Coimbra Group reaffirms strong support for the ERC at Copenhagen high-level event on frontier research
08 October 2025
On 7 October Coimbra Group renewed its call to strengthen and protect the European Research Council (ERC) at the high-level event “Competitiveness through Frontier Research”, held in Copenhagen under Denmark’s Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Ludovic Thilly, Chair of the Coimbra Group Executive Board, met with ERC President Maria Leptin, Vice-President Jesper Svejstrup, members of the ERC Scientific Council, and former ERC President Jean-Pierre Bourguignon on the sidelines of the event. He also held in-depth discussions with Søren Serritzlew, Chair of the Board of Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) and Professor of Political Science at Aarhus University, a member of the Coimbra Group.
Taking place just one week before Maria Leptin’s scheduled exchange with the European Parliament’s Budget Committee (13 October), the inspirational discussions came at a decisive moment as the EU prepares its next long-term budget (2028–2034) amid complex global and societal challenges.
“Now more than ever, Europe must invest boldly in frontier research and defend the independence of the ERC, a cornerstone of our scientific excellence,” said Ludovic Thilly.
The Coimbra Group – representing 42 leading, comprehensive European universities – has always been among the ERC’s most committed advocates. Since 2008, its member universities have collectively secured 2,067 ERC grants, a clear demonstration of their research excellence and leadership in science.
Five current members of the ERC Scientific Council are affiliated with Coimbra Group Universities: Conny Aerts (KU Leuven), Harriet Bulkeley (Universities of Durham and Utrecht), Luke O’Neill (Trinity College Dublin), Giovanni Sartor (University of Bologna) and Jesper Svejstrup (University of Bergen), ERC Vice-President.
The ERC governing body convened in Copenhagen from 7-10 October for its plenary meeting, accompanied by two public events expected to shape a forthcoming Copenhagen Declaration on Frontier Research.
The high-level event attendees explored pressing priorities for the future of European research and innovation, including:
- Safeguarding the independence and autonomy of the ERC
- Strenghtening global cooperation, especially in light of developments in the U.S.
- Restoring public trust in science in the post-pandemic area
- Advocating for increased and sustained funding for frontier research
- Tackling disparities in support for frontier research across EU member states
- Promoting collaborative research alongside individual excellence
- Shifting the public perception of frontier research
- Addressing major societal challenges such as health, ageing, and climate
- Encouraging policy makers to engage more deeply with scientists
- Enhancing research infrastructures to maintain Europe’s competitive edge
- Connecting Europe’s R&I ecosystems more effectively
In her opening address, Christina Egelund, Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science, reaffirmed Europe’s need for visionary investment in research: “For Europe to compete globally, we need world-class research, and the ERC is essential in making that possible”. She also stressed the importance of universities in driving innovation: “It is on university campuses that groundbreaking ideas are born. It is where talents are shaped. It is often where the foundation is laid for the entrepreneurs of the future.”
The event’s full replay is available online.
