Sir

In his Commentary 'Europe's research system must change' (Nature 452, 935–936; 2008), Luke Georghiou urges reforms to the European Commission’s research system, criticizing the present Framework Programmes for their many small and very loosely connected projects.

The large integrated projects of the Sixth Framework Programme are a notable exception. These include the ALARM project, intended to assess large-scale environmental risks for biodiversity using tested methods (http://www.alarmproject.net). This encompasses 68 partner organizations, with some 250 participants from 35 different countries. It focuses on the combined risks derived from climate change, environmental chemicals, biological invasions and pollinator loss against their socio-economic background.

Such large projects within the Framework Programmes offer opportunities for productive partnerships. It may look like locking scientists in a room and expecting them to get along — which Paul Jeffrey is quoted as saying won't happen, in the related News Feature 'With all good intentions' (Nature 452, 682–684; 2008). But our experience in ALARM is that, if you give scientists sufficient choice, new and productive partnerships emerge, and their success increases with project size and collaboration options.

The consortium agreements required in the Sixth Framework Programme's integrated projects fit the model agreements you refer to in your Editorial on the subject, 'The path to productive partnerships' (Nature 452, 665; 2008). For ALARM, they were signed by all partners before the project started. Laying down rules may seem unnecessary as members cooperate to avoid adverse consequences. But this may be different without such rules.

We therefore disagree with Georghiou's view that the Framework Programmes have to go. We favour more projects of variable sizes, organized through work plans and accompanied by model agreements — including a reasonable proportion of large integrated projects to create opportunities for interdisciplinary and productive partnerships.

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