UNICA Research meeting 2024 | Brussels, 2-3 December 2024
The UNICA Research meeting 2024 was hosted by Vrije Universiteit Brussel on 2-3 December 2024 and gathered in Brussels approx. 25 Vice Rectors for Research and Research Officers from UNICA member universities.
Main topics of the meeting
- How UNICA and UNICA members can better contribute to policy shaping in the European Research & Innovation landscape;
- Tackling urban challenges with European R&I funding;
- Research infrastructure: sharing good practices, considering collaboration and improving research infrastructure access;
- Objectives and work plan for UNICA Research.
The meeting provided the participants with a space for fruitful and dynamic exchanges around the selected topics, open discussions on concrete suggestions, and sharing expectations as to what the Working Group should deliver and can realistically achieve.
The meeting featured insightful and very informative contributions from the two keynote speakers from the EC Joint Research Center: Emanuela BELLAN, Head of Unit Member States Partnerships and International Relations; Koen JONKERS, Head of Unit for Scientific Development Programmes. A presentation by Sophia VLIEGER DE OLIVEIRA, Policy Assistant at the JRC, offered a detailed overview of the opportunities provided by the New European Bauhaus. The complex framework of the European Research Area was explained in detail through a pre-recorded presentation by Vinciane GAILLARD, Acting Director for Research and Innovation, European University Association.
Many ideas and suggestions of activities were discussed around the main themes, including:
- Urban challenges: identification of joint European R&I opportunities to form consortia coordinated by one UNICA member; dissemination of projects’ results through UNICA;
- Research infrastructures (RI): consider how European universities alliances share their RI; gain a better understanding of the European RI landscape (access models, barriers, etc.);
- Contributing to policy-shaping through the European Research Area’s (ERA) actions 2025-2027: UNICA Research answered positively to the European University Association’s invitation to take part in stakeholders meetings. The VUB volunteers to become the UNICA SPOC for the “AI in science” ERA action, and other UNICA members could be interested. Further updates will follow, keeping in mind that the adoption of the next ERA Policy agenda 2025-2027 as a Council Recommendation is expected in Spring 2025;
- Objectives and work plan for UNICA Research: re-focusing on the questions framed in his presentation (see slides below) by Pieter Ballon, VUB Vice Rector for Research and Chair of UNICA Research, namely what is specific to UNICA as a network of universities located in capital cities of Europe.
Presentations
Introduction, proposed objectives and Work Plan for UNICA Research, by Pieter BALLON, Vice Rector Research, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Coordinator of UNICA Research
Session 1 – Tackling urban challenges with European R&I funding
- The New European Bauhaus Initiative, by Sophia VLIEGER DE OLIVEIRA, Policy Assistant, European Commission, JRC Unit B4 – New European Bauhaus
- The Academic Observatory for Cycling and Active Mobilities, by Julian RANDALL, Director Research Services, University of Lausanne
Members’ corner: “Priorities and proposals for future UNICA research activities”
- Alina Mihaela DIMA, Vice-Rector, Scientific Research, Development and Innovation, Bucharest University of Economic Studies – Slides
- Julian RANDALL, Director Research Services, University of Lausanne – Slides
Session 2 – Research infrastructure: sharing good practices, considering collaboration and improving research infrastructure access
- The Joint Research Centre, by Emanuela BELLAN, Head of Unit Member States Partnerships and International Relations, European Commission’s Joint Research Centre
- JRC Scientific Develoment Programmes, by Koen JONKERS, Head of Unit for Scientific Development Programmes, European Commission’s Joint Research Centre
Session 3 – Contributing to policy shaping: the European Research Area
- The European Research Area in 20’ (or so…), by Vinciane GAILLARD, Acting Director for Research and Innovation, European University Association
- Perspectives on the ERA actions, by Agnese RUSAKOVA, Senior Researcher, University of Latvia, FORTHEM Alliance and Expert, Council of Rectors of Latvia
- Perspectives on the ERA action on AI, by Elisa MAES, Head of Data Management, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Pictures from the meeting
List of participants


2-3 December 2024
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Contact
laura.brossico@unica-network.eu