European Leaders Gather in Budapest to Discuss Strengthening Competitiveness through Research

The event will bring together the heads of research funding and performing organisations from 29 European countries, including those from Science Europe’s Governing Board as well as policymakers and academics, to discuss the policies needed to advance European competitiveness through research and innovation. Keynote speakers include Maria Leptin, President of the European Research Council, with contributions from representatives of the Dutch, Swiss, Norwegian, Estonian, Hungarian and Ukrainian ministries of research. High-level experts from South Africa, Japan and Brazil will reflect on European research competitiveness from each of their region’s perspectives.

This event will discuss the most timely questions of the competitiveness of the European research and innovation (R&I) system, with special attention to widening the participation of all EU member states and associated countries to European R&I actions, enhancing the impact of R&I by mobilising EU-wide excellence in science, reducing R&I disparities in Europe, exploring the benefits of artificial intelligence in science policy and addressing European research competitiveness from a global perspective.

All topics are intricately connected with Europe’s ability to increase its science impact in global competition.

The themes align with Science Europe’s strategic priority towards shaping European research policy developments, building on the discussion on European R&I integration, launched in 2022.

Mari Sundli Tveit, President of Science Europe and Chief Executive of the Research Council of Norway, said: “This event is a timely and important contribution to the current debate on how we can enhance European competitiveness and tackle global challenges through research and innovation. I look forward to the insights that will emerge on closing the disparities between regions, building stronger collaborative frameworks based on reciprocity and the promotion of knowledge exchange, while safeguarding academic freedom and autonomy and responsibly harnessing the transformative power of AI – crucial elements to ensure Europe remains a global leader in innovation and research excellence.”

General focus and topics

The High Level Workshop is well-positioned to facilitate interaction among the different stakeholders of science, with high-level officials of Science Europe, decision makers of EU member states, leading representatives of the European Commission, and top experts in attendance. As a result of the meeting, a public position paper will be initiated, summarising the key messages of the discussions and outlining possible collaborative actions that may contribute to improving the competitiveness of the EU. At the end of the meeting, Science Europe will also hold its annual general assembly.

The Hungarian Academy of Sciences and HUN-REN are organising the 2024 edition of the High Level Workshop under the auspices of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and with the support of the Hungarian Ministry of Culture and Innovation. Hungary, holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second semester of 2024, will host various events, including the World Science Forum (WSF) on 20–23 November, enhancing the EU-wide impact and visibility of the event.

Although the Hungarian Academy of Sciences was a founding member of Science Europe in 2011, it left the influential European science advocacy organisation following the separation of the research network in 2019, as it was no longer considered a research or research-funding organisation. However, MTA has relaunched its research funding activities, and in June 2022 re-joined Science Europe.