P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F P R E S S E U R O C H A M B R E S / F L I C K R ( C C B Y 2 . 0 )

elaborate on these challenges to be able to propose a suitable strategy for future research funding from the European Commission.

With an area of 10 million square kilometers and a population of 740 million, Europe is a substantial region of prosperity and development. Many EU countries lead in rankings of prosperity, education, digitalization, equality, and low corruption.

Investment in research and innovation has been substantial and recognized as important for the development of the society, for ensuring a high level of skills, and for contributing to the creation of jobs and growth, albeit not to the extent demonstrated by North America or South East Asia.

With just 7% of the world’s
population and 24% of
global GDP, the EU produc-
es approximately 30% of the
world’s scientific publica-
tions. 4 Several European
Horizon 2020 that focuses
on scientific impact was
prioritized particularly
through the ERC program
for funding excellent basic
research. This turned Eu-
rope into an attractive arena
to develop research careers
and thus strengthening
European research quality
and performance.

Trends and Needs
for Future
European Research

Some of the most prevalent trends and needs that may influence future research and innovation throughout Europe include the following:

˲ Societal challenges of importance and acuteness. The

EC has conducted activities
to foster mission-driven sci-
ence and innovation based
on the activities by Maz-
countries are leading the
research investment compe-
tition as a share of the coun-
try’s GDP—after the three
top countries Israel, Korea,
and Japan—with Europe at

2.03% and Sweden leading in Europe with investments of 3.26% of the GDP.a In the Lamy report, 4 we argued for a European target of 3%.

However, the business economy in high-tech sectors and PCT patent applications per-million population both show a lower growth rate in Europe than in U.S. Hence, Europe must focus on innovation and investigate the mechanisms within its society that prevent development on a scale the same as the U.S.

The EU funding program a UNESCO Institute for Statistics;

http://bit.ly/2R7q2jg

OUR SOCIETY IS currently undergoing several big changes that pose challenges and opportunities for the future. The increasing digitalization and automation, the growing globalization, and improved financial durability offer many excellent opportunities for development. There is more research funding in the system than ever before. On the other hand, our society is vulnerable; we have challenges in relation to inequality, an environment put under severe stress, and more hostile tendencies than we have seen in a long time, despite the good times and economic growth. In our work at the European Commission Independent High Level Group on Maximizing the Impact of EU Research & Innovation Programmes, 4 we try to understand and

I foresee a time when learning
is a lifelong commitment,
with people spending 10%–20%
of their work time continuing
their education in order to learn
new skills and make oneself
relevant as the future unfolds.
Incorporating Europe’s
Values in Future Research

BY JAN GULLIKSEN
Research | DOI: 10.1145/3310328