INSPIRING ERA

INSPIRING ERA is a Horizon Europe project supporting researchers, universities, research organisations and other research and innovation actors to understand and make use of developments within the European Research Area (ERA).

The European Research Area is a European framework for strengthening research and innovation by helping countries work together to improve research systems and the conditions for conducting, sharing and using research. Through successive ERA Policy Agendas, European countries and stakeholders cooperate on issues such as open science, research careers, research assessment, gender equality, knowledge valorisation and research infrastructures, as well as emerging priorities including artificial intelligence in science, research security and science for policy.

INSPIRING ERA helps bridge the gap between these European-level policies and the people and organisations affected by them. The project makes ERA developments easier to understand and use by translating policy into practical information, resources and opportunities for exchange. At the same time, it brings experiences from researchers, research organisations and other stakeholders back into policy discussions, helping identify needs, challenges and examples of good practice.

Project activities include:

• Building an ERA Community connecting researchers, research and higher education institutions, innovation actors, policymakers and other stakeholders across Europe.
• Organising events and mutual learning activities where participants can exchange experiences and explore how ERA policies work in practice.
• Producing accessible information, policy overviews, factsheets and other resources about developments within the European Research Area.
• Sharing tools, practices and results developed through ERA initiatives and related European projects.
• Gathering experiences and perspectives from the research and innovation community and feeding these into policy recommendations and discussions at European level.
• Connecting European projects, networks and initiatives working on different aspects of the ERA.