Building a truly inclusive European Research Area – An interview with Professor Pawel Rowinski

Bridging Europe’s Research Divide

For Professor Rowinski, the vision of a cohesive and inclusive European Research Area (ERA) remains incomplete as long as deep inequalities persist. “Many research organisations, particularly in parts of Central, Eastern and Southern Europe, continue to face limited access to sustainable funding, advanced research infrastructure and long-term career opportunities,” he noted. “The ERA cannot be truly shared and integrated as long as these disparities remain.

Among the most pressing challenges, he highlighted the ongoing “brain drain” from less-resourced regions to better-funded research centres, in which talented researchers often move to institutions offering more stability and stronger networks. “This creates a self-reinforcing cycle: weaker institutions struggle to be competitive, making it even harder to attract or retain talent.”

Pawel Rowinski Photo: Piotr Terlecki

The professor added that current funding models too often reward already established excellence. “The solution is not to lower standards,” he stressed, “but to create meaningful capacity-building policies, sustained investment in research infrastructure, and support for collaborative consortia that actively include underrepresented regions. Building excellence requires time, continuity and institutional stability.”

Open Science, meanwhile, presents a major opportunity for inclusion – provided that access is equitable. He explained that making data and research outputs accessible can lower entry barriers, but only if institutions have the skills and resources to participate. Inclusiveness, he argued, also means respecting Europe’s linguistic, cultural and institutional diversity. “Cohesion should not mean enforcing a single model of research practice,” the professor said, highlighting that different academic traditions must be able to contribute on equal terms.

From Competition to Convergence

MTA asked the professor how underperforming regions can achieve convergence within the EU: “It depends on building long-term research capacity rather than relying solely on competitive funding mechanisms,” said Prof Rowinski. Financial instability in emerging regions, he noted, hinders strategic planning.

“Without predictable investment in infrastructure and support staff, it is extremely hard to develop strong research environments.”

Stable funding and talent retention must go hand in hand. “Convergence cannot happen if skilled researchers continuously leave for better-funded regions,” he explained. Policies that support attractive careers – tenure pathways, return schemes and competitive salaries – are crucial to reversing the cycle of brain drain.

Equally important are capacity-building partnerships linking established and emerging institutions. Collaboration between universities, industry and local authorities can create sustainable ecosystems rather than short-lived projects. “Convergence requires a shift from short-term project funding to long-term structural investment in people, institutions and ecosystems,” he said. Otherwise, “the ERA risks reinforcing existing divides rather than closing them.”

Safeguarding Trust in Science

In an age of misinformation and political polarisation, Professor Rowinski believes that academies of sciences and humanities must play a more visible role. “Their traditional authority is still highly valuable, but it is no longer sufficient on its own,” he observed.

To maintain trust, academies must reaffirm their independence while engaging more directly with society. “Trust is built through dialogue, not one-way dissemination,” he said.

“We need to speak clearly, train scientists in communication and collaborate with educators, journalists and civil society.”

The professor highlighted that public trust also depends on strengthening the capacity of citizens to evaluate evidence, noting that the goal is not to ‘convince’ the public what to think, but to help people assess information for themselves. Academies must also safeguard academic freedom and promote pluralism. “In times of polarisation, the ability to host dialogue that acknowledges uncertainty, nuance and competing perspectives is vital.”

Because misinformation crosses borders, Professor Rowinski calls for closer international cooperation. “Shared statements, joint working groups, and rapid advisory responses to public controversies can help amplify trustworthy voices,” he said.

“Academies must evolve from being custodians of knowledge to active facilitators of public trust, while remaining firmly grounded in independence, rigor and transparency.”

Empowering the Next Generation

Supporting early-career researchers is a priority for ALLEA. Prof Rowinski commented that young researchers must be part of decision-making structures and not merely observers. “They should serve on advisory boards and policy committees as equal participants.”

Structured mentorship and leadership training can help emerging researchers access networks that shape scientific priorities. Yet he cautions that precarity remains a major barrier. “We need more stable career paths, clearer promotion criteria and recognition of a wider range of academic contributions such as teaching, public engagement and open science practices.”

He also stressed the need for cooperation across academies in building transnational peer networks, which would foster collaboration, reduce geographic inequalities, and help young researchers from less-resourced institutions participate in Europe-wide research strategy discussions. This, along with mentorship and better career conditions, can help organisations like ALLEA ensure that “the future of science is shaped with younger scholars, not only for them.”

Solidarity in Times of Hardship

Reflecting on recent crises – from the pandemic to the war in Ukraine – Prof Rowinski highlighted the power of trust and empathy. “In challenging times, generosity becomes a form of leadership,” he said. Institutions that adopted flexible, trust-based approaches, simplifying procedures and supporting informal networks, were best able to maintain momentum. “Solidarity requires systems that enable rapid response, not only regulation and control,” he observed.

Crises, he added, often expose inequalities. “Sustaining collaboration requires deliberate efforts to ensure that those with fewer resources are not left behind. Capacity building and fair access to data and infrastructures are acts of solidarity.”

Ultimately, he concluded, science is a social enterprise built on shared values. “Working together through uncertainty depends on humility, respect for evidence and commitment to the public good. These are not emergency measures – they are habits to be cultivated over time.”