Defending Freedom, Advancing Assessment: European Academies Convene in Warsaw

Highlights and takeaways from the gathering:

1. Solidarity with Ukraine: Reaffirming the 10-Point Action Plan

The week opened with a critical side event hosted by the European Fund for Displaced Scientists (EFDS), titled “Supporting the Ukrainian research ecosystem through international exchange and collaboration.” Which resulted in a joint appeal, officially reaffirming the 10-point Action Plan originally adopted in 2022 by the academies of Ukraine, Poland, the U.S., the UK, Germany, Denmark, and ALLEA (the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities).

2. Reforming Research Assessment with CoARA

Shifting focus to systemic academic reform, a side event hosted by the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) targeted the challenges of the current status quo. Participants exchanged concerns and best practices, uniting around a shared vision for the future:

Holistic & Fair: Moving away from rigid metrics toward qualitative evaluation.
Flexible yet Feasible: Ensuring assessment frameworks can adapt across disciplines without placing an undue administrative burden on researchers.

3. ALLEA Public Conference: Trust, Integrity, and Resilience

At the ALLEA Public Conference, “Towards a Future of European Research Area: Boosting Trust, Integrity and Resilience,” leaders urged the community to stand firm in its values. Robbert Dijkgraaf, President-Elect of the International Science Council, delivered a resonant reminder on the necessity of open borders in science: Open science and collaboration are vital especially in times of global tensions—we must actively avoid paranoia and naivety alike.

The conference concluded on a high note with the presentation of the Madame de Staël Prize to Maria Leptin, President of the European Research Council (ERC), honoring her as a true champion of academic freedom. Nobel laureate Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard delivered the laudatory speech.

4. Defining the Boundaries of Academic Freedom

Academic freedom was also at the centre during the dedicated meeting of the European Young Academies. Delegates emphasised that academic freedom is a foundational requirement for robust science, rather than an elite privilege.

It was clarified that academic freedom should not be equated with absolute freedom of speech, as it remains strictly constrained by scientific methodologies and rigorous ethical standards. To address growing political and economic threats, three parallel workshops analysed these pressures through distinct lenses:

• Political & Administrative factors
• Technological & Economic factors
• Social & Ethical factors
   

5. Looking Ahead: Empowering Youth in Policy

The intensive week wrapped up with a meeting of YASAS (Young Academies Science Advice Structure). Discussions focused on the future of science communication and advisory roles, specifically on how the next generation of early-career researchers can be better recognised, encouraged, and rewarded for their contributions to European science-for-policy frameworks.

Many thanks to the Polish Young Academy and the Polish Academy of Sciences for hosting these great events at the Staszic Palace and Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw!