Periodic Reporting for period 1 - InspireuropePlus (Initiative to Support, Promote and Integrate Researchers at Risk in Europe PLUS)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-09-01 al 2024-02-29
Inspireurope+ strengthens and coordinates support in Europe for researchers at risk. Building on the work undertaken by Inspireurope (launched under MSCA in 2019), Inspireurope+ proceeds from the view that excellence in research depends on free and open scientific debate and requires a diversity of perspectives and methodologies to flourish. In many countries and regions, scholars, scientists and researchers face risks to their life, liberty, or research careers. When researchers are at risk, and excluded from participating in the global research circuit, whether due to discrimination, persecution, disaster, or violence, not only are individual lives and careers at risk; the very future of research is also at stake.
Inspireurope+ combines forces across national and institutional boundaries to respond to growing threats against scholars. Through guidance, training, and consultations with researchers at risk, Inspireurope+ helps to build the skills and knowledge needed to facilitate access to European, national, and institutional funding and support. Through guidance and advice for employers in the academic and non-academic sectors, Inspireurope+ increases institutional capacity and preparedness to support researchers at risk. Through policy input to the national and European levels, Inspireurope+ facilitates and encourages the development of new support programmes and improves the policy environment in Europe for researchers at risk.
Inspireurope+ is funded by the European Union and implemented by an international consortium of six project partners, and four associated partners. Together, the partners leverage their vast networks to bring project outputs to over 50,000 stakeholders across Europe. For further information on Inspireurope+, visit: https://sareurope.eu/inspireurope/(si apre in una nuova finestra)
Inspireurope+ combines forces across national and institutional boundaries to respond to growing threats against scholars. Through guidance, training, and consultations with researchers at risk, Inspireurope+ helps to build the skills and knowledge needed to facilitate access to European, national, and institutional funding and support. Through guidance and advice for employers in the academic and non-academic sectors, Inspireurope+ increases institutional capacity and preparedness to support researchers at risk. Through policy input to the national and European levels, Inspireurope+ facilitates and encourages the development of new support programmes and improves the policy environment in Europe for researchers at risk.
Inspireurope+ is funded by the European Union and implemented by an international consortium of six project partners, and four associated partners. Together, the partners leverage their vast networks to bring project outputs to over 50,000 stakeholders across Europe. For further information on Inspireurope+, visit: https://sareurope.eu/inspireurope/(si apre in una nuova finestra)
The activities performed and main achievements of the project can be categorised under the following headings:
(1) Coordinating European support: The Inspireurope+ Coordinating Committee serves as an important vehicle for cooperation and coordination of European support for researchers at risk, convening global leaders active in supporting researchers at risk in Europe to share emerging trends, highlight new funding sources, and provide updates on their work within the various national contexts represented.
(2) Guidance and support for researchers at risk: In consultation with researchers at risk, Inspireurope+ provides webinars and training for researchers at risk. Four webinars and three trainings have been delivered by the project to date. These activities have focused on publication strategies, research integrity and ethics, and networking and communication skills. Through these activities, Inspireurope+ has already surpassed its’ goal, reaching over 500 researchers at risk from over 30 countries with direct support and guidance.
(3) Building institutional capacity and preparedness: Inspireurope+ increases institutional capacity and preparedness to employ, host, and support the continuous professional development of researchers at risk. In this regard, the project has delivered four webinars, three leadership roundtables, and a set of guidance materials for employers. These activities have focused on themes such as remote fellowships for researchers at risk; career assessment; and strategies for engagement of researchers at risk; Through these activities, the project has reached around 350 actors in over 50 countries.
(4) Advising National-Level Initiatives: Inspireurope+ encourages and assists the development of new national support programmes in Europe for researchers at risk. To date, the partners have provided direct advice and guidance to four national-level or prospective programmes to assist researchers at risk. Inspireurope+ has held stakeholder platforms in 2023 and 2024, bringing together around 650 researchers at risk, host institutions, and other stakeholders to share good practices and facilitate peer learning in the development of support programmes.
(5) Informing European policy: Inspireurope+ informs and improves policymaking in Europe on matters related to researchers at risk. The project has submitted four policy briefs to European policymakers on topics related to enhancing support for researchers at risk. These include a recommendation for the establishment of national fellowship schemes for researchers at risk ,and a submission to the European Commission in response to a public consultation on research and innovation structures.
(6) Awareness-raising and diversification of support: Inspireurope+ highlights why researchers are at risk and ways to support them. The project has produced three newsletters with useful information for researchers at risk, reaching around 2,000 subscribers from over 60 countries. Project partners disseminate project information and outputs via social media and their respective mailing lists and networks. Project partners have a combined audience of almost 120,000 on X/Twitter and over 50,000 stakeholders via their mailings lists and networks.
(1) Coordinating European support: The Inspireurope+ Coordinating Committee serves as an important vehicle for cooperation and coordination of European support for researchers at risk, convening global leaders active in supporting researchers at risk in Europe to share emerging trends, highlight new funding sources, and provide updates on their work within the various national contexts represented.
(2) Guidance and support for researchers at risk: In consultation with researchers at risk, Inspireurope+ provides webinars and training for researchers at risk. Four webinars and three trainings have been delivered by the project to date. These activities have focused on publication strategies, research integrity and ethics, and networking and communication skills. Through these activities, Inspireurope+ has already surpassed its’ goal, reaching over 500 researchers at risk from over 30 countries with direct support and guidance.
(3) Building institutional capacity and preparedness: Inspireurope+ increases institutional capacity and preparedness to employ, host, and support the continuous professional development of researchers at risk. In this regard, the project has delivered four webinars, three leadership roundtables, and a set of guidance materials for employers. These activities have focused on themes such as remote fellowships for researchers at risk; career assessment; and strategies for engagement of researchers at risk; Through these activities, the project has reached around 350 actors in over 50 countries.
(4) Advising National-Level Initiatives: Inspireurope+ encourages and assists the development of new national support programmes in Europe for researchers at risk. To date, the partners have provided direct advice and guidance to four national-level or prospective programmes to assist researchers at risk. Inspireurope+ has held stakeholder platforms in 2023 and 2024, bringing together around 650 researchers at risk, host institutions, and other stakeholders to share good practices and facilitate peer learning in the development of support programmes.
(5) Informing European policy: Inspireurope+ informs and improves policymaking in Europe on matters related to researchers at risk. The project has submitted four policy briefs to European policymakers on topics related to enhancing support for researchers at risk. These include a recommendation for the establishment of national fellowship schemes for researchers at risk ,and a submission to the European Commission in response to a public consultation on research and innovation structures.
(6) Awareness-raising and diversification of support: Inspireurope+ highlights why researchers are at risk and ways to support them. The project has produced three newsletters with useful information for researchers at risk, reaching around 2,000 subscribers from over 60 countries. Project partners disseminate project information and outputs via social media and their respective mailing lists and networks. Project partners have a combined audience of almost 120,000 on X/Twitter and over 50,000 stakeholders via their mailings lists and networks.
The significant impact of Inspireurope+ is already evident. Inspireurope+ builds on the findings and recommendations of its predecessor Inspireurope to advise and assist with implementation of concrete measures to enhance support for researchers at risk across Europe. Following a recommendation made by the Inspireurope project on the implementation of an EU fellowship scheme for researchers at risk, and drawing on the gaps in support identified by the project’s Researchers at Risk: Mapping Europe’s Response report, the European Commission recently published a preparatory action to establish a European fellowship scheme for researchers at risk. Three Inspireurope+ partners contributed significantly to the successful bid. This action significantly contributes to Inspireurope+’s objective of strengthening cooperation across Europe in support of researchers at risk.
The substantial efforts undertaken by Inspireurope+ project partners also paved the way for the MSCA4Ukraine fellowship scheme, an EU-funded initiative to support displaced researchers from Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Four Inspireurope+ partners drew on their strong working relationships and pooled expertise to form a consortium to manage and implement the MSCA4Ukraine scheme, which has been a lifeline for over 120 researchers from Ukraine and a bridge that will help support their home institutions.
The substantial efforts undertaken by Inspireurope+ project partners also paved the way for the MSCA4Ukraine fellowship scheme, an EU-funded initiative to support displaced researchers from Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Four Inspireurope+ partners drew on their strong working relationships and pooled expertise to form a consortium to manage and implement the MSCA4Ukraine scheme, which has been a lifeline for over 120 researchers from Ukraine and a bridge that will help support their home institutions.