The European research community meets in Vienna to discuss innovation and international cooperation

On 13 and 14 April 2015, this year's edition of the annual Science Europe High Level Workshop took place in Austria. The event was attended by representatives of the 52 Science Europe Member Organisations, including the French National Research Agency (ANR), as well as European ministers and the European Commission. Discussions focused on the implementation of the European Research Area.

The event was organised by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy (BMWFW) and Science Europe.

Two main topics were on the agenda for participants:

Emphasis was placed on strengthening European competitiveness as a common goal, as well as the importance of investing in science and research to enable the European community to face societal challenges together. Discussions also addressed the need to exchange knowledge and foster cooperation within the European Research Area (ERA) so as to improve Europe's capacity for innovation. Issues with an international dimension, such as climate change, require the pooling of resources and efforts at global level, reaching beyond Europe's borders. The mechanisms for this type of international cooperation were discussed.

Since 2011, ANR has been a member of Science Europe, a Brussels-based association that comprises 52 research funding and research performing organisations from 27 European countries. The aim of the association is to promote the collective interests of its members and to encourage cross-border collaboration between them. Science Europe works closely with the European Commission, particularly regarding the development of the ERA, and is a strong voice in Europe on science policy issues. ANR's President and CEO is a member of the Science Europe Governing Board, which is composed of around ten eminent figures.

ANR is also a key player in European cooperation in the area of scientific research; it is involved in forums and European networks and has developed bilateral and multilateral partnerships to facilitate cooperation between researchers.

Caption: Michael Matlosz, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Nakita Vodjdani, Representative for European and International Affairs, represented ANR at this event.

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