- 10
- Episodes
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- 2025
- First episode
About innovation lab by information labs
Unpacking the Fifth Freedom in our innovation lab podcast, exploring how the free movement of knowledge and innovation can drive Europe's future, with insights from experts and key stakeholders.
- Publisher
- information labs
- Category
- science · technology
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 22 May 2025
- Latest episode
- 13 Nov 2025
Latest episodes
10 episodes in the feed.
13 Nov 2025
Innovation lab | The 5th Freedom: Enrico Letta (Jacques Delors Institute)
In collaboration with KnowledgeRights21, we proudly present the 5th Freedom project in our innovation lab! In our latest Innovation Lab, Enrico Letta, former Prime Minister of Italy and author of the Report on the Future of the Single Market, shares his vision for completing the Single Market by 2028. He highlights five priorities—three pillars of energy, financial markets, and connectivity, and two overarching goals: creating a 28th regime and introducing a 5th Freedom. Reviving Jacques Delors’ idea, Letta explains how this 5th Freedom—focused on the free movement of knowledge, research, innovation, and skills—is essential to make Europe’s economy more modern and competitive. Key quotes: 🗣️ “Without a truly modern 5th Freedom implemented everywhere in Europe, it will be impossible to have a Single Market that is really modern, efficient, or able to compete, or to make the European Union competitive with the rest of the world.” 🗣️ “Launching the 5th Freedom and being able to have the 5th Freedom at the very core of the relaunch of the Single Market is, in my view, the reason or the condition to consider successfully the implementation of the Single Market or not.” 🗣️ “I strongly believe, I strongly hope, that European Commission, European Council, European Parliament, the Member States, and the civil society first will be able to foster this idea and to use this flagship of the 5th Freedom as the way to successfully complete the Single Market by 2028.” 📌About Our Guest 🎙️ Enrico Letta | Jacques Delors Institute 🌐 enricoletta.it/ (http://www.enricoletta.it/) 🌐 linkedin.com/in/enrico-letta-ba060333 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/enrico-letta-ba060333) Enrico Letta is the President of the Jacques Delors Institute and a leading European voice on integration and innovation. A former Italian Prime Minister, he continues to shape the EU’s agenda for competitiveness, sustainability, and economic renewal through policies that place knowledge and research at the heart of Europe’s future. Our bite-sized videos bring you: ↪️ Expert predictions on the future of Europe’s competitive edge in a knowledge-driven economy. ↪️ Crucial insights on what policymakers should (1) enable—bold investments in research and innovation—and (2) avoid—barriers that limit the free movement of ideas and talent. #5thfreedom
6 Nov 2025
Innovation lab | The 5th Freedom: Stephen Wyber (Knowledge Rights 21 & IFLA)
In collaboration with KnowledgeRights21, we proudly present the 5th Freedom project in our innovation lab! In our latest Innovation Lab, Stephen Wyber, Director for External Affairs at the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), explores how the 5th Freedom can reshape Europe’s research ecosystem. He outlines three revolutions: valuing knowledge, shifting from closed to open systems, and making research a core policy goal—showing how openness can empower libraries, researchers, and innovation across Europe. Key quotes: 🗣️ “We’re seeing knowledge as something that matters.” 🗣️ “We need to move from a model where knowledge is closed, restricted by default, to one that’s open.” 🗣️ “Scientific progress is built on the possibility of access—the possibility to compare, to build on each other's work, to critique, to check.” 🗣️ “We can’t see research as an exception; we need to see it as a first-level policy goal.” 🗣️ “With this focus on the 5th Freedom, we have an opportunity to do something new—to do something better—for researchers.” 📌About Our Guest 🎙️ Stephen Wyber | KR21 and IFLA 🌐 https://www.knowledgerights21.org (https://www.knowledgerights21.org/) 🌐 https://www.ifla.org (https://www.ifla.org/) 🌐 linkedin.com/in/stephen-wyber-74192013 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-wyber-74192013) Stephen Wyber is the Director for External Affairs at IFLA, leading efforts to ensure laws and policies support libraries’ mission to provide access to knowledge, research, and culture. Through the Knowledge Rights 21 program, he advocates for open access and champions Europe’s proposed “5th Freedom”—the free movement of knowledge—as key to fostering collaboration and innovation. Our bite-sized videos bring you: ↪️ Expert predictions on the future of Europe’s competitive edge in a knowledge-driven economy. ↪️ Crucial insights on what policymakers should (1) enable—bold investments in research and innovation—and (2) avoid—barriers that limit the free movement of ideas and talent. #5thfreedom
23 Oct 2025
Innovation lab | The 5th Freedom: Justus Dreyling (COMMUNIA)
In collaboration with KnowledgeRights21, we proudly present the 5th Freedom project in our innovation lab! In our latest Innovation Lab, policy director, Justus Dreyling, explores how Europe can unlock the 5th Freedom—the free movement of research, knowledge, and education. From breaking down copyright barriers to ensuring open access to publicly funded science, this session highlights why the ERA Act is a once-in-a-generation chance to strengthen European research, boost innovation, and empower collaboration across borders. Key quotes: 🗣️ "We need the free movement of research, innovation, knowledge, and education in Europe." 🗣️ “Taxpayers pay twice: once to fund the research, and again to access it. That slows down science, keeps people out, and frankly, it doesn't make sense."” 🗣️ "Researchers should have the right to share their work openly without embargo periods, without having to file restrictive contracts." 🗣️ "Current rules are fragmented, outdated, and too narrow. The ERA Act should introduce a mandatory, flexible exception for research that applies across all of Europe." 🗣️ "If we make knowledge truly free to circulate, we can unlock the 5th freedom. That means faster progress in science, more innovation, and a stronger Europe on the global stage." 📌About Our Guest 🎙️ Justus Dreyling | COMMUNIA 🌐 https://communia-association.org/ (https://communia-association.org/) 🌐 linkedin.com/in/justus-dreyling-71a9b8173 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/justus-dreyling-71a9b8173) Justus Dreyling works at the intersection of digital policy and knowledge rights. He focuses on how open access and flexible copyright rules can accelerate research and innovation in Europe. As part of COMMUNIA, he advocates for turning the European Research Area into a true Digital Knowledge Act, ensuring that the 5th Freedom becomes a practical reality for scientists, innovators, and citizens alike. Our bite-sized videos bring you: ↪️ Expert predictions on the future of Europe’s competitive edge in a knowledge-driven economy. ↪️ Crucial insights on what policymakers should (1) enable—bold investments in research and innovation—and (2) avoid—barriers that limit the free movement of ideas and talent. #5thfreedom
16 Oct 2025
Innovation lab | The 5th Freedom: Dr. Paul Rübig (European Economic and Social Committee)
In collaboration with KnowledgeRights21, we proudly present the 5th Freedom project in our innovation lab! 🔎 In this Innovation Lab episode, Dr. Paul Rübig, a European policymaker and champion of the 5th Freedom highlights why knowledge must be treated as a human right and a strategic asset for Europe’s competitiveness. He explains how aligning national and regional research programs under FP10 can transform 27 fragmented ideas into one powerful European vision. This episode explores how Europe can move beyond funding gaps to create a genuine knowledge economy. Rübig’s message is clear: the 5th Freedom is not just about policy—it’s about building Europe’s future on innovation, education, and fairness. Key quotes: 🗣️ “Knowledge should be a benefit for the people. That’s why the 5th Freedom of research, knowledge, and innovation is so crucial for the competitiveness of the European Union.” 🗣️ “It’s not only a question of money; it’s a question of structure and political measures. The reduction of national barriers is quite important.” 🗣️ “It’s a human right to get access to global knowledge.” 🗣️ “For research and science, knowledge should be free of charge. But for commercial use, it should be a fair bargain.” 🗣️ “The creation of knowledge has a big benefit for those ready to put it to the market — but the people who created it must get a fair share.” 📌 About Our Guest 🎙️ Dr. Paul Rübig | European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) 🌐https://www.ruebig.eu/ (https://www.ruebig.eu/) 🌐linkedin.com/in/paulruebig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulruebig) Our bite-sized videos bring you: ↪️ Expert predictions on the future of Europe’s competitive edge in a knowledge-driven economy. ↪️ Crucial insights on what policymakers should (1) enable—bold investments in research and innovation—and (2) avoid—barriers that limit the free movement of ideas and talent. #5thfreedom
3 Jul 2025
Innovation lab | The 5th Freedom: Peter Spyns (Flemish Public Administration)
In collaboration with KnowledgeRights21, we proudly present the 5th Freedom project in our innovation lab! 🔎 In this thought-provoking Innovation Lab episode, we take a deeper analytical dive into the 5th Freedom—the free circulation of knowledge across the European Union. Through the lens of Peter Spyns, coordinator of international R&I policies at the Flemish Department of Work, Economy, Science, Innovation and Social Economy, we explore how the European Research and Innovation Area (ERA) provides the structural backbone to make this freedom a reality. Spyns introduces the concept of the “knowledge cube” to help map the production, diffusion, and absorption of knowledge across key actors—governments, academia, industry, and civil society. From researcher mobility to policy coordination, this episode breaks down how the 5th Freedom can move from abstract ambition to actionable policy. Key quotes: 🗣️ “The 5th Freedom is about the free circulation of knowledge in the European Union in a kind of single European knowledge market.” 🗣️ “The ERA is the context, the framework, the government structure, etc. that make the 5th freedom a reality.” 🗣️ “Once you have examined all the cells of this, what I call the knowledge cube, you can decide on priorities for actions and initiatives.” 🗣️ “In order to make the 5th freedom happen, you of course need to build on the four others, being the freedom of circulation of persons, goods, services, and capital.” 🗣️ “Mutual learning exercises are a way of circulating knowledge between governments.” 📌 About Our Guest 🎙️ Peter Spyns | Coordinator of International R&I Policies 🌐https://www.ewi-vlaanderen.be/en/contacten/peter-spyns (https://www.ewi-vlaanderen.be/en/contacten/peter-spyns) 🌐linkedin.com/in/peterspyns (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterspyns) A leading figure in European R&I governance, Peter Spyns brings a systems-level perspective to how Europe can unlock the full potential of its knowledge economy—by embedding the 5th Freedom in structure, strategy, and ultimately, law. Our bite-sized videos bring you: ↪️ Expert predictions on the future of Europe’s competitive edge in a knowledge-driven economy. ↪️ Crucial insights on what policymakers should (1) enable—bold investments in research and innovation—and (2) avoid—barriers that limit the free movement of ideas and talent. #5thfreedom
26 Jun 2025
Innovation lab | The 5th Freedom: Thomas Sturm (ICREA)
In collaboration with KnowledgeRights21, we proudly present the 5th Freedom project in our innovation lab! 🔎 In our latest Innovation Lab, philosopher Thomas Sturm explores how the 5th Freedom—the free circulation of knowledge and researchers—can become the cornerstone of a stronger, smarter, and more democratic Europe. From its philosophical roots to policy action points, he makes the case for turning this often-overlooked concept into a tangible right for scientists and societies alike. Key quotes: 🗣️ “The 5th freedom’s central goal is to enhance the free mobility of researchers.” 🗣️ “Researchers should not perceive national borders inside the EU. EU member states must abolish unnecessary and discriminatory national rules and habits.” 🗣️ “We need freedom not just for knowledge, but for the process that generates it.” 🗣️ “Much scientific knowledge requires know-how of procedures and methods. This knowledge cannot be expressed completely by abstract rules.” 🗣️ “Science is one of the best inventions of human culture and history. It creates ever better, less biased and less parochial knowledge of nature and humankind.” 📌About Our Guest 🎙️ Thomas Sturm | ICREA & Autonomous University of Barcelona 🌐 https://www.icrea.cat (https://www.icrea.cat/) 🌐 linkedin.com/in/thomas-sturm-b458a4230 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-sturm-b458a4230) Read the paper on: the 5th Freedom: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/european-review/article/eus-fifth-freedom-why-and-how-to-develop-the-freedom-of-knowledge/593D3128D60C889B9C8092D6CC636123 (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/european-review/article/eus-fifth-freedom-why-and-how-to-develop-the-freedom-of-knowledge/593D3128D60C889B9C8092D6CC636123) Thomas Sturm specializes in the philosophy of rationality and science policy. His work connects foundational concepts with real-world needs—arguing that Europe’s future as a knowledge society depends on the political realization of the 5th Freedom. His recent publication in the European Review lays out a detailed roadmap for this transformation. Our bite-sized videos bring you: ↪️ Expert predictions on the future of Europe’s competitive edge in a knowledge-driven economy. ↪️ Crucial insights on what policymakers should (1) enable—bold investments in research and innovation—and (2) avoid—barriers that limit the free movement of ideas and talent. #5thfreedom
19 Jun 2025
Innovation lab | The 5th Freedom: Sergej Možina (ERA Forum)
In collaboration with KnowledgeRights21, we proudly present the 5th Freedom project in our innovation lab! 🔎 In our latest Innovation Lab episode, we explore why the 5th Freedom—the free circulation of researchers, knowledge, and technology—is more than just a policy buzzword. With the compelling perspective of Sergej Možina, Slovenian Science Attaché and EU R&I policy veteran, we uncover why Europe urgently needs to transform this vision into a tangible, collective reality. Key quotes: 🗣️ “Sometimes we call it the 5th Freedom. Sometimes the European Research Area. Some call it the R&I Union. But it’s all the same simple objective: an environment where researchers, knowledge, and technology circulate freely.” 🗣️ “That’s in the Treaty. Article 179. It’s our constitutional responsibility to make this happen.” 🗣️ “What researchers actually need are the four freedoms—of goods, services, capital, and people. That’s how knowledge can flow.” 🗣️ “If we can build the 28th regime for startups, why can’t we build the 5th Freedom for researchers?” 🗣️ “We have a big opportunity here—to reverse brain drain, to make Europe not just the best place to live, but the best place to work in research and innovation.” 📌About Our Guest 🎙️Sergej Možina | Slovenian Science Attaché to the EU 🌐 https://www.gov.si/en/representations/permanent-representation-to-the-european-union-brussels/about-the-permanent-representation-to-the-european-union-brussels/ 🌐linkedin.com/in/sergej-možina-56a33a3 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergej-mo%C5%BEina-56a33a3) A Brussels-based R&I policy expert, Sergej Možina has long championed the idea that the future of European competitiveness depends on unlocking the 5th Freedom—not in theory, but through collective and structural action. Our bite-sized videos bring you: ↪️ Expert predictions on the future of Europe’s competitive edge in a knowledge-driven economy. ↪️ Crucial insights on what policymakers should (1) enable—bold investments in research and innovation—and (2) avoid—barriers that limit the free movement of ideas and talent. #5thfreedom
12 Jun 2025
Innovation lab | The 5th Freedom: Julien Chicot (The Guild)
In collaboration with KnowledgeRights21, we proudly present the 5th Freedom project in our innovation lab! 🔎 In this edition of Innovation Lab, we dive into why the free movement of knowledge—the proposed 5th Freedom—is not just a policy ambition but a structural necessity for Europe’s resilience and competitiveness. Julien Chicot, Head of Research Innovation Policy at The Guild, outlines the cultural and legal barriers still holding back research collaboration, and makes a compelling case for turning the European Research Area (ERA) into a truly enabling space for scientists and society alike. Key quotes: 🗣️ “Cross-border collaboration is simply critical to scientific excellence in Europe.” 🗣️ “We need an ERA Act, just to ensure that researchers are never denied access to data just because of legal uncertainties.” 🗣️ “It’s only by being together that they can effectively identify the challenges, but also the solutions for the free movement of knowledge in Europe.” 🗣️ “We have to turn our diversity into an asset to push the frontier of knowledge.” 🗣️ “Our universities look forward to solutions that will help researchers to access any type of data under fair conditions.” 📌About Our Guest 🎙️ Julien Chicot | The Guild 🌐 https://www.the-guild.eu/ (https://www.the-guild.eu/) 🌐 linkedin.com/in/julien-e-j-chicot (https://www.linkedin.com/in/julien-e-j-chicot) Julien Chicot brings a strategic lens to the intersection of research excellence and EU policymaking. At The Guild—a network of 22 research-intensive universities—he champions a future where legal clarity and institutional reform unlock Europe’s full research potential. Our bite-sized videos bring you: ↪️ Expert predictions on the future of Europe’s competitive edge in a knowledge-driven economy. ↪️ Crucial insights on what policymakers should (1) enable—bold investments in research and innovation—and (2) avoid—barriers that limit the free movement of ideas and talent. #5thfreedom
5 Jun 2025
Innovation lab | The 5th Freedom: Kurt Deketelaere (LERU)
In collaboration with KnowledgeRights21, we proudly present the 5th Freedom project in our innovation lab! 🔎 In our latest Innovation Lab, we explore why free circulation of knowledge and researchers—the so-called 5th Freedom—isn’t just a legal aspiration, but an urgent necessity for Europe's future. With sharp insights from Kurt Deketelaere, Secretary-General of LERU, we dig into the roots, roadblocks, and real possibilities for turning the European Research Area (ERA) into a functioning legal reality. Key quotes: 🗣️ “The European Research Area is a legal obligation. It’s time we treat it as such.” 🗣️ “After 25 years of voluntary measures, we must acknowledge that real progress now depends on a legislative initiative.” 🗣️ “The 5th Freedom—of knowledge and researchers—should be just as enforceable as the freedoms of goods, services, people, and capital.” 🗣️ “We need a lean, realistic ERA Act: one that anchors core principles and removes national obstacles to free knowledge circulation.” 🗣️ “It’s not just about research. We should build one coherent European Knowledge Area—linking research, innovation, and education under a single legal framework.” 📌About Our Guest 🎙️Kurt Deketelaere | League of European Research Universities (LERU) 🌐https://www.leru.org (https://www.leru.org/) 🌐linkedin.com/in/kurt-deketelaere-124430316 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-deketelaere-124430316) Professor Kurt Deketelaere is a seasoned legal scholar and policy strategist in European R&I affairs. As the long-standing Secretary-General of LERU, he has championed the idea that legal certainty and structured integration are critical for unleashing the full potential of Europe's research and education systems. Our bite-sized videos bring you: ↪️ Expert predictions on the future of Europe’s competitive edge in a knowledge-driven economy. ↪️ Crucial insights on what policymakers should (1) enable—bold investments in research and innovation—and (2) avoid—barriers that limit the free movement of ideas and talent. #5thfreedom
22 May 2025
Innovation lab | The 5th Freedom: Janez Potočnik (UNEP)
In collaboration with KnowledgeRights21, we proudly introduce the 5th Freedom project in our new innovation lab: Shaping Europe’s Future through Knowledge, Education & Innovation! 🔎 In our first Innovation Lab, we dive into how the 5th Freedom can move from concept to concrete solutions, reshaping the future of research and innovation in the EU. Key quotes: 🗣️ “We are living in strange times… and one has the feeling that Hegel was right, saying, ‘The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history.’” 🗣️ “We are a major economic power, but not considered adequately in international geostrategic relations. Building strategic importance requires deeper integration—in fiscal, external, and defense policy—and a stronger internal market.” 🗣️ “Sustainability is not in opposition to competitiveness; it’s a critical success factor. Educated and well-connected people are the best guarantee for freedom, democracy, and a sustainable future.” 🗣️ “As Commissioner for Science and Research, I argued back in 2007 for making knowledge the 5th Freedom. Today, that vision is more relevant than ever.” 🗣️ “The time has come to move beyond the outdated four freedoms. The 5th Freedom—freedom of knowledge, education, science, and innovation—is essential to empower Europe for a competitive, sustainable, and fairer future.” 📌 About Our Guest 🎙️ Janez Potočnik | the UNEP International Resource Panel 🌐https://www.resourcepanel.org 🌐linkedin.com/in/janez-potocnik-872470a7 Dr Janez Potočnik is a Slovenian economist and seasoned policymaker renowned for his contributions to sustainable development and environmental policy. Since 2014, Dr Potočnik has co-chaired the UN Environment Programme’s International Resource Panel, focusing on sustainable resource management. He also chairs the Forum for the Future of Agriculture and the RISE Foundation, and is a partner at SYSTEMIQ, a firm promoting systemic change towards sustainability. Our bite-sized videos bring you: ↪️ Expert predictions on the future of Europe’s competitive edge in a knowledge-driven economy. ↪️ Crucial insights on what policymakers should (1) enable—bold investments in research and innovation—and (2) avoid—barriers that limit the free movement of ideas and talent. #5thfreedom
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