IIASA Deputy Director General at the European Regional Meeting of the Global Research Council

The Estonian Research Council and Science Europe are co-hosting this year's GRC European Regional Meeting, which will address two critical topics: "Research Management in the Era of AI" and "Working Together in Co-Creation to Address Global Challenges". Insights from these discussions will contribute to the development of a Statement of Principles, set to be adopted at the GRC's Annual Meeting in 2025. The event will bring together representatives from GRC member organizations including heads of research councils, program managers, and international affairs experts.

Lips will contribute her expertise during the session on "Working Together in Co-Creation to Address Global Challenges" where she will share IIASA's experiences collaborating with its member countries in developing projects to address global challenges. The purpose of this panel discussion is to explore the critical role of co-creation-based collaboration within the GRC community in addressing some of the most pressing challenges society faces today, including climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and sustainable development. These issues demand urgent scientific and societal responses, and it is essential to harness the collective expertise across disciplines, scales, and regions to drive meaningful transdisciplinary solutions.

Through this discussion, the conference aims to identify strategies for enhancing transdisciplinary research and collaboration that can contribute to a safe and just world. The panel will also focus on developing specific recommendations for a Statement of Principles and Practices for Co-Creation Based Collaboration to Address Global Challenges. These guidelines will serve as a framework for fostering impactful collaborations that address the complex and interconnected challenges facing our planet today.

Panel session: Working Together in Co-Creation to Address Global Challenges

Keynote speaker: John Tumpane, Head of the Department of Environment, Formas

Panelists:

• Ülo Mander, Department of Geography Head of Chair, Professor of Physical Geography and Landscape Ecology, Tartu University
• Thomas Potthast, Director International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities & Chair for Ethics, Philosophy, and History of the Life Sciences, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany
• Paula Erola, President, Research Council of Finland
• Lauma Muižniece, Director General, Latvian Council of Science
• Karen Lips, Deputy Director General, IIASA
• Sibylle Wentker, Director, International Relations, Fellowships & Awards, Research Funding, Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW)

Moderator: Mari Sundli Tveit, Chief Executive, Research Council of Norway, President, Science Europe

Africa-Europe Cooperation Focus

As part of its commitment to fostering global research collaboration, Science Europe will also launch a new series of workshops aimed at enhancing cross-border partnerships. The first of these workshops will focus on Africa-Europe cooperation and will take place on 30 October, immediately following the European GRC Regional Meeting. This initiative reflects a growing recognition that global challenges require a united approach, transcending traditional Global North and Global South distinctions. The workshop will highlight existing best practices and explore future opportunities for collaboration between selected European and African countries.

The event will conclude on 31 October with a study visit to several of Estonia's flagship R&D facilities in Tartu, providing participants with insights into the country's leading research initiatives.

For more information about the conference, please visit: Science Europe