Yesterday, the Rector of the University of Barcelona, Joan Guàrdia, and the Catalan Minister for Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat, inaugurated the First International Research Congress. Over two days, the meeting will explore the present and future role of universities as generators of knowledge, especially those research-intensive such as the UB. During the opening session, the Secretary-General of the League of European Research Universities ( LERU ), Kurt Deketelaere, reviewed the main challenges facing the European Union's research and innovation policy.
Deketelaere stated that 2026 is a key year for defining the continent's innovation and research model for the next decade. Currently, the Next Framework Programme for research and innovation (FP10), as well as the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) and the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the 2028-2034 period, are being negotiated at community level. The outcome of these negotiations will determine the course the EU takes in a context marked by global competition with China and the United States and by technological transformation, at a time when strategic clarity and investment in knowledge, talent and innovation are essential.
Deketelaere detailed the role of networks such as LERU, which acts as a liaison with EU institutions to strengthen the role of research and innovation across Europe. In his speech, the LERU Secretary-General also spoke about the importance of scientific collaboration, the threats looming over academic freedom and scientific diplomacy, "an absolute priority."
