Le fil d'actualité : News Tank Academic

Georgi Dimitrov joins Roxana Mînzatu's cabinet as expert for education and skills

Georgi Dimitrov has taken up the post of Member of the Cabinet to the European Commission's Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, Roxana Mînzatu.Dimitrov announced on 01/05/2026 that he would step down from his position as Head of Unit for Digital Education in the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC) to focus on...

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ERC revises changes to eligibility criteria for grant competitions

After announcing new restrictions on reapplying for European Research Council grants, the ERC Scientific Council has decided to revise some of the changes.On 29/04/2026, the ERC Scientific Council said it "has listened to the concerns from members of the research community about the recent announcement on changes to the re-submission rules...The Scientific Council has decided to readjust some of...

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Trump fires all 22 members of the National Science Board

US President Donald Trump has fired the 22 members of the National Science Board (NSB), an entity that establishes the policies of the National Science Foundation (NSF), an independent agency supporting fundamental research and education in all non-medical fields of science and engineering.US media reported that all members received an email on 24/04/2026 stating that their position was...

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Stephen Collins appointed Director of European Research Executive Agency

The European Commission has appointed Stephen Collins as Director for the European Research Executive Agency (REA) in Brussels on 28/04/2026. He will replace the acting director, Paul Webb, on a date to be confirmed.Collins, a British national, is currently Head of Unit for Corporate Organisational Change in the Directorate-General (DG) for Human Resources and Security of the Commission. He...

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When will the "Phoney War" over the EU's future research programmes end? By Simon Taylor

You will sometimes hear Brits of a certain age talk about the “Phoney War”. This is a reference to the period between Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland in September 1939 and May 1940, when British troops faced the Wehrmacht and were forced to retreat across the Channel. Please forgive the World War reference, but it seems like a very apt way to describe the current state of negotiations on...

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EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges calls receive 709 requests for total funding of €131 million

The European Innovation Council (EIC) announced that it had received 709 proposals for its new Advanced Innovation Challenges calls for proposals. In total, applicants requested €130.7 million in funding on 09/03/2025. The two calls closed in February 2026. The first focused on projects aimed at accelerating Physical AI and attracted 425 proposals, while the second supported efforts to translate...

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Zaharieva says US applications to ERC calls increase fivefold

The European Commission says that applications from non-EU researchers to the latest European Research Council (ERC) calls have doubled, with the number of applicants from the United States increasing fivefold. Ekaterina Zaharieva, the European Commissioner for Start-ups and R&I, speaking in the European Parliament on 04/03/2026, said that the numbers "prove that in times of uncertainty,...

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EUA sets out essential steps for stability and sustainability of university alliances

European university alliances need to align their members' missions as well as sustainable funding and effective leadership for them to "become stable and durable components of Europe’s higher education landscape", the European Universities Association (EUA) says in a strategic briefing published on 16/02/2026.The document, titled “Strategies for the financial sustainability of European...

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EU Council President says leaders agree to push ahead with plans to boost competitiveness

European Council President Antonio Costa said that EU leaders have agreed to make progress on improving the Union's competitiveness, including working on a new single set of rules to help companies take advantage of the single market. Speaking after an informal meeting of the EU's 27 leaders in Alden Biesen in eastern Belgium on 12/02/2026, Costa said there was "a shared sense of urgency" around...

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France takes in 46 researchers as part of Choose France for Science programme

The French Ministry for Higher Education, Research and Space (MESRE) has announced the 46 researchers who are winners of the first wave of the "Choose France for Science" programme.The majority of winners announced on 04/02 have US (19) or French nationality (13). Most of them (41) come from US institutions, with the other five coming from Sweden, Chile, Belgium, Israel and Australia. They were...

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European Commission appoints Ylva Johansson as chair of the European Skills High-Level Board

The European Commission has appointed Sweden's Ylva Johansson as chair of the European Skills High-Level Board, it announced on 29/01/2026.The Commission stated that the Board will play "a central role" in advancing the Union of Skills, the strategy to boost Europe's competitiveness and address labour shortages through improved education, vocational training and lifelong learning. Johansson,...

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THE rankings by subject 2026: Asian universities break into top 10

Asian universities have entered the top 10 of the THE subject rankings for 2026 for the first time, challenging the traditional domination by US and European institutions. The National University of Singapore entered the top 10 for Business and Economics in 10th place and China has entered the top 10 for the first time in Computer Science with Peking University in 10th place and in Physical...

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