European governments must ease rules to let universities seek extra income, says a report released on 22 February. According to the European University Association (EUA) in Brussels, institutions face financial uncertainty as public funding shrinks. The group surveyed more than 150 universities across 27 nations; 61% said that regulations bar them from industry partnerships, spin-out opportunities and participation in European research programmes. Thomas Estermann, EUA head of governance, autonomy and funding, says that as universities find new revenue, early-career researchers must aggressively seek external funding.