High Level Expert Group on the Future of Research and Innovation

High Level Expert Group on the Future of Research and Innovation
Name	High Level Expert Group on the Future of Research and Innovation
Formation	2016
Type	Advisory body
Purpose	Strategic advice on research and innovation policy
Region	European Union
Parent organization	European Commission

High Level Expert Group on the Future of Research and Innovation The High Level Expert Group on the Future of Research and Innovation was an advisory assembly convened by the European Commission to assess strategic trajectories for research and innovation across the European Union and associated partners, producing recommendations to inform future programming cycles. Its remit intersected with flagship initiatives such as Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, the European Research Area, and policy dialogues involving the European Parliament and Council of the European Union. The group drew senior figures from academia, industry, and supranational institutions to synthesize expert judgment for Commissioners and national ministries.

Background and Establishment

The group was established amid debates following the mid-term review of Horizon 2020 and preparatory work for the successor framework, with origins linked to policy discussions at the European Council, recommendations from the European Research Advisory Board, and analyses by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the European Investment Bank. It responded to pressures arising from the Lisbon Strategy legacy, lessons from the European Research Area implementation, and comparative models from the National Science Foundation and Max Planck Society. Founding impetus referenced high-profile reports such as the Frascati Manual updates and exchanges at the G7 Summit and UNESCO fora.

Mandate and Objectives

Mandated by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, the group's objectives included offering strategic orientations for multiannual financial frameworks, advising on alignment between European Investment Bank instruments and research priorities, and recommending mechanisms to strengthen ties with entities like the European Research Council, CERN, and European Space Agency. It aimed to reconcile competing priorities evident in discussions involving the European Council on Research and the Committee of the Regions, to inform policy levers comparable to those used by the Wellcome Trust, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and national academies such as the French Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society.

Membership and Governance

Membership comprised eminent figures drawn from universities like University of Oxford, Université Paris-Saclay, and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, research organizations such as the Max Planck Society and Fraunhofer Society, industry leaders from corporations akin to Siemens, SAP SE, and Philips, and representatives from funding agencies including the European Research Council and national research councils like the German Research Foundation and the National Science Foundation (United States). Governance followed models observable at the European Central Bank advisory bodies and echoed procedures from the High Level Group on Innovation Policy. Chairs were senior officials with profiles similar to commissioners and rectors who previously engaged with the European University Association and the Council of European Academies.

Key Reports and Recommendations

The group's flagship reports articulated priorities that paralleled recommendations in documents produced by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the European Investment Bank, including proposals to enhance competitive funding via instruments modelled on the European Research Council, to strengthen mission-oriented research inspired by the Mission-oriented Innovation Policy framework, and to improve international partnerships with actors like CERN, European Space Agency, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and multilateral bodies such as WHO. Recommendations addressed talent mobility in lines resonant with the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, research infrastructure funding akin to ESFRI roadmaps, and governance reforms reflecting debates in the European Court of Auditors and the European Ombudsman.

Impact on EU Research and Innovation Policy

Elements of the group's agenda influenced the architecture of subsequent frameworks, contributing to policy shifts observed in the adoption of Horizon Europe design features, reinforced support for the European Research Council, and integration of mission-orientation and strategic autonomy concepts referenced by the European Commission leadership. Its proposals affected programming discussions involving the European Investment Bank, national ministries in Germany, France, and Italy, and stakeholders such as the European Institute of Innovation and Technology and the Joint Research Centre. The group's legacy is visible in funding reallocations, governance adjustments, and heightened emphasis on partnerships with international actors including the United Nations research initiatives and bilateral science agreements with United States agencies.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critics compared the group to earlier advisory bodies like the High Level Group on Industrial Technologies and raised concerns echoing debates around the Lisbon Strategy that recommendations favored established institutions such as the European Research Council and large corporations over smaller actors represented by entities like the European Cluster Alliance and regional authorities in the Committee of the Regions. Controversies included disputes over transparency similar to those faced by advisory groups to the European Central Bank, the balance between excellence and inclusion debated in forums such as the European University Association, and tensions with national research councils in Poland and Hungary over budgetary priorities. Observers from think tanks including the Bruegel and Centre for European Reform questioned the practical implementability of some proposals amid geopolitical shifts exemplified by interactions with NATO partners and global funding realignments.

Category:European Union research policy