On the 20th of May, the National Science Centre acted as host to the General Assembly of Science Europe, an association promoting the collective interests of European Research Funding Organisations (RFO) and Research Performing Organisations (RPO), comprising 52 such organisations from 27 countries.
One of the key events of the assembly was the election of the new President of Science Europe. The incumbent president, Professor Paul Boyle, is ending his term in August 2014. The representatives of member organisations of SE convening in Krakow unanimously chose Professor Miguel Seabra as the next president. He will assume his duties on the 1st of September 2014.
Professor Seabra is President of the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) and a renowned researcher in the field of membrane trafficking and diseases, academically active at the Medical School of the Universidade de Lisboa.
Professor Boyle said of his successor: Miguel has already played an instrumental role in the General Assembly and as a member of the Governing Board. He will undoubtedly lead the organisation from strength to strength
In his address after the election, Professor Seabra said that his idea for the future desired path of the organisation was to establish Science Europe as a pivotal stakeholder in shaping European science policy.
Other points on the assembly’s agenda included discussions and decisions on changes to the organisation’s Scientific Committees and Governing Board, and on various components of its budget.
The National Science Centre, a member organisation of Science Europe since 2012, was represented by its director, Professor Andrzej Jajszczyk.
