Towards the European Fifth Freedom and Global Competition: Voices from Science

In this event, the European Research Council and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, supported by National Academies from the Netherlands, Slovakia, Finland, and Cyprus, are bringing together decision-makers and scientists to build a common understanding around critical questions:

• How should FP10 be designed and function, and what should it prioritise?
• How can central European policies on research and innovation strengthen both competitiveness and strategic autonomy?
• How can we ensure responsible international cooperation in science and technology under unstable geopolitical and security conditions?

Join the event and be part of a conversation where voices from science help shape Europe’s strategic direction.

Registration link will be available soon

Agenda:

13.00 - 13.10 | Welcome 

• Maria Leptin, President of the European Research Council
• Bettina Rockenbach, President of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina

13.10 - 14.00 | Opening panel: doing excellent science in Europe

Keynote speech by Ekaterina Zaharieva, EU Commissioner for Start-ups, Research, Innovation 

Panel with Commissioner Zaharieva and: 

• Dietmar Harhoff, Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition Munich & Strategy Group for Technology and Innovation of the German Federal Chancellor
• Maryna Viazovska, 2022 Fields Medallist, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
• Mirta Galesic, Complexity Hub Vienna & Santa Fe Institute

Moderated by Bettina Rockenbach, President of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina

14.00 - 14.15 | Coffee break

14.15 - 15.15 | Panel: Towards a New European Knowledge Economy

(Inner-European perspective)

Keynote speech by Enrico Letta, President of the Jacques Delors Institute, Paris

Panel with Enrico Letta and 

• Severine Vermeire, Rector of KU Leuven
• Carole Mundell, Director of Science, European Space Agency

Moderated by Olya Kudina, Delft University of Technology 

15.15 - 16.15 | Panel: Towards an Impactful and Attractive FP10

(Scientists’ and innovators’ perspective)

• Maria Leptin, President of the ERC
• Martin Venhart, President of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
• Marileen Dogterom, President of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
• Soteris Kalogirou, Cyprus University of Technology

Moderated by  Pekka Aula, Secretary-General of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters

16.15 - 16.45 | Coffee break

16.45 - 17.45 | Panel: Towards a new Global Pathway for Scientific Cooperation

(Global perspective)

• Peter R. Neumann, King’s College London
• Junko Hibiya, Vice-President, Science Council of Japan
• Shekhar C. Mande, President, Indian National Science Academy
• Metin Sitti, President, Koç University Istanbul

Moderated by Marie-Louise Nosch, University of Copenhagen & Vice President of ALLEA – All European Academies

17.45 - 17.50 | Technical Break

17.50 - 19.00 | Closing Panel: Science Policy Debate

Presentation of “Brussels Messages”: Bettina Rockenbach, President of Leopoldina

• Christian Ehler, Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur for FP10 Horizon Europe and the European Competitiveness Fund
• Regina Valutytė, Vice-Minister for Education, Science and Sports of Lithuania
• Andreas Schwarz, Head of Cabinet of European Commissioner for Start-ups, Research, Innovation

Moderated by Conny Aerts, Member of the ERC Scientific Council

19.00 - 20.30 | Networking walking dinner

Contact: Sabine Simmross