Celebrating 30 years of the Academia Europaea “The creation of the Academia Europaea “On behalf of Euro-CASE, it is our great was a concrete recognition by scientists of all pleasure to congratulate Academia Europaea disciplines that Europe is a natural scene where on its 30th anniversary. As a truly European they have a role to play. Its success, attested by institution, Academia Europaea represents the high level events it organises and its role a fundamental cornerstone for the modern Inspirational in gathering expertise to advise the European Scientific Advice Mechanism of the European Commission, confirms the rightfulness of this Commission. For the years to come, we vision.” wish Academia Europaea the best possible years Professor Jean-Pierre Bourguignon MAE development and we feel fortunate to be a partner in supporting the growth of Europe 30 President of the European Research Council through providing evidence-based options for action.” 2018 marks 30 years of the Academia Europaea. We will continue to devote our best efforts to Professor Reinhard F. Hüttl MAE On 24th September, many of our members promote a wide understanding of the benefits of President of Euro-CASE gathered at the Royal Society in London, at knowledge and learning, as well as highlighting an event organised by our Vice-President and scientific and scholarly issues that affect Founding Member Ole Petersen, to mark society. As one of the 5 executive members of “More than any other learned institution in this very special occasion. The Royal Society SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European our continent, Academia Europaea personifies played an important role in the foundation of Academies), we are pleased to be part of the the intimate link that exists between our Academia Europaea, as Sir Arnold Burgen, our European Commission’s Scientific Advice contemporary understanding of science and Founding President, highlighted in his speech Mechanism. Europe’s moral values: three scientific modes – “I’m glad to have the opportunity to congratulate at the event. I would like to express my sincere axiomatic, empirical, and hermeneutic, but one Academia Europaea on this anniversary. We live thanks to the President of the Royal Society, Sir As this commemorative brochure illustrates, we common paradigm: science and scholarship at in times that are not easy for culture and science: Venki Ramakrishnan, and Vice-President Sir have a fascinating history and many highlights the highest level, beyond local boundaries.” there are many difficulties, new problems both John Skehel for their generous support for our of which we can be immensely proud. Making in Italy and in the world. Academies must play Professor Antonio Loprieno MAE celebratory event. a difference depends on people, so I would like a crucial role in analysing the causes of this President of ALLEA (All European Academies) to take this opportunity to thank all the many situation and try to propose solutions.” Today, Academia Europaea has almost 4000 colleagues who have contributed to make our Professor Giorgio Parisi MAE members, eminent scientists and scholars Academy the success it is today. President of Accademia dei Lincei from a wide variety of disciplines and cultures, including more than 70 Nobel laureates. In Professor Sierd Cloetingh addition to our headquarters in London, we President of Academia Europaea have a network of Hubs in Barcelona, Bergen, “On behalf of Cardiff University, I congratulate Cardiff and Wroclaw, as well as an information Academia Europaea on its 30th anniversary. As centre in Graz. host of Academia Europaea’s Cardiff Knowledge Hub we benefit significantly from its work “There may not have been a more exciting time in promoting and creating pan-European for the integration of the disciplines of science scientific collaboration and infrastructure across in society generally, and for the Academia all disciplines. We are also extremely lucky to to play its part as a united and independent have Professor Ole Petersen, Vice-President voice for culture in Europe. Recognition of Academia Europaea, as one of its leading of the Academia in providing advice to the advocates. In these turbulent and uncertain times Commission emphasises its value in this role and it’s important that academic colleagues continue the establishment of the regional hubs has clearly to come together to promote European research. facilitated the international coordination of its Over the next few years, Academia Europaea contributions.” will have a crucial role to play in helping the Sir John Skehel MAE FRS academic community navigate the new and Vice-President of the Royal Society unchartered European research waters. I wish everyone associated with Academia Europaea every success over the next 30 years.” Professor Colin Riordan President & Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University 2 Celebrating 30 years of the Academia Europaea Celebrating 30 years of the Academia Europaea 3 A history of 1994 1999 2008 ■ Hubert Curien, ■ The Burgen Scholarships were ■ Professor Lars who was Minister established at the Copenhagen Annual Walløe (former Academia Europaea of Research and Conference, in honour of our Founding President of the Technology of the President, Sir Arnold Burgen. The Norwegian Academy Republic of France Burgen Scholarships provide recognition of Science and from 1984-1986 to younger European scholars, at post- Letters) became our 1992 and from 1988- doctoral level, who are emerging talents fifth President (2008- 1987 1993, became our and possible potential future leaders in 2014). ■ At the fourth Annual ■ After several years of informal second President their fields. Meeting in Budapest, (1994-1997). meetings and soundings, based on an the first Erasmus initiative taken by the Royal Society Medal was awarded to János (UK), a group of European scientists 30 Kornai. Since then, the Erasmus Medal 2010 and scholars (A. Burgen [UK], J. Lecture has been Academia Europaea’s 2001 ■ The Graz Information Centre was Canovas [Spain], H. Curien [France], years annual highlight. The basis of the 1995 ■ Dr David Coates was appointed as the founded. The establishment of the Centre M. Cappelletti [Italy], D. Magnusson award is ‘lifetime scholarly excellence, ■ Mr Peter Colyer was appointed as the third Executive Secretary. was made possible by a joint agreement [Sweden], B. Flowers [UK], K. Glamann achievement and impact’. Later recipients second Executive Secretary. between Academia Europaea and Graz [Denmark], T. Hagerstrand [Sweden], R. include the Nobel laureates Paul Crutzen University of Technology. van Lieshout [Netherlands], R. Mayntz (Gent 1997), Harold Kroto (Lisbon ■ The AE was reconstituted as a not-for- [Germany], E. Seibold [Germany] 1989 2002), Bert Sakmann (Budapest 2006) profit company limited by guarantee and and J. Tits [France]) met in London in ■ 2002 The first Annual Meeting was held at and Lord Martin Rees (Cardiff 2016). a registered charity. December and reached agreement on the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre 1997 ■ Professor Jürgen the general structure of a broadly-based in London in June. The Foreign and ■ The Academia’s Mittelstraß (Member European Academy, comprising both the Commonwealth Office gave a reception first three Gold of the Vatican’s sciences and the humanities. The group at Durbar House, where members were Medals (awarded Pontifical Academy also agreed that the academy would be received by the Minister of State, Lord 1993 for the support of of Sciences) became 2011 known as ‘Academia Europaea’ (AE). Glenarthur. At this time there were ■ The first issue of European science through our fourth President ■ Academia Europaea already more than 600 members. Academia Europaea’s inspiration, management expertise (2002-2008). opened its first regional European Review was or financial means) were presented knowledge hub in published in January to the Royal Society, Professor Heinz Wroclaw, in co-operation 1988 (by Wiley and since Riesenhuber (German Science Minister in with the City of ■ The above-mentioned group met again in March and decided who should be 1998 by Cambridge Helmut Kohl’s government from 1982- 2004 Wroclaw and its Mayor, invited to be Foundation Members. They also made arrangements for a Foundation University Press). The 1993) and Dr George Soros. Rafal Dutkiewics. th th ■ Meeting, which was held at Pembroke and Downing Colleges, Cambridge on 5 and 6 ER is an international quarterly, peer- ■ Stig Strömholm, who was Rector The Expert Group HERCulES (Higher September, attended by 52 Foundation Members. One of the important decisions, made reviewed journal. The first editors were Magnificus (President, Vice-Chancellor) Education, Research and Culture in at the Foundation Meeting, was that membership would not be restricted to countries Arnold Burgen and Henk Wesseling. of Uppsala University (the oldest European Society) was established. Its of Western Europe, but that Europe would be regarded as the geographic entity, i.e. ■ The Academia organised a highly- University in the Nordic countries) from mission was to assist and advise the AE Council on issues relevant to research and 2012 from the Atlantic to the Urals. The meeting elected the first officers of the Academia: valued Russian Prize scheme giving 1989-1997, became our third President ■ Arnold Burgen became President and Ruurd van Lieshout and David Magnusson awards to young scientists and scholars (1997-2002). policy in European institutions of higher The Young Academy of Europe was Vice-Presidents. All this