The European Union's proposed "Fifth Freedom" that is the free circulation of knowledge, researchers, and innovation, represents a landmark ambition to complete the Single Market by addressing the longstanding fragmentation that continues to constrain European science. Building on the ongoing reforms to the European Research Area (ERA), this initiative seeks to dismantle persistent barriers to cross-border mobility, harmonise career conditions, and create a more coherent and competitive research landscape across Member States.

In this webinar, Thomas Sturm (Professor ICREA & Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Member of Academia Europaea) explores the historical and policy foundations of the Fifth Freedom, unpacking its scientific and democratic rationale and what it means in practice for the research community.

The session bridges high-level EU policy developments with their concrete implications for researchers, from funding opportunities and career progression to administrative burdens and international collaboration.

Participants will get a clearer understanding of how these policy shifts may reshape mobility, working conditions, and research funding across Europe. The webinar will also offer practical guidance on how researchers and MCAA members can actively contribute to shaping the ERA, through policy consultations, science diplomacy, and engagement with EU institutions.

Whether you are early in your career or an experienced researcher navigating the European science landscape, this session offers both the context and the tools to engage with one of the most significant developments in EU science policy today.

Register here - https://shorturl.at/d8cxi