Coimbra Group promotes Research Matters campaign

Go back

Coimbra Group promotes Research Matters campaign

13 May 2024

The Research Matters campaign is an initiative dedicated to mobilizing and uniting the European research and innovation community. We aim to raise awareness of the crucial role research plays in shaping our future and addressing global challenges, and advocate for increased investment in research and innovation.

The Coimbra Group took part in the launch of the Research Matters campaign, a collaboration between European universities, research organizations, funding agencies, industry partners, and communication professionals across Europe. We seek to reach decision-makers, stakeholders across various sectors, media, and citizens at local, national, and European levels. The campaign is hosted by EUPRIO, European Association of Communication Professionals in Higher Education, together with the Coimbra Group and the following partners: CESAER, EASSH, EUA, The Guild, Eurotech, EU-Life, LERU, Science Europe, UniLion, Yerun and the University of Bergen.

The campaign will be advocating for more funding for research and development (R&D) as important steps for societal advancement. We call for:

Increase in R&D investments, reaching over 3% of the GDP within the European Union and throughout all European countries
Doubling the budget for the EU’s next research programme, FP10, and protecting that budget by ring-fencing it.

Why research matters

Research and innovation (R&I) play a pivotal role in shaping our society and securing Europe’s standing in the global science and technology sector. R&I helps to make informed decisions and counter misinformation, empowering individuals with the knowledge needed to navigate complex issues. Humans are curious beings who seek to acquire knowledge, and science aids us in understanding the world around us.

With a call for a significant increase in research budgets, the aim is to foster innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness across various sectors such as industry, economy, and social development.

The empowerment aspect of research is profound, especially when considering the multitude of complex challenges our societies currently face, such as climate change, cybersecurity, digitalization (AI), environmental and energy crises, threats to democracy and security, and pandemics. Solutions in these critical areas are urgently needed. Therefore, investing in research and adopting a long-term perspective are essential for driving development and innovation. This, in turn, equips us to navigate not only current and future challenges but also those unforeseen.

This European-wide campaign is set to mobilize and unify the research and innovation community, aiming to engage with policymakers, stakeholders, and the media. This initiative is crucial for raising awareness about the crucial role of research in sculpting our future and addressing global challenges. By increasing investments in research and research-driven innovation, we are investing in the very future of Europe.

Join our campaign!

This is how you can take part:

Talk about the benefits of research and innovation
Show the benefits of research, innovation and long-term thinking, using the hashtag #ResearchMatters on social media
Write op-eds about the need for more investment in research and innovation. View statements and media coverage of the issues on this page
Follow us on X/Twitter and Linkedin to get updates and share our stories.

Coming soon: