Eminent personalities to identify experts for new ERA Board
Three high-calibre, high-profile personalities from the EU research community have been assigned the task of identifying experts from around Europe for the new European Research Area Board (ERAB). ERAB will replace the European Research Advisory Board (EURAB), first created in June 2001. The principal task of the new ERAB will be to provide an annual report on the state of the European Research Area (ERA). It will also be able to provide opinions on elements of the ERA, garner the views of the Member States' research and technology consultative bodies, and organise workshops as well as a bi-annual assembly. The three people charged with identifying 22 experts from academia, industry, politics or elsewhere are: - Claudie Haigneré - previously held the positions of both Research and Europe Minister in France, and was the first European woman to visit the International Space Station during her career as an astronaut in 2001; - Vaira Vike-Freiberga - former President of Latvia and a professor of psychology; - Andrew Dearing - Secretary General of the European Industrial Research Management Association (EIRMA). 'In April I announced the European Commission's intention to reform EURAB in order to enhance its role in realising the European Research Area,' said EU Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik. 'If the new ERAB is to be able to fulfil the role we have conceived for it, it needs to be composed of people with high authority. Having an identification committee of this calibre will ensure that the exercise is taken seriously by all those involved.' The panel will submit its suggestions by January 2008.