Mitsos makes his mark
Achilleas Mitsos, Director-General for Research at the European Commission takes an important step towards redefining the role of the Research DG this month as he announces major revisions to its structure and organisation. The Director General has been planning the reorganisation since his appointment in June this year. 'My main priority has been how to change the mission of the DG to make it more political without losing the need for proper administration and good management,' he told CORDIS News. Mr Mitsos's ambition to see a shift in emphasis from management to policy making comes hand in hand with Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin's agenda for a European Research Area (ERA). The Commission's two communications on an ERA, both published this year, set down ambitious challenges and guidelines for the direction of European research. If the Commission is to go anywhere towards achieving these objectives, it must evolve, says Mr Mitsos. 'We have a new mission so the structure has to change,' he says. 'On the very first day of my arrival I received a mandate from the Commissioner to change the organisation of the Research DG. We must create a number of political directorates to advance the ERA objective.' But this doesn't mean any less emphasis will be given to management of the framework programmes, he asserts: 'This does not completely change the role of the DG. A majority of officials will continue to be dealing with the Framework Programme. Simply, the Framework Programme will serve directly the objectives of the ERA.' The Research DG's political mission was not the only priority to take into account for the reorganisation. It was equally important to consider how best to implement the administrative and financial reform of the Commission, which raises personnel and policy questions. 'And we have to overcome problems existing in the present structure like that of the triad of three directors for each programme,' says Mr Mitsos, who believes there is a pressing need for simplification. In an effort to streamline current activities, the reshuffled DG will have six instead of nine directorates dealing with the thematic areas of the framework programmes. Two more directorates will also be set up: - The first will be responsible for structural aspects of the ERA (such as research infrastructures, excellence, innovation) as well as for promoting coordination and collaboration between the national research programmes. - A second will focus on the Commission's aim to 'put science back in the heart of society', as outlined in the recent communication of the Commission 'Making a Reality of the European Research Area'. Issues such as science and governance, ethics, the role of women in science will come under its jurisdiction. While no one will lose their jobs, many will find themselves working in different areas 'corresponding to her or his logic,' says Mr Mitsos, and it looks like the DG will be looking for new recruits too: 'Like any organisation, we need to find the right balance between experienced people and new blood.' Bringing the political philosophy of an ERA into practice will need to take into account a number of new approaches to, for example, networking, large scale installations, a programme- rather than project-based approach, and multiple geometry, says Mr Mitsos: 'In order to do this you need to use imagination, new ways of seeing things and experience - a sense of the past is also important.' Officials within the Research DG should know the finer details of the reshuffle by the end of November. 'The great majority of those working here will feel at ease with the new organization,' and they will not be expected to drop their current projects immediately, assures the Director-General. There is bound to be some overlap during the changeover as officials still have to execute this year's budget. 'We must let this objective be fulfilled,' he says. However, with a proposal on Framework Six needed by February or March 2001 at the latest he concedes 'the timetable...is demanding.' Mr Mitsos believes it is not overly ambitious to aim to raise expenditure on RTD in Europe to 3 per cent of GDP to close the gap with the USA and Japan and strive to achieve the goals set by the Council of Ministers at the Lisbon summit earlier this year. 'It is realistic as long as you don't expect it to happen in a few years time. It's important that our society moves in this direction. The Community policy and budget have a role to play...and it requires a continuous effort.' This effort will be strengthened through collaboration in planning and formulating research policy in the Member States and the Commission - both within and outside the Research DG. 'Before deciding on the priorities for the future, we have to look at the criteria we use to select these priorities. We must tighten up links with other DGs to reflect the needs in our research agenda.' This is particularly true for continuing discussions on the role of science in society and governance, he says. 'No one can say they know the priorities for the future...and we must look at what is going on in the Member States .' The Research DG's relationship with the rest of the Commission is also important, he adds, taking his previous area of specialisation - socio-economic research - as an example: 'we need DG Employment to be involved in the employment setting...We want to make Europe attractive to researchers.' This, Mr Mitsos believes, is crucial for the future of research in Europe. For example, he says the Commission must encourage more women to participate in science to give research 'a dimension that is missing,' and highlights the link between the current status of women in science to the image and position of science in society: 'You cannot talk about the future of science without including these important issues that are part of this whole new approach...We must go from a 'research policy' to a 'science policy'. We must not go backwards in terms of the ethical values of society. While EU-funded research is bound by the European Treaties to be directed towards common economic benefits, Mr Mitsos believes research policy should not be overly prescriptive: 'we must be open to areas where priorities cannot be predetermined.' Above all, he says, 'we must not take away the more fundamental elements of research.' This sentiment, shared by many other Commission officials - including Mr Busquin - is reflected in the guidelines for the Commission's next RTD framework programme. The Commission's focus is already shifting from a project-centred approach to programme-based approach with funding going to larger-scale projects with broader goals. At the same time, Mr Mitsos explains, the ERA aims to define not just how to conduct publicly funded research but also how to mobilise private funding for research better. 'Public funding of research can never replace private funding but it must facilitate private funding. We must help maximise private investment to be effective. Private research needs a number of measures from community patents to fiscal measures.' The Commission is therefore looking at ways to promote research for and by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to bring them fully into the picture. 'I want to bring more private potential into science',' says Mr Mitsos. The Director-General will not wait until 2002. Excellent results from FP4 and FP5 show that the EU research policy has been moving in the right direction, he says. But he adds that the current Framework Programme can be improved, notably by simplifying its procedures to make it more accessible, even though more fundamental changes require a new Framework. 'I think on the basis of simple knowledge and common sense we can do something better. In a way, FP5 has reached its limits...I am optimistic that five years from now the ERA will be more coherent and better for coordination. The reorganisation (of DG Research) is an important step. It is a necessary step. 'At every level from Commissioner to officials there is a widely accepted view that we should combine the positive and negative aspects of previous knowledge and new vision...I think we will be able to create a structure where all officials will find that their work is facilitated and is contributing better to the overall aim of the DG, the creation of a true European Research Area.'