European researchers, research organisations and companies have presented a joint Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for the Future of Software in Brussels. The agenda sets out the software capabilities Europe needs to strengthen in the coming years to help shape its digital future.
The SRIA was developed through the Software Research Working Groups of Informatics Europe and ERCIM, with contributions from researchers, research organisations, industry and other stakeholders from across the European software ecosystem.
At the heart of the agenda is a clear message:
“Software is the foundation of Europe’s digital future. Let’s make sure Europe has the capabilities to shape it.”
The agenda identifies four key areas in which Europe needs to strengthen its software capabilities:
- trustworthy, secure and compliant software systems;
- large-scale software systems that can evolve sustainably;
- sovereign and resilient digital infrastructure;
- human and organisational capabilities.
These priorities are considered through five cross-cutting perspectives: societal value, sustainability, skills, governance and innovation.
Bringing together research, industry and policy
The launch event brought together representatives from research, industry and European policy organisations. Contributions to the programme included Siemens, Canon, Ericsson, Eiffel Software, Software Heritage, HiPEAC and the French Secrétariat général pour l’investissement (SGPI).
Following the launch, the SRIA was formally presented at the European Commission to Thibaut Kleiner, Director for Future Networks at the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT). His area of responsibility includes software, cloud and other digital infrastructures.
A starting point for further European action
The presentation of the SRIA marks the beginning of a broader dialogue on how Europe can strengthen its software capabilities through future investments in research, innovation, infrastructure and skills.
The initiative was led by Prof. Dr. Tanja Vos, Professor at the Universitat Politècnica de València and the Open Universiteit in the Netherlands, and Chair of the Software Research Working Group of Informatics Europe, together with Prof. Dr. Tijs van der Storm, Senior Researcher at CWI, Professor at the University of Amsterdam, and Chair of the Software Engineering Working Group of ERCIM.
Both are affiliated with VERSEN, the Dutch association for software engineering research, from which the initiative to develop the agenda at European level originated. Vos and Van der Storm coordinated the joint efforts of the European software research communities to develop the strategic agenda.
The Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for the Future of Software is available for download from the ERCIM website:
Download the SRIA for the Future of Software (PDF)