Aarhus hosts debate on the future of European research
How will Europe focus on scientific excellence as a sustainable principle for research and innovation?
Danish and international experts within research and innovation are meeting on 18-20 April for a conference at Aarhus University. They will debate the meaning of scientific excellence and how to ensure the best possible production of knowledge in the future.
The conference is entitled Excellence Revisited – The Value of Excellence and is one the largest that will be held in connection with the Danish EU Presidency.
Input to negotiations
Conclusions from the conference will be gathered in the Aarhus Declaration which will provide direct input to negotiations on Horizon 2020 – the EU's upcoming and largest research framework programme.
– One of the Danish priorities in Horizon 2020 negotiations is to retain scientific excellence as one of the most important criteria for allocation of European research and innovation funding. Excellent research will ensure that future knowledge production in Europe will be internationally competitive, form the basis for new innovative solutions and provide some of the answers to the great societal challenges of today and tomorrow, says Higher Education Minister Morten Østergaard.
Quality and deep insight
Among those giving presentations at the conference are Philip Campbell, Editor-in-Chief of Nature; Helga Nowotny, dr. phil and President of the European Research Council; Wilhelm Krull, Secretary General of Germany's largest private foundation the Volkswagen Foundation; and Gunnar Öquist, former Permanent Secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
– The success of Horizon 2020 is a prerequisite for European society being able to meet future challenges and global competition. It is also necessary that everything that we as education and research institutions do is based on quality and deep insight. It is also relevant when universities are the foundation for innovation in society, says Rector for Aarhus University Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen.
The conference is being arranged in cooperation between the Higher Education Ministry and Aarhus University, as well as the Danish National Research Foundation, the Danish Council for Independent Research, the Lundbeck Foundation and the Carlsberg Foundation.
For further information please contact:
Aarhus University:
Head of Press, Anders Cornell, tel: +45 2899 2235 or email: ac@adm.au.dk
Higher Education Ministry:
Press officer, Ingeborg Nielsen, tel: +45 2211 0200.
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