(March 5th) Many scientists complain about the administrative burden of writing a proposal for research funding. Usually, a flood of pages needs to be filled with bloodcurdling specifications. This way, precious time is wasted on bureaucracy that would be better spent in the laboratory. To make a future change, the initiative “Trust Researchers” has recently started a declaration to the attention of the European Council of Ministers and the Parliament.
The declaration requests “a general trust in the accountability of output-oriented scientists in order to provide reliable funding for future development in Europe”. Furthermore, the stakeholders require the acceptance of certain risks that are inevitable in expressing research approaches. “We all know that research outcome is generally uncertain - that is the nature of science. Politicians should give us a chance to demonstrate our accountability.”
The initiative was started by Sabine Herlitschka, Vienna, Olivier Küttel, Bern, Willem Wolters, Maastricht, Gülsün Sağlamer, Istanbul, and Erika Szendrak, Budapest, lately representing the Expert Group, concerning University-based research funding, that came up with the idea of streamlined funding (Nature 463: 999). An achievement already made is the fact that influential elements of the European Parliament responsible for budget and research are sympathetic to simplification.
To date, a total number of 3,901 scientists from all over Europe have signed the declaration. The largest attendance comes from Austria, where 815 people signed in, and, of course, one of the founders of the declaration comes from. Whereas the other founding countries are not as well represented, showing Switzerland with 197, The Netherlands 89, Turkey 11 and Hungary 71 signatures. The United Kingdom shows the second highest signature number, including 517 scientists. Interestingly, Germany is underrepresented, having only 159 counts. What is the reason for this? Is the declaration only little-known here or are Germans far too accustomed to bureaucracy?
The new EU-research commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn already stated the necessity for more streamlined funding processes. She deserves political support from EU-member states for a change towards leaving behind red tape and cumbersome regulations. A simplification would meet the interests of both parties - scientists and funding organisations.
By signing in on their platform (www.trust-researchers.eu) you ask the European Council of Ministers and the Parliament to simplify the administrative procedures and the financial provisions of European research funding.
Those who want to help simplify European research funding can sign the declaration at: www.trust-researchers.eu/index.php?file=insert.php
Silke Engels
(Photo: iStockphoto / aldegonde)