Europe

American dominance in biomedical research is shrinking, as international collaboration becomes ever more prominent

As the national assembly gathers to vote on higher education rules that could force the Central European University to close, CEU alumna Zsuzsanna Végh says the EU cannot allow a member state to undermine intellectual freedom and academic autonomy

Despite a massive show of solidarity, the parliament has approved new conditions for foreign universities operating in Hungary that are seen as directly targeting CEU

The arrival of European Research Council (ERC) grants means that for the first time there is competition between European Universities in different member states. “Before they couldn’t care less; they were stuck in their own country,” Helga Nowotny, President of the ERC, told the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Washington, DC. The arrival of competition is forcing universities to change, and do more to support younger scientists.

A mandatory reporting system for nano-enabled products in commercial use across the US and EU is essential to managing the risks of nanomaterials, says a report.

The EU has expanded its support for innovation in response to the economic crisis. But no new funds will flow until 2010.

The EIT has published the call for proposals for its first two or three Knowledge and Innovation Communities, which are to be selected by the end of January 2010.