EU investment in research and innovation at heart of discussions during visit by Director-General Lemaître
Marc Lemaître, Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate General for Research and Innovation, visited Turku on 28-29 August 2024 at the invitation of the Rectors of the higher education institutions and the City of Turku. During his visit, Director-General Lemaître participated in the Europe Forum and a stakeholder meeting on the implementation and future of the European Union's missions.
Director-General Lemaître's visit came at an important time for higher education institutions in the Turku region, as preparations have begun for the European Union's new Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. The programme is currently known as Framework Programme 10 (FP10) and its first proposal is expected to be published in the summer of 2025. Lemaître's visit provided an excellent opportunity for the University of Turku, Åbo Akademi University, Turku University of Applied Sciences and Novia University of Applied Sciences to contribute to the preparations of the Framework Programme by jointly highlighting priorities important for research and competitiveness.
Discussions focused on key values and strategic priorities for excellence
During his visit, Director-General Lemaître met with the Rectors, researchers and other personnel of the higher education institutions, as well as representatives of the City of Turku and the region's businesses. Discussions during the visit highlighted the values that are important to Turku's higher education institutions, such as academic freedom and high-quality research, and the importance of efficient infrastructure in promoting competitiveness and attracting highly skilled people to Europe. The focus was also on shared strategic priorities, such as solutions for new and sustainable technologies, digitalisation, and societal change and well-being, in which the higher education institutions of Turku excel.
Marc Lemaître with the Turku Rectors: Örjan Andersson, Marc Lemaître, Vesa Taatila, Mikael Lindfelt, Marjo Kaartinen
On Thursday, 29 August, a meeting with stakeholders was organised at the University of Turku to discuss the European Union's missions which aim to address identified global societal challenges. The missions consist of various research, development and innovation projects in which the higher education institutions and other actors in the Turku region have also had opportunities to participate. The meeting provided an opportunity for representatives of the different organisations to discuss with Director-General Lemaître the implementation of the missions as well as to share their views on the future of the missions and their place in the European Union's RDI field.
“We have a number of mission projects underway and see missions as a potential way to strengthen collaboration with local and international stakeholders and to accelerate the transfer of research results into practice. However, in order to realise their potential, it is important to ensure that their objectives are truly relevant to the needs of higher education institutions. This requires continuous dialogue and critical evaluation of how the missions serve the strategic objectives and interests of EU research and innovation and higher education institutions," says Anniina Jaako, Head of EU Affairs for the higher education institutions in Turku.
Faster, higher, stronger
Director-General Lemaître also visited the seventh annual Europe Forum, where he participated in a discussion organised by the University of Turku, Åbo Akademi University, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Novia University of Applied Sciences and the Turku-Southwest Finland European Office. The discussion focused on the critical and long-term objectives and needs of the European Union’s research and innovation policies and funding, and their impact on the promotion of overall security.
In his keynote speech and in the ensuing discussion, Lemaître highlighted Finland's pioneering role in the security discussions and in the funding of research, development and innovation. His main message on European security, competitiveness and research and innovation policy was summed up in the Olympic motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius" - faster, higher, stronger. According to President Lemaître, Europe needs to be faster and more agile in a rapidly changing world, to strive for higher levels of funding and quality in research and innovation, and to strengthen the application of research findings and the management of security risks in international research cooperation.