Siegfried Reich

Trust Researchers – An initiative worthwhile supporting

March 2nd, 2010

Trust Researchers is a declaration to the attention of the European Council of Ministers and the Parliament.

The background (text taken from the declaration at http://www.trust-researchers.eu/index.php?file=background.htm):

“Currently research is funded according to many input oriented indicators.

At present the financial regulation – the relevant legal funding framework – treats research in similar way as procurement processes for any goods.

This condition is unsatisfying for researchers, research organisations and the European Community as a whole. It hinders the development of ground-breaking results through ineffective research funding.

The funding of European research should be based on trust. Today European researchers face many red tape and cumbersome financial regulations. We are not against rules. Rules are important and accountability is essential. However, research has to be funded in recognition of the nature of research, thus, the financial regulation and associated rules have to be adapted to primarily output oriented objectives and to conditions creating a transparent justification of costs.

What we need is a change in philosophy! ”

Interestingly, Austria currently leads with respect to the number of signees: see the excerpt form the official web site (http://www.trust-researchers.eu/index.php?file=background.htm) as of today (March 2nd, 2010) on the left. The right figure displays the list of countries in descending order:

At present, 3767 people have signed (March 2nd, 2010).

Entry Filed under: Europe,Politics,Sigi's Blogworld