European Universities are united on the EU budget
Thirteen Europeanassociations of universities, among which ECIU is one, call upon the EuropeanCommission, the European Parliament and the European Council, to double thebudget for research, innovation and education in the next Multi-AnnualFinancial Framework (MFF). A doubling of the investments in research,innovation and education is necessary to boost Europe’s competitiveness andsustainability.
A doubling of the budget of the 9th EU FrameworkProgramme (FP9) for Research & Innovation to 160 billion euro, alsorequested by the Lamy Group, would create an estimated 650.000 jobs by 2040 andadd around 0.46 % to GDP over the same period. As the European Commission hasstated in its Communication on the next MFF, this doubling would enable the EUto emerge as a global leader in areas like future-energy batteries, smart andclean buildings and vehicles, infectious diseases, and the circular economy. Atthe same time it would stimulate more inclusive and resilient societies,increase sustainable growth and reduce inequality in Europe.
Although Horizon 2020 is the largest frameworkprogramme for research and innovation to date, it is, with less than 80 billioneuro for 7 years, underfunded. In some parts of Horizon 2020, the currentbudget supports less than 1 out of 5 high quality proposals. Equally, eventhough the success of Erasmus + is outstanding in fostering mobility andemployability, at 5% European student mobility is far below the 20% BolognaProcess target.
However, doubling the FP budget cannot be a substitute forstrong support for, and investment in, research, innovation and education atnational level. Sufficient national investment in research (to thelevel of 3% of GDP as agreed by the Member States) and education, together withEU funding, is crucial for Europe’s competitiveness and for a sustainableEuropean society (in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals). We alsourge the European institutions to encourage Member States more forcefully tomeet their commitments in the framework of the European Research Area (ERA) andthe European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
Universities are strong and committed partners in thesearch for solutions to pressing, emerging and future societal challenges, andfor boosting EU competitiveness, regional development and sustainability. Theydo so by performing cutting-edge research that is increasinglychallenge-driven, interdisciplinary, multi-actor (working with industry, SMEsand societal/cultural enterprises), and inspired by open science principles.Universities bring research results to the public and the market, valorisethese results through start-ups and educate present and future generations ofteachers, entrepreneurs, researchers, politicians and citizens in general.
Universities, and the European associations to which theybelong, look forward to working with the EU institutions to make Europeanresearch, innovation and education programmes an even greater success than theyare today, and to play an important role in further increasing therelevance, impact and benefits of those programmes to European citizens.
University associations that support this statement are: LERU,CLUSTER, EUA, IDEA League, SEFI, CESAER, UNICA, Coimbra Group, YERUN, EARMA,The Guild, EASSH and ECIU. You can support this call via Twitter by using thehashtag #UniversitiesUnitedOnMFF.
ECIU is the leading international consortium of research intensive universities, with collective emphasis on innovation, creativity and societal impact, driving the development of a knowledge-based economy.
