New report confirms; ESF networking instruments help bring European scientific community together

Strasbourg, 6 October 2005 – A new report today from Technopolis shows the success of ESF’s ongoing efforts to create and build effective networks among members of the European scientific community.

The report , entitled “Analysis of the Impact of ESF Instruments” and carried out by external consulting firm Technopolis, examines the role of ESF’s networking  instruments in forging closer ties between different members of the European scientific community. It concludes that each of the three distinct networking instruments offered by the ESF – Exploratory Workshops, Networks and à la carte Programmes – succeeded in building networks amongst participants that continued beyond the period covered by the instrument itself.

The evaluation is based on the analysis of documents and data but also on questionnaires and interviews with representatives of Member Organisations, participants of ESF instruments as well as unsuccessful applicants.

“I am very impressed by the approach taken by Technopolis in carrying out this study, and am delighted to see that, overall, the results are very positive,” said Dr. Richard Dyer, Vice-President of the ESF and a member of the Executive Board that commissioned the report. Dr. Dyer added that he was especially pleased to see that a generally positive impression of the ESF instruments was also held by those who had not been successful in applying for funding.

Strong bonds are formed by these networking instruments. In the case of Exploratory Workshops, 62% of respondents who had participated in a Workshop reported that their Workshop had submitted or expected to submit applications for further collaborative research. Significant numbers of participants in Networks also went on to apply (60%) and succeed or expect to succeed (49%) in securing further collaborative research funding. Similarly, 61% of participants in the à la carte Programmes reported that their projects led to applications for further collaborative research funding, with 51% managing to secure such additional funding.

Each instrument also occupies a specific space on the funding map. Exploratory Workshops, with their smaller budget (€15,000 per event) and reduced number of participants (rarely more than 30) make for highly focused events with lively, detailed discussions.

Networks constitute a middle point in terms of amount and length of funding; they are also less closely linked to nationally-funded research activities than the other instruments, which, the authors of the report suggest, “implies that the Network instrument provides researchers with a unique ‘space’ that is distinct from national funding priorities” and is a good example of the additionality that European funding can bring.

A la carte Programmes, with the increased level of funding that they offer (between €50,000 and €200,000 annually over five years) and the availability of exchange grants to finance up to six month placements, offer far greater support to junior researchers, yet still manage to build successfully on established networks. Many respondents were also keen to stress their view that the scale of each instrument is appropriate for its specific goals and that the level of funding is sufficient in each case.

“The co-ordination of deep drilling into the Antarctic ice cap, the ground-breaking European social survey, work on the challenges of femtochemistry and the integration of approaches for functional genomics are all examples of flagship activities supported by ESF instruments”, Dr Dyer said.  He also pointed out that the issue of integration was particularly important, adding that “defining common approaches, sharing and standardising methods, and creating common and compatible data sets is a crucial contribution to the advancement of science on a European scale – our instruments offer one of the few funding opportunities for such work to take place.”

“The positive feedback of this report does not mean that we can sit back and be complacent,” Dr. Dyer concluded. “This report is just one part of our preparations for the Strategy Plan 2006-2010 aiming to improve our services and build on our relationships with the scientific community at large.  It is essential that our instruments remain fit for purpose and continue to contribute to the advancement of the very best elements of European science.”

Contact

Dr. Nina Kancewicz-Hoffman

Category: Media Centre, Press Releases 2005