Enric I. Canela
On behalf of the Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE), I would like to thank you for supporting the ‘No-Cuts-On-Research.EU‘ petition. With over 153’000 signatories, this has been the largest petition on a science cause so far in Europe if not worldwide. The list of signatures was handed over to the three EU presidents and the French president.
The outcome is a success considering the difficult political environment and severe constraints put on the budgets in many countries: the budget for Horizon 2020 will now represent “a real growth compared to 2013 level”. It is probably the best we could hope for, even though we believe it is not enough to meet the ambitious goals the EU leaders have set themselves. Read more at
http://www.no-cuts-on-research.eu/news/what_happened.pdf
The legal text still needs to be finalised and technical questions resolved – we will keep you posted.
As promised, we will update you about ongoing developments in research policy in a short newsletter – up to four times a year.
In this edition we would like to inform you about the Euroscientist – a European science magazine “by the community, for the community.” We also would like to make you aware of new initiatives that were launched recently: A video campaign to inform the public about the importance of research investment, an initiative to put an end to the misuse of the impact factor, and a consultation process regarding the integration of the socio-economic sciences and humanities in Horizon 2020. Finally, we also would like to invite you to post your opinion on the role of learned societies in an open access publishing world.
Feel free to forward the information and encourage your colleagues to sign up to this newsletter at
http://www.no-cuts-on-research.eu/news/nl_sign_up.html
Enjoy reading!
Wolfgang Eppenschwandtner, Executive Coordinator, Initiative for Science in Europe.
Research Austerity in Europe (special edition of the Euroscientist)
Research budgets almost everywhere in the EU are constrained, but austerity has taken its toll, particularly on Southern Europe. The Euroscientist, the webzine of EuroScience (one of the founding members of ISE) has just published a special issue on the topic. It features opinion pieces and interviews with scientists – both young and more established – sharing their own experience of navigating the troubled waters of research austerity while attempting to further their career. A very interesting read for all those who feel concerned and want to learn more about the way recession is affecting research.
This magazine is also designed to be a participatory magazine to give scientists a forum to voice their views. Scientists beyond Southern Europe are welcome to contribute their reactions to the plea of Southern European colleagues and send their feedback on how to solve issues of concern arising in research across Europe. This could resonate with policy makers who are among the audience of the magazine. This special issue can be found at: http://euroscientist.com/austerity/. Readers are invited to send their reactions by sending letters to the Editor at: editor@euroscience.org. Also find out what the Euroscientist can do for its audience at: http://youtu.be/ROmlkCfChfQ.
Reaching out to the wider society: the video contest “Invest in Our Future – invest in Science”
To create a positive atmosphere for research investment in the long run, we need to involve society at large. As a first step, ISE and a group of researchers from the Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme in Lisbon, Portugal, launched the Invest in Our Future – Invest in Science video contest. Three awards of 500 Euro each will be granted to the three best short videos (up to 2 minutes). The deadline for video submission is 30 June 2013.
See more details on the contest website and Facebook page.
http://investinscience.eu/
http://www.facebook.com/investinscience
Please forward the call to all people you know in the creative communities!
Your opinion: Challenges for learned societies in the transition to Open Access publishing
It is not widely known that many learned societies reinvest the surplus from publishing activities into services to science such as grants, conferences, science policy, education and outreach activities. These activities are endangered if income from journal subscriptions drains away and no other source of income is found. We would like to hear your opinion on how activities of the learned societies could be sustained:
http://euroscientist.com/2013/05/challenges-for-learned-societies-in-the-transition-to-open-access-publishing/
We would also like to announce that a multi-society statement on the future of the Scientific Publication system coordinated by the European Physical Society is under preparation.
Initiative to put an end to the misuse of the Journal Impact Factor launched
The increasing reliance on the Journal Impact Factor for research assessment has been criticized by experts for a number of years. The “San Francisco Declaration On Research Assessment” for the first time unites researchers, journals, institutions and funders to address the problems and to work for a better system of research assessment.
Find out more about the declaration:
http://www.no-cuts-on-research.eu/news/dora.html
Consultation on the Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities (SSH) in Europe
Make your voice heard on the integration of the Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities in Horizon 2020, the next EU research funding programme. In preparation for a conference in Vilnius on 23‐24 September 2013 dedicated to this topic, the Lithuanian EU Presidency has launched an open consultation on SSH in Europe and its potential to contribute to the success of the Vision Europe 2020. The objective is to learn more about the current situation and the ambitions of the research communities, and to identify the needs and structural problems. For more information go to the consultation webpage:
http://horizons.mruni.eu/consultation-2
About us: Initiative for Science in Europe
The Initiative for Science in Europe is an independent platform of European learned societies and scientific organizations whose aim is to promote mechanisms to support all fields of science at a European level, involve scientists in the design and implementation of European science policies, and to advocate strong independent scientific advice in European policy making. In Winter 2012/13, ISE has coordinated the campaign “No-Cuts-On-Research.EU”.