One year after becoming one of the 48 ‘European Universities’ co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme, the European Reform University Alliance awarded additional funding in the special Horizon 2020 ‘Science with and for Society’ call to support the research and innovation dimension of European University Alliances.

Re:ERUA started on October 1, 2021, aims at developing an engagement strategy for Research and Innovation (R&I) of the European Reform University Alliance involving the Research community and the external  stakeholders. The project begins to lay the foundations of the structure.

Ensure a strong articulation among ERUA-Erasmus+ and Re:ERUA 

The WP1, led by University Paris8 ensure the coordination of Re:ERUA with close link with ERUA Erasmus+ WP1 to ensure the timely completion of the activities.

A general coordination strategy of the Alliance has been defined in the first deliverable, considering the link between ERUA-Erasmus+ and Re:ERUA with comprehensive ERUA perspective to pursue the strengthen of the Alliance.

Developing Engagement strategy for the areas of research and innovation

The WP2, led by University Paris8 started to form working group and fix the methodology in order to identify common practices or thematic while singling out the obstacles to overcome in order to build and implement our Engagement Strategy. This WP includes R&I support services and structures and researchers to provide relevant input, to establish new ways of steering research and fostering new, inventive cooperation formats.

Next step is a detail mapping exercise and analysis of data in order to have deep knowledge of the research in ERUA and potential partner organizations across the Alliance.

Launching pilots in exploring innovation and societal engagement through the lens of responsible research

The WP3, led by RUC, aims at intensifying collaboration and at fostering engagement for Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) of all sectors’ organizations and citizens through good governance, mutual learning, agreed practices and multi-actor and public engagement initiatives in research and innovation.

An expert group on social innovation and societal engagement has been established. Its role will be to consult the WP3 research process, development of deliverables and dissemination of knowledge among the alliance partners. Next step will be the construction of a Mapping of initiatives relating to innovation and societal engagement

Strengthening human capital, with particular focus on women and young researchers.

The WP4, led by UAEGEAN, detailed the different working groups in order to develop a common framework for re-skilling and up-skilling researchers/scientists and stakeholders, to strengthen the  human capital in R&I and support regional skills in innovation & entrepreneurship. The second aim is to provide women scientists and minorities with new opportunities, improve their skills connected with innovation, and strengthen diversity and inclusion in ERUA.

The next step will be to determine training needs/competences for researchers/scientists as Learners.

Building structures of Open Science at all partner institutions to increase transparency and accessibility for all.

The WP5, led by UKON, has prepared the common ground for the baseline analysis and is working to establish an analysis with all partner universities to sum up the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities in term of Open Science. This WP is in line with the very essence of our alliance and our respective universities, in the sense that it reflects the most critical approach to access to scientific knowledge in our current society.

Open Science Live Meet-Up will be organized with a regularly format, as an interactive get-together of all university members who are interested in open science.

Sharing infrastructures and resources and developing common structures

The WP6, led by NBU, aims to create a strong research and innovation community within ERUA to enhance research collaboration, innovation etc. I.e. common research databases, shared labs and libraries, etc.

This WP is transversal to all the alliance as it will reinforce the sense of belonging and participate in community building among all concerned stakeholders, thus accelerating the construction of our European University.

You may be interested in joining the adventure of our alliance? For more information, click on the  “Why participating to Re-ERUA working groups as a researcher?”