Context

The meeting is designed as a high-level forum of key players of the science systems from Germany and the EU13 (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia).

In the current debate on the future of European research and innovation funding (Framework Programme “Horizon Europe”) one of the major aims is to strengthen the geographical inclusion and the overall performance and global competitiveness of the European Research Area. The forum facilitates the debate on the most suitable ways to fulfil this desiderate.

Additionally, the forum intends to find new modalities to insert scientific knowledge into the processes, which shape the EU future. This is of crucial importance when managing the challenges that affect the Union and for the designing of the new EU strategic agenda, to be adopted at the Sibiu Summit in Romania, on 9 May 2019.

Major topics

1. The future of the EU and of the European continent: providing answers from the entire repertoire of science towards a “Future Europe Agenda”.

2. The future of the European Research Area and European Higher Education Area in terms of enhancing participation in EU funding, creating comparable chances and overcoming structural deficits.

Setting

The forum brings national academies of sciences and arts, leading higher education institutions, research and innovation organisations, and invited experts from the EU13 countries and from Germany together with decision-makers from the European Parliament, EU Member States, European Commission and EU Council Presidency.

A joint “Forum Future Europe Communiqué” summarises the findings. Subsequently, it is distributed to national and EU decision-makers.

Illustration: Lucian Brujan/Leopoldina