The EHRI Implementation Phase (EHRI-IP) project aimed at substantially advancing the implementation of the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure (EHRI) as a permanent, distributed organization in the form of a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), thus enabling state-of-the-art, independent Holocaust research based on the latest facts and technologies.
EHRI-IP guided EHRI through its implementation and early operation phase, and ran in parallel with the process of establishing EHRI as an ERIC. EHRI-ERIC was legally established on 20 January 2025 with ten founding member countries.
EHRI-IP fully achieved its three overall objectives:
1. Implementing EHRI. This was achieved by establishing an operational Central Hub, scaling-up national nodes in all member countries, and finalizing the ERIC’s governance structure and financial planning. Transforming existing high-level scientific, user and technological strategies into operational reality was an important focus as well.
2. Growing EHRI. This was done through preparing a roadmap for the future accession of new member and observer countries; negotiating cooperation agreements with international and strategic partners; and investigating how EHRI can future expand in the future.
3. Managing and valorizing EHRI. This was done by coordinating interactions between the EHRI-IP project and concurrent relevant activities, and developing strategies that focus on EHRI reaching its full potential with regards to innovation and social, economic and scientific impact.
The EHRI-IP project has successfully contributed to establishing EHRI as a permanent research infrastructure (RI), thereby ensuring that EHRI’s mission of fostering trans-national Holocaust research, commemoration and education by connecting sources, institutions and people can continue.