This report addresses the question of how to increase giving for research through foundations in Europe. Until now, relatively little attention has been paid by the EU institutions to the role played by foundations that fund research activities in boosting Europe’s overall level of investment in R&D. These organisations however represent an important source of funding for some research activities, and could potentially be an important element in the EC strategy to create a European Research Area. In addition, research foundations have a qualitative impact on the direction and nature of research that is undertaken in Europe....Foundations...are private entities serving public goals and their distinctive characteristics allow them to add value to European research activities and add dimension to research funding. Their role needs to be seen in a broader context of social and political change in Europe whereby in today’s advanced civil society the state is no longer considered the only guardian of the public interest. This is why it is increasingly accepted that foundations have a role in promoting public benefit research.
Also see today's press release announcing the report:
The role of philanthropy to fund research has been analysed by an expert group set
up by the European Commission. The group considers in the final report “Giving
More for Research in Europe” that too little attention is paid to the role of
foundations and other philanthropic bodies in the field of research. Their potential
to raise and channel additional funds for research should be better exploited. To
this effect, the group makes a series of recommendations addressed to foundations
themselves as well as to public authorities at national and EU level. This report is
a first step in the work towards placing research at the heart of philanthropic
activities....[T]he report proposes to establish a “European Forum of Research Foundations” to share experience, review best practices and promote co-operation among foundations funding research.
Comment. Currently, the Wellcome Trust has the strongest OA policy of any research funder in the world, public or private. The policy Congress asked the NIH to adopt was equivalent in strength but diluted by lobbying. The policy the House of Commons recommended and the RCUK initially drafted was equivalent in strength but is now, apparently, being diluted by lobbying. (The final form of the RCUK policy has not yet been announced.) The argument for OA to publicly-funded research is clear and compelling, but in practice private foundations may find it easier than public agencies to mandate OA to funded research. We should support the EC drive to persuade more private foundations to fund research. We should talk directly with the major foundations about putting OA conditions on their grants, as the Wellcome Trust does. As the EC collects best practices for private funders of research, we should be ready to demonstrate that OA promotes the interests of the foundations, researchers, and the public.
Posted by
Peter Suber at 1/21/2006 01:08:00 PM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
