Open Forum :
This tab has been created in the
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placed in the restricted « members area ».
The object of this new tab is to give to all the Eurasc members the
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novelties in their field, research policy,…to exchange information,
to keep up a kind of correspondence through newsletters, to create a
forum for discussion.
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Proposals, presented by Members at the General Assembly in Athens
Herbert Gleiter
(Karlsruhe
Institute of Technology (KIT) Institut für Nanotechnologie)
Dear Mrs. de Rode, dear Mr. Capasso,
I would like to summarize some of the ideas and results, I obtained in
talking to several key people of the German National Academy of Sciences, the
German Academy of Engineering and using my membership in the National Academy of
India as well as of the US.
In principle, the future role of Eurasc in Europe may be visualized as a purly
scientifically oriented Academy, for example, similar to the American Academy of
Arts and Sciences (AAAS). The structure and goals etc. of AAAS are listed in the
AAAS home page
www.amacad.org
If Eurasc decides to have this purly scientific mission, one has to discuss and
solve the question of the funding of Eurasc. AAAS is supported by a generous flux
of donations and, moreover, AAAS has endowed funds of several billions USD (cf.
homepage of AAAS). AAAS publishes quarterly a collection of articles about open
questions of general interest such as the financial crisis, mass incarnation,
the nuclear future etc. These articles are written by outstanding people in
these fields who are mostly AAAS members. All of this is funded by AAAS.
Alternatively, Eurasc may see his mission in giving advice to European Union. This
role would be comparable to the one e.g. of the US National Academies. The
structure, goals etc, of the US National Academies may be found in their
homepage www.nationalacadmies.org They publish regular Reports to the Congress,
numerous papers on present issues etc. Their staff comprises more than a hundred
permanent employees. They are generously funded by the US Government because the
National Academies were started by President Lincoln by means of the "Act of
Incoporation" which guarantees the funding of the Academies as well as their
close and influential relationship with the US Government.
The German National Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina) - homepage
www.leopoldina-halle.de
- has a similar historical background. It was founded by king Leopold in 1677 as
the "Sacri Romani Imperii Academia Ceasaro - Leopoldina Naturae Curiosum". This
start guaranted the outstanding position of this Academy in Europe and its
funding. During WW II it lost this status. However, in 2008 the Government of
the (then united) Germany declared the Leopoldina to become again the National
Academy of Sciences of Germany. This declaration included (similar to the US
National Academies) its role as an advisor to the Government as well as its
funding by the Government.
All of this seems to teach us the followind. If Eurasc wants to become the European
Academy of Sciences, a declaration of the Government at Brussels seems to be
required. This declaration would have to include the financial support of Eurasc
and define it as the advisor to the European Government. In fact, after WW II
the Leopoldina has tried to regain its role as the National Academy by
negotiating with the different State Academies in Germany. These negotiations
went on for 8 years without any results.
I a got a comparable reponse by talking several top representatives of National
Academies in Europe: We do not need a European Academy. Moreover, we have EASAC,
ALLEA (homepage
www.EASAC.eu) These
organisations take care of all co- oporations between the existing National
Academies, the press releases, the joint publications etc. In addition, Academia
Europaea is already a member of ESAC, why do we need Eurasc ?
This brings me to the point we may have to consider before we approach Brussels.
We should clarify with the Academia Eurpopaea and the European Academy of Arts
and Sciences (at Salzburg), how we and how they see their roles in Europe. The
obvious question is and was: can we join up with these two Academies and form
one Eurasc.
Naturally, this letter raises far more questions than answers. However, before
we begin to discuss the future role and structure of Eurasc in January 14, 2011, we
should try to define the mission of Eurasc.