The BETTER Life project has made significant strides in promoting Socially Engaged Research within the life sciences, creating a rich ecosystem of frameworks, tools, digital resources, and training initiatives aimed at empowering early-career researchers (ECRs) and academic institutions. At the foundation of the project lies the developed Framework for Socially Engaged Researchers in Life Sciences, which offers a multi-stakeholder approach for fostering SER at the institutional, functional, stakeholder, and impact levels. It enables institutions to reflect on their internal capacities and processes while helping researchers understand the support structures and potential scientific, social, and economic impacts of their engagement. Building on this foundation, the project introduced Standards for Socially Engaged Research, conceived as a flexible yet structured guide that evolves alongside the changing needs of life sciences and society. To operationalise the standards, the project developed Toolkits for Socially Engaged Research, each aligned with one or more of the twelve identified standards. These toolkits were designed as practical, adaptable resources shaped through collaborative workshops and stakeholder input. These toolkits offer guidance on stakeholder engagement, evaluation, communication, and methodological design—empowering ECRs to embed social engagement deeply into their research practice. The outputs of the project are made accessible through the Digital Centre of Excellence (DCoE) — an online platform serving as a hub for sharing the project’s results and methodologies with the broader public, academic community, and quadruple helix stakeholders. The DCoE showcases toolkits, training materials, and other resources, ensuring their usability and accessibility while promoting the visibility of the project’s achievements across disciplines and institutions. The BETTER Life Virtual Spring School, held on April 9–10, 2024, introduced ECRs to the concept of socially engaged research and presented the tools and outcomes of the project. This online event focused on helping participants understand how to align scientific inquiry with real-world needs, using interactive lectures and group sessions. For its success, the second edition was launched in March 2025. The project also organised a series of Think Tank sessions at each partner institution, bringing together experts to explore institutional needs and co-create tailored mentorship programs for ECRs. Among the most intensive capacity-building actions were the Virtual Boot Camps, held in three progressive stages. The project culminated with the BETTER Life Summer School, a week-long in-person event that combined theoretical learning with practical fieldwork. Participants, including master’s students, PhD candidates and postdocs, conducted field studies in two national parks in Czechia. Divided into small groups, they addressed local social, economic, and environmental challenges by engaging with stakeholders and applying the SER approach to real-world situations. Preparatory materials helped participants understand the context beforehand, and the fieldwork was complemented by discussions, presentations, and interactive workshops.
