Ex Libris’ Post

The development of Structural Indicators for the EU's Code of Practice on Disinformation is a good case & process in the EU anti-disinformation policy and platform governance to draw some lessons from (hint: there's been plenty of dialogue with platforms, but very little true commitment): 📌 Over the past two and a half years, Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) has developed (https://lnkd.in/dAPQMgra) and refined (https://lnkd.in/diWGT5rQ) a proposal for Structural Indicators under the European Digital Media Observatory project, through consultations with the EDMO network, external experts, and stakeholders. The primary objective of these indicators is to evaluate the structural dimensions of disinformation and how they evolve over time, thereby providing insights into the effectiveness of the Code in addressing it. However, a clear framework and adequate resources for the challenging task of regularly implementing Structural Indicators across all EU member states have yet to be established. 📌 Structural Indicators are an explicit commitment (for the signatories) under the 2022 Code, which is the key EU instrument to minimize disinformation in the environment of online platforms. But the Code is also a self-regulation – meaning that good will and commitment of the signatories is at the core of its effectiveness. Even if the Code is now transitioning to co-regulation and should become a mechanism of compliance with the DSA, its voluntary character remains.  📌Clearly, the voluntary nature of the Code presents significant limitations. Relying solely on the goodwill of platforms for effective action has proven to be inconsistent and unreliable. 📌 Stronger regulatory frameworks, robust oversight mechanisms, and strategies for evidence-based monitoring are essential. While the DSA marks progress by introducing obligations to assess and mitigate systemic risks and safeguard fundamental rights, it still significantly relies on platforms’ interpretations and implementation of these requirements. 📌 Additionally, the limited scope of disinformation research in Europe underscores the need for substantial investment and resources to produce reliable assessments that can meaningfully inform policy. 📌 The lessons learned emphasise the importance of moving beyond voluntary measures toward frameworks with public oversight, ensuring both accountability and effectiveness in combating disinformation. 📌 Structural indicators can clarify systemic risks and offer insights into how academia and civil society perceive these risks compared to the perspectives of platforms.

This is optimal.

📣 From 4-6 September, I had the pleasure of attending the yearly Baltic NCP meeting, where one of the main agenda points was discussing how to enhance cooperation between NCPs and liaison offices in Brussels. We all agreed that we are working towards a common goal: to boost #internationalcollaboration. As three small but resilient and highly skilled countries 🇱🇹🇱🇻🇪🇪, working together multiplies our strengths as we aim to be more visible on the European stage🇪🇺 in #research and #innovation domain. 🤝There are already great examples of cooperation between NCPs and Baltic liaison offices in Brussels, and we’re eager to build on this to help our researchers and innovators access #HorizonEurope and other #EU initiatives. In addition, we had a very enriching exchange of views on topics such as Baltic positions on FP10, widening measures, success stories from University of Tartu, visiting the Estonian Genome Centre, and plenty of networking and catching up. ✔️I would like to conclude this post with a quote once said by H.E. Luccock: “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it. So, let’s play the orchestra together! 🎼 ❗️Oh and last but not least… if you have questions about EU research and innovation, international cooperation in this field, or Horizon Europe, don’t hesitate to reach out to Lithuanian RDI Liaison Office LINO or National Contact Points (NCPs) ETAG - Estonian Research Council Latvian Council of Science Research Council of Lithuania | Lietuvos mokslo taryba

SCiDEV is proud to be a signatory of the Joint Statement of the Berlin Process 2024 Joint Science Conference, advocating for deeper integration of the Western Balkans into the EU through education, research, and innovation. The Joint Statement calls for a realignment of the EU’s approach to education, research, and innovation in the Western Balkans. While advocating for the unification of two key EU principles: excellence and solidarity, the conference proposes the establishment of Western Balkans Facility for Skills, Research, and Innovation. This recommendation is in line with one of the key recommendations SCiDEV developed under the Thematic Working Group on Mobility, part of the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum 2023. We urge EU and Western Balkans governments to engage in developing concrete action plans and measures to materialize the recommendations set forth in the Joint Statement. Read the full statement here: https://bit.ly/4h7AXqo. cc Blerjana Bino Lucian Brujan

STS Forum starts tomorrow in Kyoto! Check out the agenda to know what is on the mind of international scientists and how the future will be shaped: https://lnkd.in/gJpM33aR STS forum Founding Chairman Koji Omi passed away on April 14, 2022 at the age of 89. Condolences and expressions of sympathy were received from around the world, a testament to the impact of our Founding Chairman’s vision and passion on so many global leaders. Mr. Omi spent 26 years as an official at Japan’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry and at the Science and Technology Agency, working to further the growth of the country’s industry, economy, and science and technology. During that time, he developed the conviction that science and technology would be vitally important for energizing Japan. Determined to make a difference, he was elected a member of Japan’s Lower House in 1983. During his time in parliament, he served as director-general of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Science and Technology Policy Bureau and introduced a member’s bill to lay out the fundamental direction of the country’s policies on science and technology. In 2001 he was appointed Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy, and he founded the Science and Technology in Society forum (the STS forum) in 2004. The explosive progress of science and technology brought economic growth and enriched the quality of our lives. At the same time, advances in science and technology have raised important ethical, safety and environmental issues. These are “the lights and shadows of science and technology.” Thinking of humankind’s future 100, 200, or even 500 years ahead, it is essential to develop the lights and control the shadows. The STS forum was founded to bring together professional scientists and researchers, policymakers, and business leaders from all over the world to discuss the implications of science and technology issues for society on an equal footing and from the long-term perspective. The STS forum attained incorporated non-profit organization status in 2006 and has continued to expand the scope of its activities. After retiring from politics in 2009, Mr. Omi devoted his tireless energies to traveling the globe for personal meetings with leading figures in the political, economic, and academic spheres to further the growth of the STS forum. In 2010, he received Japan’s Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun. He was awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Technology Malaysia in 2013, the University of York and the Université du Québec in 2014, and from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, which he was instrumental in founding, in 2018. Founding Chairman Koji Omi will be remembered for his passion and his achievements, and the STS forum will continue to be a platform for global leaders committed to humanity’s future to meet and discuss the lights and shadows of science and technology. https://lnkd.in/guuHRxWw

Nestled atop 🇩🇪 Berlin’s Teufelsberg hill, the Teufelsberg Transformation Lab is bridging the gap between activists, scientists, and policymakers.   In the face of eroding public trust in democratic processes, Alex Wolf, Marko Kagiogridis, and Wanda von Bremen are challenging conventional decision-making that tends to sideline civil society. 🙋 Instead, their lab brings dialogue and collective problem-solving to the forefront.   From March to August 2023, this dynamic team invited participants from different backgrounds and diverse perspectives to co-design a more inclusive policymaking process. Their efforts generated valuable ideas and resulted in an immersive 🎧 audio walk exploring Teufelsberg’s history.   A proud runner-up of the 🇪🇺 NEB Prizes in 2024, the Lab aims to grow its network, host regular co-design sessions, and play an active role in progressive policy transformation.   Marko Alexandros Kagioglidis Alex Wolf Wanda von Bremen Teufelsberg Berlin Hasso Plattner Institute Hertie School EU Science, Research and Innovation #NewEuropeanBauhaus #LeadTheChange #InclusiveDesign 📹 ©️ Julian Schwandner, 2024. Content licensed to the European Union.    

Just one week to go before our event on innovation districts... We'll be launching our new report 🤔 Growth Beacons: How Innovation Districts Can Create and Spread Prosperity Sign-up details below 👇

💡FunFact : Did you know? Nikhef (Nationaal instituut voor subatomaire fysica) created the 3rd website in the world! Nikhef’s site helped connect Dutch science to the dawn of the internet revolution. 🌐 This pioneering step wasn’t just a tech milestone — at the Nikhef site, the foundation for AMS-IX was laid. By embracing digital infrastructure early, the Netherlands became a global leader in internet connectivity, paving the way for Dutch science to lead and innovate in the digital world. 🚀

Is Austria a good research location - was this year's prize question of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Congratulations to Theo Anders, journalist of Der Standard, and to Jürgen Janger, Senior Economist at WIFO for both winning the essay contest. CeMM Adjunct PI and Uni Vienna Professor Nuno Maulide also participated in the contest, and his personal perspective was among the top essays being published. Link to Top Essays of the ÖAW Prize Question: https://lnkd.in/d7JBehGn Nuno Maulide - Austria’s Scientific Renaissance: A Perspective from the Crossroads of Tradition and Innovation: …If Austria aims to be competitive in the global research arena of the 21st century, we must decide: Do we continue to fight against the tides of change, or do we embrace transformative policies that prepare Austria for a future marked by innovation and inclusivity? As Victor Hugo famously stated, “Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come.” The time for change in Austria’s research landscape is now, and it is unstoppable…