Nobelists urge von der Leyen to create dedicated research role

Nobel laureates across several scientific disciplines have called on Ursula von der Leyen to “make research and innovation a prominent and standalone portfolio for the next College of Commissioners”, as the re-elected European Commission president prepares to hand out posts for her second term.

The Initiative for Science in Europe has published an open letter to Ms von der Leyen, signed by 19 Nobelists. Applauding the president’s pledge to “put research and innovation at the heart of our economy”, with stated plans including increased research funding and an expanded European Research Council, the letter urges her to “nominate a strong supporter of research as the next Commissioner for research and innovation, a person who has the leadership quality to implement the ambitious strategy that you outlined at the EU level”.

Stating that “Europe is not keeping up with its main competitors in research funding”, the open letter warns that the region could lose its “competitive edge” in the absence of a “clear focus on enhancing European research and securing a leading position for Europe in research and technology”.

Statistics published last year indicate that the European Union spent 2.24 per cent of its GDP on research and development in 2022, outstripped by South Korea at 4.93 per cent, the United States at 3.46 per cent, Japan at 3.34 per cent and China at 2.41 per cent.

Among the signatories of the open letter is the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine laureate Katalin Karikó, the Hungarian-American biophysicist who was honoured alongside immunologist Drew Weissman for research that facilitated the creation of mRNA vaccines against Covid-19.

Other recent Nobel winners adding their names to the letter include Emmanuelle Charpentier and Morten Meldal, awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020 and 2022 respectively; the physicist and 2021 recipient Giorgio Parisi; and the economist Guido Imbens, also recognised in 2021.

The Bulgarian economist Iliana Ivanova was appointed European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth in 2023. Last month, she announced on social media that she would not continue in the role, citing “personal reasons”.

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com