Greece’s research community is facing one of its most turbulent periods in recent years, amid allegations of opaque procedures, high-level resignations, and growing doubts about the government’s commitment to a coherent national strategy for science and innovation.
At the center of the storm is “Trust in Our Stars”, an €80 million program funded through the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility. From 1,241 proposals submitted, just 145 were approved after a review process lasting only two months and overseen by a 12-member committee. The announcement triggered widespread uproar, with researchers denouncing what they describe as a rushed and opaque procedure. Some even allege that evaluations were conducted with the assistance of artificial intelligence. A group of 875 scientists signed a letter to the prime minister and responsible ministers, warning that the credibility of the program- and of national research policy more broadly- is at stake.
ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΕΠΙΣΗΣ
The controversy follows the mass resignation of members, including the leadership, of the National Council for Research, Technology and Innovation, the government’s highest advisory body in the field. The departing members cited the absence of strategic direction and political indifference, saying they could not continue to serve in an environment where innovation is treated as a matter of short-term politics rather than long-term national interest.
At the same time, the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation, the country’s main research funding agency, has been forced to suspend new calls for proposals. Although Athens signed a €143 million loan agreement with the European Investment Bank in 2024, the money has yet to be released because the government has failed to secure the required matching funds. To date, only €68.3 million has been committed, leaving a gap of nearly €75 million. Government sources have reportedly treated the Foundation with suspicion, adding to uncertainty about its future.
The paradox is that research money is available. Official data show that Greece spent €3.36 billion on research and development in 2023, almost 10 percent more than the previous year. But many scientists argue that these funds are distributed without an overarching plan, resulting in fragmented projects and inefficient use of resources. For academics, the “Trust in Our Stars” program epitomizes the problem: heavy spending on high-tech equipment without adequate investment in people, coupled with the appointment of officials with little real connection to research, whose role is reduced to clientelist management.
Together, the disputed funding program, the resignations from the top advisory council, and the paralysis at the national research foundation paint a picture of a sector adrift. For a country that has long struggled with brain drain, the absence of a clear strategy threatens not only Greece’s ability to compete internationally but also its prospects of luring back the young scientists who left for careers abroad.
