Research-Intensive Universities Serving Society
This publication is LERU’s contribution to shaping the EU research, innovation and education policy agenda for the period 2024-2029, a period which promises to be challenging in many ways. Important EU international discussions need to take place on membership, funding, defense, etc. At the same time, a number of global challenges will need continued reflection action: wars, health, migration, digitalisation, fake news, and many more.
How can research universities, like the LERU member institutions, best help the European Union, and 21st century society, in general to cope with all these challenges? We believe by serving society: by training excellent students, performing outstanding research, forging scientific breakthroughs, producing new products and services, building science-policy-society interfaces, etc. In a nutshell, by engaging with society, stimulating innovation and creating societal added value.
With this publication, we present a number of LERU messages, recommendations and solutions based on the views and policy papers that our association has built up carefully over the past 20 years.
Read the full Briefing Paper and discover our dedicated webpage covering LERU's 16 key messages and some of the many examples which vividly illustrate cutting-edge research at LERU universities.