The Symposium of the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (All European Academies – ALLEA) "Transforming Science. Pathways Towards Sustainability and Trustworthiness" took place on 11th and 12th May at the Academy Palace in the heart of the Belgian capital. This event also took place on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts of Belgium.
 Academy Palace, Brussels, May 2022 |
The event addressed topical issues in the fields of science, society, and politics and ensuring to the operation of platforms for international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral debates. The symposium was attended by leading scientists, politicians of the European Union, and representatives of the European academic community. The National Academy of Sciences was represented by its President academician Anatolii Zahorodnii, and expert in one of the areas of ALLEA "Towards Climate Sustainability in Academia", Head of Department of Chemical and Information Analysis of NASU V.I. Vernadskyi Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry Dr. Kateryna Pershyna). In his speech, the President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine spoke about the state of science and scientists during the warfare, about the damage which was caused by this war but did not suspend the scientific activities of the Academy, and called on the scientific community to fully support Ukrainian science.
All reports focused on the role of science and its transformation for the future, how science can influence politics and society in crises (COVID epidemics and the war in Ukraine) and fakes, as well as ways to develop cooperation between European Academies. This is what emphasized the president of ALLEA, Prof. Antonio Loprieno, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel, Member of the European Commission's Chief Scientific Advisers Prof. Eric Lambin, President of the European Research Council prof. Maria Leptin.
 Speech by Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth |
The debate in the section "Transforming Research Culture" resulted in the words of the President of ALLEA, Prof. Antonio Loprieno, in which he clearly outlined the future direction of such changes: "More cooperation, less competition".
 Debate on the transformation of research culture. From the right to the left: the President of ALLEA prof. Antonio Loprieno, prof. Tina Comes, Dr. Mark Schilz, President of the European Research Council prof. Maria Leptin, moderator of the debate |
The main direction of the panel "Towards Climate Sustainability in Academia", led by Prof. Astrid Eichhorn focuses on the study of the interaction of various stakeholders, namely universities, research institutions, individual scientists, students, financial institutions, rating agencies, conference organizers, and academies, learned society and professional bodies. Particular attention in this study pays to the potential of these parts, which they can use to move the academic system toward a more sustainable path.
Source: NASU V.I. Vernadskyi Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry