Go back

‘Need for exchange of best practice’ on pandemic

Earma 2021: Academic leaders call for collaboration on widespread Covid-19 challenges

Academic leaders at the annual meeting of the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators have called for greater unity between universities and increased sharing of best practices around the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We recommend that universities really come together to advocate…and to speak as a united voice with either national or international policymakers,” Bevin McGeever, research projects officer at Trinity College Dublin and chair of a working group on research support convened by the Coimbra Group of universities, said during an Earma session on 14 April.

McGeever underscored the importance of advocacy around financial challenges for institutions as well as sharing advice on how universities have responded to Covid-19, such as in ensuring that laboratories are safe for staff to use and in adapting to changing national regulations.

Andrew Jackson, director of research and innovation services at Durham University in the UK, said his university was still in the process of “scoping out” many issues common across the sector, and called on institutions to connect around them.

“Sharing good practice in this is really one of those things I’d like to see us get more involved in,” he said.

Research Professional News is the official media partner for Earma 2021. Follow more of our coverage on Twitter @ResProfNews and @ResearchEurope, #EARMADigital.