Joint webinar addresses the strengths of different national and regional science advice systems in Europa

ESAF (European Science Advisors Forum) and SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies) will organize a joint webinar that addresses strengths of different national and regional science advice systems in Europa on 17 June, 15:00–17:00 CEST.
The webinar will be held in Zoom. For joining please use the link.

This event is meant inter alia to mark that Antonio Loprieno, the president of the federation of European academies of science ALLEA, will take over the chairmanship of SAPEA from 15 June 2021. It is thus particularly convenient time for ESAF and SAPEA to discuss strong sides of different versions of science advice systems in Europa, and to search for common basis for cooperation.

Advice systems in different countries are based on greatly different institutions (chief scientist office, research council, academy of sciences, government officer, or single expert). On the one hand, all such systems have their strong sides that could be illuminating to others. On the other hand, there is no fit-for-all solution and diversity of systems of science advice is an extremely valuable asset.

Agenda

14:50–15:00Login to the Zoom
15:00–15:05Opening words.
Tarmo Soomere, ESAF chairman and Antonio Loprieno, SAPEA chairman
15:05–15:10Welcome.
Jacques Verraes, acting Head of Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) unit, the European Commission
15:10–15:15Welcome.
Prof Nicole Grobert, the Chair and Prof Nebojsa Nakicenovic, the Deputy Chair of the Group of Chief Science Advisors (GCSA) to the European Commission
15:15–15:35SAPEA: how to make European scientists become advisors
Prof Antonio Loprieno, President of ALLEA and chairman of SAPEA
15:35–15:50National science advice system based on chief scientist’s office.
Prof Peter Halligan, ESAF, Chief Scientist to Wales
15:50–16:05National science advice routine in Spain.
Prof Enric Banda, ESAF, Spanish Advisory Council on Science, Technology and Innovation
16:05–16:20Sectorial science advice systems: an example in the field of food and agriculture.
Dr Niels Halberg, Danish Centre for Food and Agriculture
16:20–16:35Insight into national science advice systems in Europa.
Kristian Krieger, Unit H1: Knowledge for Policy (Concepts and Methods), Joint Research Centre of the European Commission
16:35–16:55Strength via diversity: Discussion on developing resilience of national and regional science advice in Europa
16:55–17:00Wrap-up and closing

European Science Advisors Forum (ESAF) was established in 2014.

The European Science Advisors Forum is a non-formal network consisting of advisors, experts and scientists that hold advisory mandate from their Government and have a responsibility to provide scientific advice to their Government or help arranging it.

ESAF was convened by the EC Group of Chief Scientific Advisors. A big part of the members of the Forum are the leading scientists and heads of science academies of the member states. In addition there are also some representatives of Ministries and University professors whom their country has given the necessary mandate to.

From 1 July 2020, the chairman of ESAF is prof Tarmo Soomere, the President of the Estonian Academy of Sciences. (See https://esaforum.eu/).