The League of European Research Universities celebrated its 20-anniversary discussing the contributions of academic institutions in building resilience and sustainability in society.
On the 19 and 20 May 2022, the 20th Anniversary Conference of the League of European Research Universities (LERU) took place in Leiden. LERU celebrated its anniversary at the University of Leiden, the city where LERU was founded twenty years ago. The conference was an opportunity to reflect on how academic institutions can contribute to build resilient and sustainable societies and highlighted the importance of basic research, international collaboration and the need to respect academic freedom.
Responding to the question about the contribution of academic institutions in building resilience and sustainability in society, Mariya Gabriel, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said that academic institutions had established global networks for many centuries that helped to shape the evolution of education and research systems. She further explained that universities contribute significantly to EU policy goals, such as the green and digital transformations. Professor Maria Leptin, President of the European Research Council (ERC), elucidated that research universities are the best place to develop the needed knowledge to confront current and upcoming challenges. She further highlighted the role of universities in supporting freedom in society. Christian Ehler, Member of the European Parliament, emphasised the importance of the “usefulness of useless knowledge” in fundamental research for technological uptake and for the benefit for resilient societies. He also specified that academic institutions, as an essence of fundamental knowledge, need to interact with the public and private sectors, and especially with the younger generation, to guarantee that society is aware of the importance of investing money in Research and Innovation.
Speakers also raised the concern that academic freedom is more and more under threat and requires better protection. Christian Ehler indicated that the Parliament plans to monitor academic freedom and wishes to include academic freedom into the Treaties of the European Union. At the end of the conference, the Leiden Principles were signed by university networks from around the world, representing in total 161 world-renowned, leading universities. The Leiden Principles foresee five principles – trust, diversity, openness, stewardship and freedom – that are considered essential if research-intensive universities are to help build resilient and sustainable societies.
Moreover, the programme of Leiden as the European City of Science 2022 was presented. The idea is to connect during 365 days science and society with local initiatives such as daily radio shows on science or scientific walks through Leiden. Besides, several major events are planned: Leiden is hosting the 10th edition of the EUROSCIENCE OPEN Forum (ESOF) 2022 from 13-16 July, the largest interdisciplinary meeting on science and innovation in Europe, and the 33rd edition of EU Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) from 13 to 18 September 2022. EUCYS is aimed at participants studying in any scientific field aged between 14 and 20 years. Projects need to be nominated by the national organiser in each participating country; in the case of Switzerland, it is the Swiss Youth in Science foundation. Additionally, the city will organise the first EU TalentOn for early career researchers between the ages of 21 and 35 years from all over Europe to find solutions to contribute to the objectives of the five EU Missions of Horizon Europe from 14 to 18 September 2022. The goal is to bridge the gap between young talent, science and industry, especially, during the European Year of Youth 2022.
Professor Karen Maex, outgoing Chair of LERU and Rector Magnificus of the University of Amsterdam, closed the conference and mentioned the 2008 LERU paper “What Are Universities For?”, which she still considers highly relevant today. As Karen Maex is stepping down as Rector Magnificus of the University of Amsterdam in summer 2022, LERU had to elect a new Board Member and a new Chair. Professor Yves Flückiger, Rector of the University of Geneva and President of swissuniversities, was elected as the new Chair of LERU, and professor Linda Doyle, Provost of Trinity College Dublin, as new Board Member. She is the third member of the Board of Directors, joining the professors Yves Flückiger and Bernhard Eitel of the University of Heidelberg.