EU Research Days

EU Research Days
Name	EU Research Days
Status	Active
Genre	Research policy conference
Frequency	Annual
Venue	European institutions
Location	Brussels
Country	Belgium
First	2000s
Organizer	European Commission
Attendance	Policy makers, researchers

EU Research Days EU Research Days are an annual series of conference sessions, exhibitions, and policy dialogues convened by European institutions to coordinate research policy across the European Union, link Horizon Europe priorities with national programmes, and engage stakeholders from academia, industry, and civil society. The event typically assembles representatives from the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of the European Union, national research agencies such as Science Europe members, and international bodies including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the European Research Council, and the European Investment Bank.

Overview

EU Research Days serve as a platform for high-level exchange among Commissioners, Members of the European Parliament, directors-general from the European Commission, chief scientific advisors, and leaders of institutions like the Max Planck Society, CNRS, Fraunhofer Society, and CERN. Sessions often link flagship programmes such as Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, and the European Green Deal with initiatives from national ministries for research and innovation including Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur, de la Recherche et de l'Innovation, and Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca. The event features panels with representatives from universities like University of Oxford, Sorbonne University, University of Cambridge, and industry partners such as Siemens, Philips, Dassault Systèmes, and SAP SE.

History and Development

The convening traces roots to sectoral meetings linked to the launch of the Lisbon Strategy and later to thematic summits around Horizon 2020 rollout, drawing parallels with forums such as the annual gatherings of the European Research Advisory Board and the European Science Open Forum. Early iterations involved coordination with national research agencies including CSIC, CONICET, and Academia Europaea and with intergovernmental infrastructures like EMBO and ESO. Over time, the format evolved in response to milestones including the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, the design of the Framework Programmes, the creation of the European Research Council, and the launch of the European Innovation Council. The programme adapted to crises addressed by meetings of actors from World Health Organization collaborations, European Medicines Agency, and emergency research consortia formed during events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives and Themes

Core objectives include aligning priorities for transnational research funding, promoting cross-border collaboration among research organisations such as Wellcome Trust partners, advancing research infrastructures like ESRF and ELIXIR, and translating research into innovation with stakeholders including European Investment Fund and national development banks. Themes often mirror strategic agendas: digital transformation tied to actors like European Digital SME Alliance and Telefónica, climate and energy linked to European Environment Agency and International Energy Agency, health research coordinated with European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and European Medicines Agency, and skills and mobility intersecting with programmes such as Erasmus+ and networks like Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

Organization and Governance

The event is organized by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation in cooperation with services from the European External Action Service and consultation with the Committee of the Regions, the European Economic and Social Committee, national ministries, and umbrella organisations such as Science Europe and the League of European Research Universities. Governance structures include steering committees with representatives from the European Research Council, national research funding agencies like ANR and DFG, and advisory groups drawing experts from European Science Foundation and professional societies such as the Royal Society and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

Activities and Events

Typical activities include plenary addresses by Commissioners and Members of the European Parliament, thematic panels featuring directors from CEN and CENELEC, interactive workshops with project coordinators from consortia funded by Horizon Europe and INTERREG, pitch sessions for startups incubated by accelerators like EIT Health and EIT Digital, poster sessions showcasing research from institutions such as ETH Zurich and Karolinska Institutet, and brokerage events linking participants with funding bodies including national contact points and the European Research Council grant officers. Side events often host representatives from think tanks like Bruegel, Centre for European Policy Studies, and European Policy Centre.

Participation and Stakeholders

Participants span Commissioners, Members of the European Parliament, directors from national ministries, university rectors from University of Bologna and KU Leuven, research funders like Wellcome Trust and European Research Council, industry R&D heads from multinational firms, start-up founders supported by European Institute of Innovation & Technology, representatives of regional clusters such as Technopole initiatives, NGO delegates from organisations like European Climate Foundation, and research infrastructure managers from facilities like ITER and JRC.

Impact and Evaluation

Impact assessments draw on indicators tracked by the European Commission and partners including citation metrics involving Scopus and Web of Science, collaboration networks studied by institutions such as OECD Science, Technology and Industry Directorate, and evaluations by advisory bodies like High-Level Group on Research, Innovation and Competitiveness. Outcomes reported have included strategic adjustments to Horizon Europe calls, new transnational consortia formation, policy memos co-signed by the European Parliament commissions, and spin-out ventures financed by the European Investment Bank. Evaluations often reference case studies involving research partnerships between universities such as Imperial College London and industry actors like ABB.

Category:European Commission events