European Research Advisory Board formulates recommendations for evaluation of research proposals

Brussels, 28 May 2002

Following the positive vote in the European Parliament on 15 May, the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 (FP6) is likely to become fully operational in a few months. Discussions will now focus on the rules for participation, which will include the criteria and conditions applicable for the selection of projects for funding.

In this context, the European Research Advisory Board (EURAB), which advises the European Commission on European research policy, has just presented its first recommendations to the Commission on the topic of proposal evaluation (see enclosure ).

EURAB proposes a series of changes to the current evaluation system. Principal changes proposed include the abolition of anonymity of proposals and of evaluators and the decentralisation of much of the evaluation procedure (i.e. evaluators doing a certain amount of the work at home thereby spending less time in Brussels). EURAB also suggests differentiating between proposals for applied research and proposals of a basic/exploratory nature (e.g. through applying different weightings to evaluation criteria). It calls for building a new database of evaluators based principally on names recommended by national and European academic, research and industrial organisations, and underlines the importance of outreach (awareness- raising) activities to bring science to the broader public.

Although not directly linked to the evaluation procedure as such, EURAB also highlights the need to ensure that information about the excellent research centres in the pre-accession countries is made available in Member States.

Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin has welcomed the recommendations and stressed the importance of receiving an outside opinion from a high-level group of independent people who represent all facets of the production and use of new knowledge through RTD activities. Graham Stroud, Head of the Unit responsible for the elaboration of the evaluation guidelines for FP6 stated that many of the recommendations will be taken up in the new guidelines currently in preparation.

EURAB was established in June 2001 and its 45 members include some of Europe’s best known scientists and industrialists. Over the next year EURAB is expected to provide recommendations to the Commission on a number of issues such as the role of Universities in the European Research Area (ERA); Attractiveness of Scientific Careers; Investing in Research. Full details on EURAB members and activities can be found on: http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/eura b/index_en.html

For further information:

Prof. Dr. Helga Nowotny
ETH-Zentrum STW
Professur fuer Wissenschaftsphilosophie und Wissenschaftsforschung
Chairman of EURAB
E-mail: nowotny@wiss.gess.ethz.ch
Tel +41 1 632 52 30 - Fax +41 1 632 10 11

Elisabeth Jaskulké
Lyonnaise des Eaux - France
Head of European Technical Missions
Chairman of the EURAB working group
E-mail: elisabeth.jaskulke@lyonnaise-des-eaux.fr
Tel + 33 1 58 18 42 06 - Fax + 33 1 58 18 46 14