EU-LIFE 10th anniversary: envisioning research centres of the future

EU-LIFE, the alliance of research institutes advocating for excellent research in Europe, celebrates its 10^th anniversary with the conference Envisioning future research centres

The EU-LIFE objective is to imagine how the places where research takes place shall be in the future to empower scientists, promote ground-breaking discoveries and actively engage with society.

Members and leaders of the scientific community, as well as policymakers, are invited to join the event. It will be held on 6-7 June 2023 and hosted by the distinguished Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, Portugal. The programme includes inspirational sessions and keynote talks on proactivity, creativity, collaboration and multidisciplinarity.

“The first ten years of EU-LIFE were a fantastic ride. Now we want to create opportunities to go beyond the practical approach of everyday life and imagine what the ideal places to do science can be. The goal of this conference is to inspire researchers and professionals in the interface of science and policymakers and to provide them with time and space to imagine our future creatively,” said Mónica Bettencourt-Dias, Chair of EU-LIFE and Director of Instituto Gulbenkian Ciência (IGC).

Initiatives to enhance research centres

A poster session is also being organised to provide a platform to showcase initiatives that are enhancing research organisations. The call for posters is open to the scientific community, particularly to early career researchers and professionals working in the interface of science, such as project managers, tech transfer officers, communications specialists, grants coordinators and HR professionals.

Poster abstracts will be admitted until mid-February. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to): the research places of the future; research culture & environment; research facilities & services; research governance; and success stories in science (scientific discoveries, knowledge transfer, community building, etc.).

During the event, there will also be time to highlight the most impactful EU-LIFE activities to date, as well as its vision for the future.

‘We are immensely proud of EU-LIFE’s first ten years of work towards excellence in research and of our success in being a voice for independent research institutes in European policy’

“We are immensely proud of EU-LIFE’s first ten years of work towards excellence in research and of our success in being a voice for independent research institutes in European policy. Expanding the alliance with new members and broadening the interaction with the scientific community at large and other players in the research ecosystem, as well as citizens, are some of our immediate priorities,“ said Marta Agostinho, Executive Director of EU-LIFE.

Utopia Research Institute launched in collaboration with Nature

In addition, the essay contest Utopia Research Institute will be launched soon in collaboration with Nature, with the aim to encourage reflection and generate new ideas on the ideal research institute. The contest will be open to all. The authors of the three best stories will be awarded a cash prize, a complimentary one-year subscription to Nature and an invitation, with paid travel, to present their essays at the ‘Envisioning the research centres of the future’ conference. Individuals interested in participating in the essay contest can subscribe to receive updates and tips on writing a good essay.

The winning essay will be considered for eventual publication in Nature

The winning essay will be considered for eventual publication in Nature, after editing. The ideas generated in the conference and the essay contest will be considered by EU-LIFE for future initiatives.

For more information, visit the conference web page https://eu-life.eu/10-years-conference, follow us on Twitter at @EULIFE_news & #10yearsEULIFE, and sign up for updates at https://eu-life.eu/essay-contest-mailing-sign-up

About EU-LIFE

EU-LIFE is an alliance of research centres whose mission is to support and strengthen European research excellence. EU-LIFE members are leading research institutes in their countries and are internationally renowned for producing excellent research, widely transferring knowledge and nurturing talent. Since its foundation in 2013, EU-LIFE has been a stakeholder in European policy, regularly participating in the EU policy dialogue.  More at: www.eu-life.eu