Why does ERA Need to Flourish

1. Why does ERA Need to Flourish Communicating ERA Josefina Enfedaque, ERA Communications Co-ordinator European Commission DG Research & Innovation 12th EPPCN Meeting CERN, Geneva, 29 November 2012

2. Promoting the resultsof EU-funded projects Top priority as this encourages: • Openness, • Capitalising on Europe’s creative potential will have an essential impact on the public and policy makers

3. What can you do to promote your results Produce excellent quality results data, Disseminate your results, Plan and perform communication activities

4. Communication, why? • To show how EU collaboration has achieved more than would have otherwise been possible • To show that your outcomes are relevant to our everyday lives • To make better use of results

5. What's in it for you, as a project? • Good communication can help to: • increase the success rate of your proposal • draw attention of national governments, authorities, public and private funding sources to the needs and eventual benefits of your research • attract potential partners, talented students and scientists • enhance your reputation and visibility • find potential exploitation of your results • generate market demand

6. Communicating EU Research & Innovation – A guide for project participants Available in hard cover and on-line (Participant Portal, FP7 documents section,  guidance documents,  communication)

7. Communicating research for evidence-based policymaking - A practical guide for researchers in socio-economic sciences and humanities Available in hard cover and on-line http://ec.europa.eu/research/social-sciences/pdf/guide-communicating-research_en.pdf

8. European Research Area (ERA) • A Unified Research Area open to the world • Based on the Internal Market • Free Circulation of Researchers, Knowledge & Technology 27 national research systems are the foundation of ERA Not to be integrated or merged into a single system, but to be more open, inter-operable and inter-connected

9. The ERA approach: A reinforced partnership… • Action-oriented… • “Key priorities” approach to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the European public research system • & Responsibility-based • Member States • Research Stakeholder Organisations • European Commission Member States European Commission Research Organisations

10. …and a non-legislative approach • Specific actions for each actor • Clear, explicit targets to be reached • Clear, tailored commitments (MoUs) • Clear indicators: measurement of progress • Clear deadlines • Commission: ERA & Scientific Information Communications (July 2012), ERA Monitoring Mechanism, Gender Recommendations, etc. • Member States: National Reform Programmes • Stakeholder Organisations: implementation of the commitments agreed in the Joint Statement and MoUs

11. Stakeholders Platform • Meetings with first five signing SHOs: • exchange views on modalities for future collaboration • get their views on implementation of JS & MoUs • inform them about political decision making process • additional policy and support actions by Commission • Communication is a fixed agenda point in every meeting. • EARTO: European Association of Research and Technology Organisations • LERU: League of European Research Universities • NordForsk: Funding and research policy organisation under the Nordic Council of Ministers • EUA: European University Association • Science Europe: Association of Research Funding Organisations and Research Performing Organisations

12. The Five Key ERA Priorities • More effective national research systems • Optimal transnational co-operation and competition • An open labour market for researchers • Gender equality and gender mainstreaming in research • 5. Optimal Circulation and Transfer of Knowledge including via Digital ERA

13. 1. More effective national research systems • Examples of actions: • Member States: • remove barriers to allocate funding in a competitive way • Commission: • support mutual learning between MS on removal of legal barriers to ERA Objective: increased competition within national borders, sustained and greater investment

14. 2. Optimal transnational co-operation and competition • Examples of actions: • Member States: • prepare joint research agendas, • improve interoperability of national programmes • Stakeholders: • agree on common funding principles, • develop cross-border cooperation • Commission: • encourage 'partnering in research' to address grand challenges, • support common funding standards Objective : defining and implementing common research agendas on grand challenges, constructing and effectively running of pan-European research infrastructures

15. 3. An open labour market for researchers • Examples of actions: • Member States: • remove barriers to open, transparent, merit-based recruitment • remove barriers to cross-border access and portability of grants • Stakeholders: • publish all vacancies on EURAXESS, • fill positions via open, transparent, merit-based recruitment • Commission: • strengthen collaboration in the EURAXESS network for researchers to access tailor-made assistance Objective: to ensure removal of barriers to researcher mobility, training and attractive careers

16. 4. Gender equality and gender mainstreaming in research • Examples of actions: • Member States: • remove barriers to recruitment, retention and career progression of female researchers • Stakeholders: • implement institutional change via Gender Equality Plans • Commission: • foster gender equality also in Horizon 2020 Objective: diversify views and approaches in research and foster excellence

17. 5. Optimal circulation, access to and transfer of scientific knowledge including via digital ERA • Examples of actions: • Member States • define and coordinate their policies on access to and preservation of scientific information • foster knowledge transfer between public and private sectors through national knowledge transfer strategies • Stakeholders • open access measures for publications • and data from publicly funded research • Commission • open access in Horizon 2020 Commission: “Scientific Information in the Digital Age” (2012) COMM + Recommendation Objective: to guarantee access to and uptake of knowledge by all.

18. Next steps following adoption • Political endorsement • Implementation by Member States • Follow-up by stakeholder organisations • Development of the ERA Monitoring Mechanism

19. Communicating ERA • Objectives • Gaining political support • Raising awareness •  Understanding ERA priorities (RPOs, researchers) • Facilitating implementation • Networking, sharing of best practices • Community dialogue • Based on TRUST and TRANSPARENCY • Trust needs to be built by working together • Transparency helps building trust, by opening the systems

20. Main Communication Tools (Commission) • Events • ERA Progress conference 2013 • EU presidency-related events • ERA website • aim: single entry point for ERA) • ERA e-Newsletter • Monographics on ERA priorities • Annual ERA Progress Special Report + >40 communication actions foreseen by Commission in 2013 (publications, audiovisuals, press releases, campaigns, etc.)

21. ERA website http://ec.europa.eu/research/era Gender equality campaign (1st phase) http://science-girl-thing.eu/

22. Towards an ERA Community communication platform • Objectives • Developing ERA ownership and engagement • Promoting best communication practices • Communicating actions and benefits related to ERA priorities • Promoting dialogue • Spreading knowledge and expertise • Increasing coherence of ERA communication actions and messages across institutions in MS and AC

23. Towards an ERA Community communication platform • Participants • Communication officers in Research Performing and Resrearch Funding Organisations • Targets • Researchers and Policy-makers • Public at large,press and multipliers • Tools • Electronic fora • Networking events • Training activities • Information and Communication Campaigns

24. Science: tough editorial competition Daily “auction game”

25. New science journalism? Immediacy Diversity New as conversation: Tweets, blogs, etc. Many to many

26. New technologies: friends or foes? An ongoing media revolution

27. Some points for discussion • ERA-related messages and plans •  Co-ordinated across organisations •  Following Commission strategies and guidelines • Online repositories of press materials and info-packs, centrally and by institution. • Forum, portal or social network, wiki pages, databases, newsletters, etc., in EU languages.   • ERA "champions" strategy • Evaluation mechanisms

28. Potential Issues • Ownership • Budget • Human resources • Red tape • Networking • Heterogeneity of countries, partners and targets • Internal Communication

29. Thank you for your attentionjosefina.enfedaque@ec.europa.eu