The shift towards prevention or wellness has now been operated a few years ago in health policy. Particularly in the field of chronic diseases, which is the focus of our independent coverage in this issue and of a campaign orchestrated by the REIsearch project. This has led to a number of policy experiments over time. As yet, there is no magic bullet to entice people to try and take greater care of their health. It appears that a combination of voluntary actions by citizens, with prevention campaigns from interested groups, and regulations can help. But too much of any of these ingredients may affect the fragile dynamic between them. Read more [...]
Personal data is a vital resource for research, including studies in medicine, public health and social science. Over decades, researchers have developed approaches to use this data safely and securely to improve our understanding of society, health and disease. Reform of European data privacy laws is now threatening the way that data is used in research. In this article, Beth Thompson, policy adviser at the UK-based Wellcome Trust, explains why we need your help now, to ensure a positive outcome for research. Read more [...]
The global professionalisation of science was initiated in the 20th century. It has resulted in the creation of the largest scientific community, the most widespread research facilities and in the widest dissemination of scientific knowledge to date. This may, at first sight, appear to be very positive news for science. Yet, the academic population grew extraordinary fast, in the past forty years. Read more [...]
Researchers across France, Spain and Italy are orchestrating a wave of national protests, which will culminate on the 17th and 18th October 2014 in their respective capitals. Their objective is to highlight how Europe’s knowledge economy is being undermined by a lack of investment in research, amongst other factors. European national research systems are struggling; that much is beyond doubt. The question is how to balance national versus EU research support and how the EU can drive rehabilitation of national research systems. Another question is whether the increased focus on excellence-based funding is really necessary. This debate is now fully open. Read more [...]
Today marks the first anniversary of Croatia becoming the 28th member state of the European Union (EU) on 1 July 2013. Despite progress in science and a good performance in drawing on EU framework programme (FP7) grants, Croatia's research policy and Read more [...]
Georgia, a small country in the Caucasus, may see an increase in its science and statistical capacity if the pledges made today (27 June) in the Association Agreement signed between it and the European Union are fulfilled. The EU signed the agreements Read more [...]
There is a whole chapter on cooperation in science and technology in the agreement the EU and Ukraine just signed today (27 June) after months of political instability in Ukraine. Chapter 9 of the Economic and Sector Cooperation part of the agreement Read more [...]
The WBC-INCO.NET, a project funded under the seventh EU research Framework Programme, has come a long way since it started in 2008. The list of achievements, deliverables and specific outcomes alone could easily take up the space of this article: during Read more [...]
The long-term future of a steering platform on research that brought warring Balkan nations and the EU together through science is uncertain after the project that hosted it ends. EU officials are now scrambling for alternative avenues to keep the Read more [...]
On 9th of February 2014, the people of Switzerland voted in a referendum for the limitation of immigration from the European Union. Within three years, the government has to fix annual quota for asylum seekers and EU citizens interested in living in the country. In response, the EU has now suspended negotiations about the association of Switzerland to the European funding scheme Horizon 2020. Switzerland is heavily implicated in European research projects, which makes the referendum’s decision potentially disastrous for Swiss scientists. Read more [...]
Croatia’s best researchers have succeeded despite an underfunded and fragmented system. On the eve of its EU membership, Mićo Tatalović asks what the country must do to compete internationally. The science ministry in Croatia proudly points out Read more [...]
European science conversations by the community, for the community
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EuroScientist journal 