Ad-hoc Groups undertake work that does not fit into the work of existing groups for reasons of scope or time, because the topic is new, because it spans several groups.
The work in Ad hoc Groups is time-limited and leads to a specific output, for example a report, paper, workshop, etc. When the work is finished, the AHG ceases to exist or goes to sleep mode with a potential revival in the future, when and where needed. Ad-hoc groups consist of a small group of people (5-10) from LERU universities with expertise in the topic.
Calendar for internal meetings at LERU.org
Sustainability Ad Hoc group
A new Ad Hoc Group on Sustainability has been set up by the League of European Research Universities (LERU), responding to the increasing strategic importance of sustainability issues to its members. The group, which meets for the first time on 31 March 2021, will enable vice-rectors and other senior university managers dealing with sustainability to discuss issues of common interest and share their experience.
Dual Use Ad Hoc Group
The dual use ad hoc group discuss the issues related to the recast of the dual use regulation. The export control of dual-use items subjects the export of items that can potentially be used for military purposes (‘dual-use items’) outside of the European Union. This Regulation aims to prevent the proliferation of dual-use goods and technologies and the acquisition of such goods by terrorists.
The further work with this group would be to support the Dual Use Regulation work at the Commission by drafting a paper clarification of academia (and to what extent they are exempt), and the need for legal clarity within a projects lifespan. LERU welcomes the recast of the Dual Use Regulation, as a way to update the Regulation and harmonise its application in the EU Member States, but requests increased clarity over its scope
Topics from the meeting 2019
-State of EU affairs with regard to Dual Use (Johan Evers, Flemish Government and EC lead on Dual Use ICP for academia)
-Academic Dual Use Guidance (needs and actions): What TRLs are considered to be basic scientific research by the LERU members (for research funding purposes and possibly for export control purposes)? What are dedicated red flag questions for the research context? What alternatives to the traditional transaction screening procedures (item, end-use and end-user screening) are there for relevant academic activities such as publications and conference material?
– Academic dual use guidance document considering the needs of universities.
– AOB and next steps.
– Dual use and the European Defence Fund (EDA) – questions?
Knowledge Security & Foreign Interference Ad Hoc Group
Latest meeting was online and took place on the 15 September 2020
Knowledge security & Foreign Interference involves the protection of intellectual property held by universities, such as scientific knowledge, research results and innovations. Examples of these threats include digital spying and information theft. Top sectors such as tech, chemistry, energy, water, and life sciences and health are popular targets for economic spying. Spying for research can take the form of intellectual property theft through third parties, the monitoring of foreign students by the state, and the interception of research data.
University Development Cooperation Ad Hoc Group
This ad hoc group is set up to discuss and sharing information and best practices, developing a joint statement with key partners, sharing strategies on how to integrate SDGs in the university, and looking for innovative financing for UDC.
Meeting in December 2019, agenda
Recap of the Leuven meeting on UDC/SDG, by Vice-Rector Chris Van Geet, Chairperson of the Ad hoc group, KU Leuven
– Presentation of the HIVA Study on Universities and Global Challenges
– Presentation of the KU Leuven mapping of collaboration between LERU and African universities
– The University of Helsinki and the SDGs, by Rector Jari Niemelä and Vice-Rector
– Discussion of possible LERU actions on the SDGs, – SDGs and research – SDGs and education – Universities as sustainable institutional
Open Science Ambassadors Ad Hoc Group
In 2018, LERU produced the advice paper Open Science and its role in universities: A Roadmap for cultural change. An Ad Hoc Group on the Implementation of the LERU OS Roadmap was established by the Rectors’ Assembly (RA). In 2021 a paper has been published with recommendations for the implementation of the roadmap.
Seen the importance of this implementation the chairs of the most relevant LERU Policy and Thematic Groups joined this ad hoc group: Information & Open access (INFO), research careers (CARE), research (RESE), doctoral studies (DOCT), enterprise & innovation (ENTE), and research integrity (INTE). Furthermore, specific expertise, such as data and information law (Mireille van Eechoud, Amsterdam), has been brought on board. Finally, the ad hoc group includes the authors of the LERU advice paper ‘A roadmap for cultural change: Open Science and its role in universities’.
In January 2021 LERU published a note on Implementing Open Science.