Science Europe appeals to the need for a deeper understanding of art and the humanities as bearers of radical innovation.

On December 2015, Science Europe Scientific Committee for Humanities published an opinion on the research in the humanities entitled "Radical Innovation: Knowledge Humanities Research Crossing Boundaries and Fostering Deep Change”. The opinion stresses that arts and humanities provide strong European leadership and stand for substantial innovation and understanding of future global challenges.

The opinion states that in other cultural and economic areas, where a strong emphasis on innovation is placed (e.g. Asia), arts and humanities play a major part of the process of innovation, while in Europe, arts and humanities play only a marginal role in interdisciplinary research. The opinion lays out points that require greater role of arts and humanities in Europe.

Science Europe is an association of European Research Funding Organisations (RFO) and Research Performing Organisations (RPO), based in Brussels. Its founding General Assembly took place in Berlin in October 2011. Science Europe supports its Member Organisations in their efforts to foster European research.

Science Europe: http://www.scienceeurope.org/       

The opinion of Science Europe is here.

Illustrative photo, source: flickr.com/ Dave Dugdale