ESIB Statement on Research

It has always been necessary to have a close link between the development of new
knowledge and education. At the same time, the commercialisation of research
results and the commodification of research more generally is threatening the free
development of knowledge and creating gaps between those higher education
institutions that are closely linked to research and those institutions, departments
and faculties that do not have the resources to do research on their own.

Research and higher education

ESIB strongly believes in the development of individuals through higher education,
and in this sense we feel that achieving their full potential in their own personal
development is of utmost importance and is closely linked to the quality of curricula
and HEIs as such. In this regard, ESIB considers the link between research and
teaching a crucial one. All higher education students should be able to expect a
curriculum drawing on established and current research conducted in the field of
study to ensure that creative and innovative ways of thinking and doing are
transmitted to those – including students – who quite rightly understand this as part
of higher education.

Students need up-to-date, first-hand experience from staff that interacts within the
research arena at local, regional, national and international levels. In practice this
should mean that all teaching staff in higher education should have the opportunity
to undertake research in their field of study.

Research and higher education institutions

ESIB believes that all higher education institutions should strive to realise their
potential to the best of their capabilities. In this sense, ESIB supports the
achievement of excellence in higher education institutions as used by governments
and research intensive institutions. However, excellence often implies elitism, which
ESIB strongly opposes. ESIB does not in any way support a perspective of having a
limited number of institutions recognised as ‘excellent’ and thus receiving significant
amounts of financial resources and top human resources, at the expense of other
institutions and their students.

When institutions or individuals carry out research, they should be able to benefit
from the investment. However, it should be clear that whilst encouraging this, it
should not develop in such a way that only the researchers who are doing applied or
commercially viable research are able to work.

HEI’s were created as a venue for new and original thought to develop; this pure
research should be given a key place in the community. Even research conducted in
institutions separate from higher education institutions should be transferred to
students in the specific field of study. All public research facilities and institutions
have to be fully open and linked to the HEIs and have to be committed both to the
development of new knowledge and education. In the future development of
research in Europe, ESIB see HEIs, and most specialized separate research
institutions, as primary centres of research.

Research and funding

ESIB believes that universal research funding should be available where actual or
potential research performance is shown, so that all HEI or individuals are eligible to
apply for and can expect some degree of research funding. The funding must
recognise potential as well as excellence and should be distributed in such a way that
it provides the higher education institutions with possibilities for sustainable
development of their research strategy. However, development funding should also
be available to ensure the research involvement of institutions not belonging to elite
networks. There should also be clear systems for separating research and teaching
funding to ensure that neither is under-funded.

It should be emphasised that public funding should be the key source of funding,
ensuring the role of higher education as a public good as defined in the Prague
Communiqué of Ministers of Education in May 2001. When there is private funding,
ESIB sees a need for protective systems to be put in place to ensure academic
freedom and act as a safeguard against bias in academic endeavour as well as to
ensure that costs are not passed onto the student.

Research and the creation of a Europe of Knowledge

ESIB stresses the importance of research in human and social studies and the need
for increasing the number of researchers. Human and social sciences play a
significant role in understanding and developing societies and their role in creation of
Europe of knowledge must not be underestimated. The development of a Europe of
knowledge must not depend solely on developing the technical and natural sciences.
ESIB calls for all stakeholders to recognise the importance of equal treatment of
human and social sciences and the necessity to develop them at the same pace with
the technical and natural sciences.

Aside from the number of research funds, the easy and equal accessibility of
knowledge is crucial for the creation of a Europe of Knowledge. Although most
research is publicly funded, even public research is not publicly accessible. ESIB
claims that in addition to the possible publication of research articles in journals
there should be an open and free of charge publication, for example, in an European
scientific knowledge database on the internet.

Women in research

ESIB strongly supports initiatives to raise the number of female researchers. While
ESIB acknowledges that there is a significant difference in numbers of women and
men involved in science and research, ESIB does not feel that this can be solved
solely by introducing gender quotas. Steps need to be taken to fight the prejudice
against women in research and to change the structures within the academic
community that excludes women. Negative attitudes towards women in the culture
of academia must be challenged. Efficient systems of counseling and advice for high
school students as well as information on the different possibilities of studies, need
to be put in place.

Students in research and science

Involving the students in research will be one mean to increase the number of
researchers and scientists in Europe. Students have to have the possibility to be
involved in research projects to their own benefit as well as making a contribution to
the work of the mentoring researcher. To adequately fulfill these requirements,
further resources both in funding and human resources are needed.

Students and the development of research

ESIB strongly believes that the students should be seen as an equal partner in the
entire academic community, including the research area. Students very often
perform research are in frequent contact with research and researchers, and are the
researchers of tomorrow. The quality of our education will play a significant role
throughout our working life, and the contact student have with researches can be a
contributing when choosing further career path.

This statement was adopted at the 46th Board Meeting in Banja Luka, Bosnia-
Herzegovina, April 2004