The European National Young Academies (ENYA) Meeting 2025 took place on 5–6 June in Bern, Switzerland, bringing together representatives from young academies across Europe to strengthen collaboration and advance shared priorities. Participants came from 23 young academies from all over Europe, again making this the largest ever ENYA meeting to date.
Organised and hosted by the Swiss Young Academy, this year’s meeting focused on Science Diplomacy as a key enabler of international cooperation, evidence-informed policymaking, and the inclusion of researchers in global decision-making processes.
The GYA was represented by 2024/25 Executive Committee member and GYA YASAS Delegate Markus Prutsch (European Parliament, Belgium) and Stella Tsani (University of Athens, Greece) who participated in her capacity as GYA YASAS Observer. Some GYA members attended the meeting under their national young academies hats: Jovana Milic (Switzerland) and Joao Borges (Portugal); others represented their institution and contributed to the workshops: Estrella Diaz Sanchez (University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain) and Laura Zimmermann (University of Georgia, USA).
The two-day programme included thematic sessions, interactive workshops, and policy-focused discussions. Topics ranged from science communication, the roles of scientist, or the protection of academic freedom to models of international cooperation, science diplomacy, and the science-policy interface.
GYA members contributed to discussions on enhancing cooperation among national young academies and emphasized the pivotal role that early- and mid-career researchers can play in shaping open, inclusive, and collaborative scientific ecosystems in Europe and beyond. Stella, Jovana, Estrella, and Laura contributed to the session on “Science for Policy and Diplomacy for Early-Career Scientists in Europe”, offering reflections on how to engage early-career researchers and professionals in the science-policy landscape and strengthen their role in addressing pressing global challenges.
The 2025 ENYA Meeting reaffirmed the importance of empowering young scientists to serve as key actors in science diplomacy and international dialogue, in alignment with the GYA’s mission to connect and amplify the voice of early-career researchers worldwide.
A report on the public sessions can be found on the Swiss Young Academy’s website here.
Next year’s ENYA meeting will be hosted by the Polish Young Academy in Warsaw; it will be the third joint meeting with ALLEA – the network of All European Academies.
2025 YASAS General Assembly in Bern, Switzerland
The ENYA meeting was held in conjunction with the General Assembly of YASAS – the Young Academies Science Advice Structure in Europe on 5 June 2025.
Key discussions during the assembly centred on the activities of YASAS and SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies) over the past year as part of the European Commission’s Science Advice Mechanism (SAM).
Noteworthy was, among other things, the publication of the “Strategy to Increase the Involvement of Early- and Mid-Career Researchers in SAPEA” in December 2024. This strategic document outlines actionable steps to enhance the participation of early- and mid-career researchers in taking an active role in science advice and shaping European policies.
Looking ahead, attendees deliberated on the future trajectory of YASAS, considering its legal status and exploring potential activities beyond its current involvement with SAPEA. This is with a view to further strengthen YASAS’ role as a pivotal actor in the European scientific advisory landscape.
During the General Assembly, a new YASAS Board was elected, with GYA EC member and delegate Markus J. Prutsch being re-elected as Vice-President. As of 1 July 2025, the YASAS Board comprises the following members:
- Noel de Miranda (President; Dutch Young Academy)
- Markus J. Prutsch (Vice-President; GYA)
- Jennifer McMahon (Board Member; Young Academy Ireland)
- Jovana V. Milić (Board Member; Swiss Young Academy)
- Jeroen van Schependom (Board Member; Belgian Young Academy)
Overall, the 2025 YASAS General Assembly in Bern marked a crucial step forward for YASAS, which has seen continuous growth in membership in recent years and reinforced its commitment to fostering young scientific talent and enhancing the role of science in policymaking across Europe.
Young Academy of Europe alumna elected to SAM
A former Chair of the Young Academy of Europe, Mangala Srinivas, has been elected as one of the group of seven Chief Scientific Advisors who are part of the European Commission’s Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM).