Today I will be visiting the Ministry of Education and Research in Stockholm on behalf of Uppsala University and the Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions, to present our reactions to the next Horizon Europe programme (2028–2034) – the proposal put forward by the European Commission for EU investments in research and innovation.
Although the proposal looks good, there is an inevitable need for improvements. Seven of the largest university networks in Brussels are about to present a joint proposal for amendments. There is a strong consensus.
One of the points we raise is that basic research must be given a stronger position. It is important to emphasise that innovation and long-term research investments must grow out of the realisation that it is basic research that will generate the major differences for the future.
The Draghi report was an eye-opener for many. It emphasises that investments in research and education are a key success factor for Europe and our part of the world.
In its new proposal, the Commission wants to remove the ban on projects with dual-use (civil and military) potential but the proposal does not clearly show how to ensure in practice that restrictions are proportionate and balanced against unwanted side effects. These include the consequences for academic freedom, open science, excellence, international cooperation and how to evaluate researchers’ work when projects are not allowed to publish openly.
We also see a lack of clarity on how university alliances, such as ENLIGHT, will be financed and strengthened in the long term.
Although much of the proposal is good, a great deal of work remains to be done to strike a good balance in FP10 and we will continue to monitor the issues closely and pursue them through COIMBRA and The Guild.
