay in the EU. said to be winning the grudging respect of research spe- cialists, both inside and outside the Commission. The Pen pals Research groups of academics from different Harvard MBA graduate is apparently busying himself European countries must have a hard time keeping in with the intricacies of policy, and taking a lead role in touch these days, unless they’ve gone digital. A European its development. Amazingly, some officials report that Commission study found that the cost of sending parcels this was not necessarily true of former commissioners.

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