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Exploring and setting research agendas; ESF Forward Looks in the EU and global contexts

Exploring and setting research agendas; ESF Forward Looks in the EU and global contexts Dr. Henk Stronkhorst, Head of Social Sciences Unit VIII Bled Forum on Europe Foresight Conference – Governing Futures -. ESF Membership.

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Exploring and setting research agendas; ESF Forward Looks in the EU and global contexts

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  1. Exploring and setting research agendas; ESF Forward Looks in the EU and global contexts Dr. Henk Stronkhorst, Head of Social Sciences Unit VIII Bled Forum on Europe Foresight Conference – Governing Futures -

  2. ESF Membership • 76 Member Organisationsin 30 countries, beyond the European Union. • Research funding organisations • Research performing organisations • Academies VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  3. ESF Mission ESF provides a common platform for its Member Organisations (MOs) in order to: • Advance European research • Explore new directions for research at the European level Through its activities, ESF serves the needs of the European research community in a global context. VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  4. Three decades of science • Established 1974 • Independent, non-governmental • Offices in Strasbourg and Brussels • Budget: 41M€ • Networking Budget: 3B€ VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  5. Scientific Domains • Physical and Engineering Sciences • Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences • Medical Sciences • Humanities • Social Sciences • Space Sciences • Marine Science • Polar Science VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  6. Strategy Exploratory Workshop Research Conference Science Policy Research Networking Programme Forward Look EUROCORES MO Fora ESFportfolioofinstruments ESF Activities Synergy Management EURYI COST EuroBioFund VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  7. Forward Look definition1 FS/FL is a systematic and participatory process resulting, through collective learning, in a medium to long-term vision building of the forces shaping the future. It provides an authoritative and trustworthy advice in policy formulation, planning and decision making. It is a condition for quicker progress. 1. this is a proposed definition by an ESF Working Group VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  8. Aspiration of ESF with FLs ESF is still developing its Forward Look instruments and the potential impact these may have, also for Research Infrastructure strategies. ESF’s aspiration is to mirror, or even improve, within Europe the quality and authority of the FLs undertaken by the American National Academies of Science. To guarantee quality and authority, one must involve the very best scientists, world-wide. VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  9. Format of Forward Looks • Activities: preparatory study/expert groups, high level overview papers, workshops and meetings • Main event: high visibility conference • Outputs: Policy Briefings, major reports, action plans • Lead time: 12-24 months • Average budget: k€ 100-150 VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  10. Medium - long term scientific perspectives Multidisciplinary topics viewed from a European level Bring together leading scientists and policy makers Lead to authoritative reports and action plans for research and research infrastructure Earth System Science Cultural Diversity Immigration and Identity Urban Science Nanomedicine Nanosciences and IT Systems Biology Characteristics and first generation of Forward Looks VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  11. FL Earth System Science: Recommendations • Develop flagship projects • Create a European Global Change Board • Specific recommendations: • Collaboration between natural and social sciences • Interface science and policy • Monitoring and data • Capacity building VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  12. Follow-up initiatives Earth System/Global Change • EUROCORES on Climate Change and Biodiversity • EC Symposium May 2004 recommended: Establish mechanisms for consultation among EC, ESF and ESSP on the integration of GC research • ERA-NET application on Global Change has been submitted Cultural Diversity • ESF Scientific Network ISPP; FP6 NoE IMISCOE VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  13. Forward Look Nanomedicine: Priority areas next 10 yrs • Science • Cell as 3-D complex • Nanosensing of multiple, complex analytics for in vitro measurement of biochemical, genomic and proteomic networks • Nanosensing in vivo with telemetrically controlled mobile sensors • Rapid fingerprinting of all components in blood samples VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  14. Forward Look Nanomedicine: Priority areas next 10 yrs Communication • Promotion of more truly transdisciplinary conferences. EU programmes seldom show alignment • Scientifically qualified politicians are not common. Serious effort needs to be made in addressing politicians by opinion leaders in nanomedicine • There should be a clearer articulation and better communication of the benefits of embracing nanomedicine • The scientific community should engage in regular dialogue with the general public, and address public concerns early. There is a need for the clear presentation of facts VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  15. FL Topics 2005 Launch in 2006 • European Food Systems in a Changing World • European Computational Science Forum • Higher Education in Europe beyond 2010 (HELF) Launch in 2007 • RNA World • Security: Advancing a Framework for Enquiry (SAFE) VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  16. Higher Education Looking Forward (HELF) title Full title: Higher Education in Europe beyond 2010:Resolving Conflicting Social and Economic Expectations VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  17. Higher Education Looking Forward (HELF) background Characteristics of HE research • Policy driven and interdisciplinary • Fuzzy boundaries between ‘researchers’ and ‘other experts’ • Quite fragmented research communities • HELF aiming to bring disparate communities together in order to ‘develop a scientific agenda for future higher education research which can be set alongside the policy agenda’ VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  18. HELF Organising Committee John Brennan (Chair), Centre for Higher Education Research and Information, The Open University, UK Luca Codignola, It (SCH Rappporteur) Jürgen Enders, Nl Christine Musselin, Fr Manfred Prenzel, De (SCSS Rapporteur) Ulrich Teichler, De Jussi Välimaa, Fi Henk Stronkhorst, FL Coordinator VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  19. Five HELF Themes • HE and needs of knowledge society • HE and the achievement of equity and social justice • HE and its communities: interconnections • Steering and governance of HE • Differentiation and diversity of institutional forms and professional roles VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  20. FL Topics 2006/2007 - Invitation to submit topics to the ESF Member Organisations in summer 2006 - Decision by the ESF Governing Council on topics in April 2007 - Potential new Forward Looks in fields such as ‘Ageing’ and ‘Re-emergence of Religion as a Social Force’, and several in the field of medical, life and natural sciences VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  21. Lessons learned 1 • Foresight must be visible, transparent and inclusive • Interesting science is not enough. There must be a specific problem, a challenge or an opportunity • Resolve scientific disputes elsewhere first • Boundaries must be correctly chosen, especially given the increasing links between fields VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  22. Lessons learned 2 • Several countries should be interested to ensure prospect for success • Recommendations should be directed to the right actor; avoid ‘someone should do something’ • Decision makers should be involved in project activities to ensure future impact • A Foresight Report is just the beginning; it requires subsequent promotion and publicity to ensure impact on science policy decision VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  23. ESF Forward Looks: the future ESF Forward Looks should directly impact on European science policy Open issues • How to best identify the topics? • How to ensure the authority? • How to engage the scientific community at the highest level? • How to create the impact? VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

  24. www.esf.org

  25. ESF Scientific Forward Looks • The ESF’s Forward Looks are key in the development of strong links between the European scientific community and science policy makers. • The purpose of a Forward Look is to define research agendas and priorities in a particular research domain and to communicate the results to research funders. • The themes are selected on the basis of their importance to European research VIII. Bled Forum on Europe, 2-3 March 2007

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