Stable research, innovation and education programmes are needed to build a competitive Europe

Following the high-profile Draghi and Letta reports, the Competitiveness Compass is the second von der Leyen Commission’s response to the challenges Europe is currently facing. It is a seminal document that intends to guide the future direction of EU policies in all dimensions, including in research, innovation and education. It does so by focusing  on leveraging investment to close the innovation gap - notably with regard to key strategic technologies - and cutting red tape for business, while staying on track to decarbonise the economy.

For Europe and its universities, future policies to boost competitiveness must consider the entire knowledge cycle, including basic research and interdisciplinary approaches, Open Innovation and Open Science. Top-down approaches should only be used in specific situations, while EU funding should guarantee a solid basis for cooperation across borders and take the needs of end users as its point of departure.

Likewise, the proposed Union of Skills must take a broad view on Europe’s current skills challenges. This should focus on key aspects such as lifelong learning, equity, diversity and inclusion, and transnational education.

A common European Competitiveness Fund would be a big and bold step, unifying EU programmes across the board. That said, flagship European initiatives such as the EU framework programme for R&I and Erasmus+ are not just about funding. They both foster higher education and research mobility, capacity building and collaboration within Europe and internationally. Indeed, these programmes are invaluable assets towards Europe’s competitiveness. Therefore, they must continue to exist as individual entities with their own identity and community.

While the details about the proposed Competitiveness Fund are still vague, it is crucial that funding for research, innovation and education is ring-fenced so that beneficiaries know that it will not be directed to other purposes. While programmes for research, innovation and education need sufficient funding and simplification, it is also vital that they are stable and predictable.

As the EU further develops its competitiveness policies over the coming years, EUA looks forward to contributing on behalf of its broad membership of universities from across the continent.