The new European Research Area will only be effective if created together with key stakeholders
The two-day New ERA conference brings together key European stakeholders and puts the role of the European Research Area (ERA) for open science, economy, research infrastructure and researchers’ careers at the heart of the debate.
"The voice of stakeholders is crucial to the creation of a new European Research Area, because this is the only way to make it effective. That is why we will take the recommendations and conclusions of this conference to the next meeting of EU research ministers to discuss them with the member states," said the Slovenian Minister for Education, Science and Sport, Simona Kustec, at the opening of the conference of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, entitled "New ERA - Towards a responsible knowledge-driven society of the 3rd millennium".
The Slovenian Minister for Education, Science and Sport, Simona Kustec, and the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel i, delivered an opening speech at the conference, sending a clear signal to more than 300 participants, representatives of member states and other stakeholders: "We need to create a European Research Area that will enable faster development. Only together with stakeholders can we make these shifts."
The opening of the conference was followed by a roundtable discussion with EU ministers on what member states can do to make the European Research Area better. Minister Simona Kustec called on member states to accelerate the implementation of the ERA objectives at the national level: "Our goal is that in 10 years' time the new ERA will be operating with at least 3% of Europe's investment in research and innovation, with the best researchers and research infrastructures in the world, serving citizens and society as a whole. To this end, the New ERA policy agenda must be consistent with the objectives of Horizon Europe and the European partnerships and missions. Only in this way will we be able to say in 10 years' time that the ERA has made a decisive contribution to the successfully completed first phase of the double transition, thus significantly improving the quality of our lives." The roundtable was also attended by the French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Frédérique Vidal, the Swedish Minister for Higher Education and Research, Matilda Ernkrans, and the Portuguese Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education, Manuel Heitor. All the ministers expressed their support for the efforts of the Slovenian Presidency and Minister Simona Kustec to make the European Research Area stronger and actively involve stakeholders in the implementation process. The Swedish and French ministers underlined that the next trio would ensure a follow-up to these efforts. The Swedish Minister said, "We want Europe to become a global player when it comes to scientific standards and norms. We need to be committed to open science, as this is the only way to move forward faster and share knowledge with each other. That is why I will eagerly follow the discussions at this conference."