EUA commits to ERA actions and looks forward to member states’ commitments

Given the importance of ERA for European R&I and the European University Association’s long-standing commitment to its advancement, EUA has expressed its commitment to all 18 actions of the new ERA. In addition, EUA considers 11 of these actions (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13, 16 and 20) to be of utmost priority. Therefore, the Association has strongly recommended including these in the ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024.

EUA looks forward to the announcement of the commitments made by member states and hopes that these commitments meet the expectations of R&I stakeholders, and even more importantly, the great challenges faced by European R&I. EUA stands ready to move forward with the new ERA and to work on its implementation with all parties of the ERA Forum.

Over many years, EUA has been strongly committed to ERA. As the representative body of European universities and national rectors’ conferences, the Association has been a formal partner in shaping ERA since 2012 and has provided input on the renewal process. EUA welcomed the process in a position in March 2020, responded to the Commission communication in October 2020 and published a policy input in December 2020 in response to the Council conclusions on the new ERA.

In October 2021, EUA, together with other European research and innovation organisations, published an open letter addressed to the EU institutions expressing the need to include R&I stakeholders in the governance of the new ERA. The Association therefore welcomed the inclusion of stakeholders through sectorial representation in the ERA Forum for Transition since March 2022. Through its effective coordination, the contribution of the university sector has been constructive. We now see the invitation to stakeholders who have engaged in the new ERA to express their commitments towards the ERA actions as a valuable step.