EU-LIFE joins European partners to advance discussions on research security
From 28 to 30 October 2025, the first European Flagship Conference on Research Security gathered policymakers, funders, research institutions and experts in Brussels to explore how Europe can remain open to global collaboration while protecting research integrity and security.
As one of the co-organisers, together with the European Commission and 11 major research and innovation organisations (ALLEA, CESAER, Coimbra Group, EARTO, EECARO, EUA, G6, LERU, Science Europe, The Guild and YERUN), EU-LIFE played a key role in advancing the debate on how to balance openness and protection in European research.
EU-LIFE Executive Director Marta Agostinho joined the Opening Plenary, contributing the perspective of Europe’s independent research institutes to the high-level discussion on how to ensure responsible, open and secure research and innovation. Her intervention highlighted the importance of fostering a culture of trust, responsibility and institutional preparedness in navigating global research collaborations.
"This is an effort we must take together. What matters most is turning these discussions into meaningful action that helps researchers navigate research security," she said.
On Thursday 30 October, EU-LIFE hosted the session “Research security in practice: making space for an honest conversation.” The discussion was moderated by Henri van Luenen, Director of Operations at the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) and member of the EU-LIFE Strategy Board, and brought together:
- Christine Durinx, Managing Director, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB) and member of the EU-LIFE Strategy Board
- Yves Moreau, Professor of Engineering, KU Leuven
- Nienke Buisman, Head of Unit for International Cooperation, European Commission DG Research & Innovation
- Philippe Cupers, Head of the Life Sciences Unit, European Research Council Executive Agency (ERCEA)
The panel provided a space for frank, constructive discussion about how research institutions can put research security into practice — building awareness, developing clear policies and ensuring that openness and responsibility remain mutually reinforcing.
“Our session focused on having an open and honest conversation about research security, not as a restriction, but as a way to strengthen research practice. The discussion showed that integrating the perspectives of different actors is the way forward to build a more balanced and realistic approach to research security. Finding this balance is a shared responsibility that calls for ongoing dialogue between researchers, institutions, funders and policymakers,” said Henri van Luenen.
The conference marked an important milestone in Europe’s collective efforts to ensure research remains both open and secure. As the first event of its kind, it laid the groundwork for continued collaboration and action within institutions, across countries, and at the European level. The European Commission announced that further editions will follow, reinforcing the momentum created in Brussels last week. Looking ahead, it will be essential for funders, research organisations and national authorities to continue sharing good practices and advancing measures that embed research security in everyday scientific practice.
