2018 in a nutshell

2018 HIGHLIGHTS:

EUROPEAN SCIENCE POLICY

EU-LIFE is well positioned in EC policy (EC officer, EC meeting, October 2016)

• EU-LIFE active in EC stakeholders’ platforms: ERA and Open Science Policy
• 4 EU-LIFE Statements papers: Horizon Europe budget; Horizon Europe missions; Call for action research infrastructures; Reaction to Plan S
• 3 EC Consultations: Multi-Financial Framework, Missions, European Health Council
• 4 Contributions to EC reports: OSPP general recommendations to EU Council, new metrics for research evaluation, citizen science, ERA stakeholders’ platform monitoring
• 25 meetings & events including with EC’s Director General of Research & innovation and Carlos Moedas’ cabinet 
• LifeTime: successfully passed to second stage
• EU-LIFE public session on “Shaping the future of research”: “Advocating for research in Europe (Stephen Kuster, Science Europe); The future of research evaluation (Paul Wouters, Leiden University; and panel discussion) (October, Barcelona)
• Organization of European Science Open Forum (ESOF) session “Gender equality: A case for cultural change in life sciences” (July, Toulouse)

INSTITUTIONAL PRACTICE AND EXPERTISE 

It is invaluable that I can discuss with peers’ common issues and tap into their collectively expertise to solve our problems. I have tried this in the past with other organizations at the national and EU level, but only with EU-LIFE it has been successful. (Respondent EU-LIFE survey, October 2017)

• EU-LIFE scientific workshop “Precision Medicine” (May, Paris)
• LIBRA Workshop on sex and gender dimension in research (September, Cambridge)
• Sustainability of gender actions @EU-LIFE: plan of sustainability drafted and creation of a new EU-LIFE working group on gender balance
• TedEx Tech Transfer initiative - 5 pitches to VC professionals (October, Barcelona)
• 2 events to build institutional capacity (EU-LIFE participation at CTLS conference (core facilities); Workshop on writing the impact section of H2020 grants)
• Drafting and sharing Marie Slodovska Curie Actions (MSCA) “gold standard document”
• EU-LIFE Strategy & Community meetings

EU-LIFE STRATEGY

• New EU-LIFE Chairs mandate
• Renewed mission statement
• EU-LIFE Expansion Plan – development of concept
• Set up of EU-LIFE task forces (5)
• Recruitment of EU-LIFE Communications officer  
• 1st Directors retreat