Dystopian literature: inspiring innovation and policy making
Matias Barberis argues dystopian literature could inspire innovation and policymaking as it links to future thinking and scenario planning. Read more [...]
Tag Archives: Policy
Briefing on the UK-EU trade deal: what does it mean for research & health?
This briefing from Wellcome relates to the BREXIT impact on health research and cooperation in medical trials and data sharing. Read more [...]
Thinking and Acting in a Disrupted World: Governance, Environment, People, Inequality and Disease
An ecological civilization should care for the natural and built environments, the cultural heritage, the collective bonds, education, health, ethics, aesthetics, equity and justice. But this involves many actors, in a planet united only by the media and 'globalization' and divided by confrontation and competition. Read more [...]
The “Lost Generation” of European Scientists: How can we make the system more sustainable?
The "Lost Generation" refers to the growing cohort of senior post-doctoral researchers and other scientists who, after completing short-term contracts and temporary positions, find themselves excluded from research careers due to the lack of opportunities for permanent research positions. This cohort must contend with a ‘game’ whose rules no longer apply in today’s overcrowded and hyper-competitive research environment. Often, the difficulty in obtaining a full-time research position is further exacerbated by geographical, social, and familial constraints, and a lack of transferable skills that would enable a career switch. The loss of these highly trained individuals to our research institutions and to industry creates instability and represents an inefficient use of human talent and financial resources. Although the problem is not new, it is a critical issue and more needs to be done to address the needs of this cohort. Our goal is to launch a discussion with all relevant stakeholders toward actionable ideas to these systemic problems. Read more [...]
Claudius Gros: Increased Government’s reactivity can mitigate social instability
In this exclusive interview, EuroScientist Editor, Sabine Louët, speaks with German physicist Claudius Gros about the insights that complex systems bring into our society, which help in understanding their deficiencies in terms of how decisions are made. Gros’ analysis is based on the observation that citizens’ opinions—supported by mobile phones and internet technology—are now forming faster than ever before, relative to the time scale of policy decision making. This suggests the need to introduce necessary changes in the modes of governance, to enhance the reactivity of policy decisions, as means to keep our democratic societies steady. These findings have potential implications for an à la carte EU membership. Read more [...]
Open scientists in the shoes of frustrated academics part I: Open-minded scepticism
Last week I was in Oslo, invited by the organising committee of Eurodoc2017, to give an introductory talk on Open Science [1]. One thing that became apparent during this two-day event was that, although irresistibly trendy, Open Science remains an elusive Read more [...]
Is extreme right the best hope for researchers?
All across Europe, far right of extreme right parties have been conquering larger and larger shares of the voters in the past few years. Among others, in 2017 the Front National in France and the Alternative für Deutschland in Germany intend to overcome Read more [...]
What do Croatia’s election results mean for its neglected science?
In the second Croatia’s election in the past year – following the collapse of an inefficient coalition plagued by corruption allegations – they have once again elected no single majority. Read more [...]
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ESOF 2016 champion Nancy Rothwell
ESOF is a biannual event. And this year, it will be held in July in Manchester. Known for its manufacturing past, its footballing present and its graphene future, this vibrant city in the Northwest of England offers more than meets the eye. It is also the perfect location for an international forum such as ESOF2016. Find out more about what you can expect at this year's event from its champion: Nancy Rothwell. Read more [...]
Can academics entering politics bring more evidence into policy
In Greece and Spain, a new generation of left-wing academics has now entered polictics. They claim to reinvent the way policy is shaped by relying both on evidence and on meeting the need of citizens. However, the way in which the results of academic research are actually taken into account in policy making is not straightforward. So are they likely to rely more than their predecessors on evicence-based policy? Read more [...]
Mark Ferguson: defending the cause of science
Chief Scientific Advisers (CSAs) play a unique role in countries that have them, like Ireland, the UK, the Czech Republic and New Zealand. Here, EuroScientist explores the nature of the science adviser's role, in an exclusive interview with Mark Ferguson, CSA to the Irish Government. A timely read, as the European Commission just announced the name of the members of its high-level group of scientific advisers, as part of the new EU scientific advice mechanism. Read more [...]
Wanted: Evidence-Based Policy
Policy decisions are too often political instead of being informed by evidence based considerations. Find out all about this issue by reading this special issue of EuroScientist and sharing it as widely as possible in your circles. Read more [...]
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