What should we rename ‘FP8′?

From Gary Finnegan (Blogactiv):

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”

- William Shakespeare

EU officials are toying with the idea of renaming Europe’s Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. At present, the seventh framework programme (FP7) is under review and governments are already jockeying for position in the battle for funding that will precede the launch of ‘FP8′.

The idea of renaming FP8 should be welcomed given its potential to improve public understanding of what the EU does in terms of its multi-billion euro support for research. 

The move should also be welcomed by looking to improve SME involvement in the framework programmes. The trouble with the rather lengthy current title is that so few European citizens know what it it’s all about.

Imagine the framework programme were a product given to marketeers and brand managers to sell to the public. They would surely have come up with something shorter than the Framework Programme for Research and Technozzzzz…..

And they would have avoided adding yet another acronym to the alphabet soup of European science jargon. Who needs the FP8 when we already have ERA, ERAB, REA, ESF, COST, EIT, and KICs?

So. What should it be called? 

Well, it has to be short, simple and, ideally, work in several langauges. At the very least it should translate readily or use familiar terminology.

One sugguestion might have been to go for something like Euroscience - but this is already taken.

You might prefer Euroresearch or Euroinnovation, although those are (a) not as linguistically universal and (b) not strictly accurate since the focus is on science and research rather than specifically on innovation.

How about SciFund? Or ResFund?

“Have you put in your SciFund grant application?”

Works for me.

Let us know what you think…