Strasbourg: 28 September 2020
PRESS CONFERENCE: impact of COVID-19 and budget cuts on the next generation of EU researchers
The new coronavirus outbreak, which led to the global pandemic, has had a negative impact on researchers, the progression of their work, and their careers. Due to lockdowns, many researchers lost full access to their research institutions or had to stay at home for family care. The strain induced by this situation will be worsened by the recent budget cuts; we expect that, if not amended, this will inevitably have significant consequences on young researchers already affected by the COVID19 pandemic. In addition, and sadly ironically, not a cent of the 750 Billion EUR from the Next Generation EU fund will be invested in supporting the next generation or EU researchers.
On Monday 28th of September at 11am CEST, The Young Academy of Europe (YAE), Eurodoc, and the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA), supported by Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE), presented their analyses about the impact in a press conference.
The speakers from the three young researchers’ organisations, Giulia Malaguarnera (Eurodoc), Gemma Modinos (YAE), and Mostafa Shawrav (MCAA), have been supported by Jean-Pierre Bourguignon (President of ERC), Francesco Sette (Director general ESFR), and MEP Lina Galvez Muñoz.
They made the case for European institutions to invest more ambitiously in their most precious resource, young scientists, who will be the backbone of future European research and innovation.
Download the speech of:
Watch the video on YouTube [LINK]
Download the factsheet about budget cuts [LINK]
For press inquiries, contact marco.masia@initiative-se.eu
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About ISE
ISE represents major European Learned Societies and Research Organisations in Europe operating within different disciplines and across sectors. Active in the policy debate at the European level, ISE has been instrumental in promoting disruptive excellence-based funding programmes for scientific research such as the ERC.
Website: https://initiative-se.eu; Twitter: @ISE_news