Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EDUC-WIDE (EmpoWering EDUC for Inclusive Development of the ERA)
Berichtszeitraum: 2024-03-01 bis 2025-08-31
EDUC-WIDE builds upon the foundational achievements of the European Digital UniverCity (EDUC) Alliance, serving as its dedicated research and innovation pillar. Over recent years, EDUC has evolved into a robust transnational ecosystem, fostering synergies in education, research, and innovation across institutional and national boundaries.
With nine partner universities, EDUC-WIDE is strategically positioned to address systemic disparities in research and innovation (R&I) capacity, facilitate Ukraine’s integration into the European Research Area (ERA), and contribute to a more cohesive, resilient, and inclusive European R&I landscape. The initiative integrates top-down institutional reforms with bottom-up researcher engagement, enabling structural transformation while cultivating creativity and scientific excellence.
Objectives:
1. Open Science: Embedding Open Science Practices into Institutional Culture
EDUC-WIDE aims to embed Open Science principles across the alliance, promoting transparency, accessibility, and collaborative knowledge production. Open Science accelerates progress, reduces duplication, and allows scientists to build on each other’s work for the benefit of society.
2. Research Assessment:
The project advocates for a paradigm shift in research evaluation, moving beyond traditional metrics to embrace openness, diversity, and collaboration as core indicators of excellence. This reform supports more equitable and responsible research cultures, aligned with emerging European standards.
3. Career Diversity in R&I:
EDUC-WIDE addresses structural barriers in research careers by fostering inclusive policies, supporting diverse career trajectories, and advancing gender equality. These efforts aim to enhance the attractiveness and sustainability of research careers across the alliance.
4. R&I Collaboration:
Through coordinated open calls and shared funding mechanisms, EDUC-WIDE strengthens inter-institutional collaboration. By leveraging complementary research capacities—including those in widening countries—the project facilitates joint experimentation, resource sharing, and innovation.
Through these strategic interventions, EDUC-WIDE seeks not only to elevate institutional performance but also to redefine the modalities of transnational research collaboration, dissemination, and recognition within the European research ecosystem.
With nine partner universities, EDUC-WIDE is strategically positioned to address systemic disparities in research and innovation (R&I) capacity, facilitate Ukraine’s integration into the European Research Area (ERA), and contribute to a more cohesive, resilient, and inclusive European R&I landscape. The initiative integrates top-down institutional reforms with bottom-up researcher engagement, enabling structural transformation while cultivating creativity and scientific excellence.
Objectives:
1. Open Science: Embedding Open Science Practices into Institutional Culture
EDUC-WIDE aims to embed Open Science principles across the alliance, promoting transparency, accessibility, and collaborative knowledge production. Open Science accelerates progress, reduces duplication, and allows scientists to build on each other’s work for the benefit of society.
2. Research Assessment:
The project advocates for a paradigm shift in research evaluation, moving beyond traditional metrics to embrace openness, diversity, and collaboration as core indicators of excellence. This reform supports more equitable and responsible research cultures, aligned with emerging European standards.
3. Career Diversity in R&I:
EDUC-WIDE addresses structural barriers in research careers by fostering inclusive policies, supporting diverse career trajectories, and advancing gender equality. These efforts aim to enhance the attractiveness and sustainability of research careers across the alliance.
4. R&I Collaboration:
Through coordinated open calls and shared funding mechanisms, EDUC-WIDE strengthens inter-institutional collaboration. By leveraging complementary research capacities—including those in widening countries—the project facilitates joint experimentation, resource sharing, and innovation.
Through these strategic interventions, EDUC-WIDE seeks not only to elevate institutional performance but also to redefine the modalities of transnational research collaboration, dissemination, and recognition within the European research ecosystem.
1. Open Science
EDUC-WIDE advanced Open Science integration across partner institutions, building on the EDUC-SHARE strategy. Structured self-assessments led to joint Recommendations for Open Science Practices. Workshops in Hungary and Ukraine fostered peer learning, showcased best practices, and contextualized Open Science within national frameworks.
2. Research Assessment
Partners co-developed a joint EDUC Strategy for Research Assessment Reform, aligned with CoARA principles. Widening partners (Czech Republic, Hungary, Ukraine) contributed a dedicated report offering Eastern European insights. Simultaneous awareness events promoted dialogue on reform and its impact on careers and institutions.
3. Career Diversity & Gender Equality
EDUC-WIDE produced a Best Practice Guide on Career Development and Gender Equality Indicators. Workshops in Czech Republic and Hungary focused on integrating Gender Equality Plans and promoting diverse career paths. A modular online Management Research Skills Course with nine modules will launch in the second project phase.
4. Research & Innovation Collaboration
Open calls supported interdisciplinary collaboration. The first Call enabled 12 projects to access advanced research infrastructure. The Knowledge Exchange Scheme connected 28 facilities to share expertise. Eight Seed Projects were selected to drive bottom-up research initiatives in the second half of the project.
EDUC-WIDE advanced Open Science integration across partner institutions, building on the EDUC-SHARE strategy. Structured self-assessments led to joint Recommendations for Open Science Practices. Workshops in Hungary and Ukraine fostered peer learning, showcased best practices, and contextualized Open Science within national frameworks.
2. Research Assessment
Partners co-developed a joint EDUC Strategy for Research Assessment Reform, aligned with CoARA principles. Widening partners (Czech Republic, Hungary, Ukraine) contributed a dedicated report offering Eastern European insights. Simultaneous awareness events promoted dialogue on reform and its impact on careers and institutions.
3. Career Diversity & Gender Equality
EDUC-WIDE produced a Best Practice Guide on Career Development and Gender Equality Indicators. Workshops in Czech Republic and Hungary focused on integrating Gender Equality Plans and promoting diverse career paths. A modular online Management Research Skills Course with nine modules will launch in the second project phase.
4. Research & Innovation Collaboration
Open calls supported interdisciplinary collaboration. The first Call enabled 12 projects to access advanced research infrastructure. The Knowledge Exchange Scheme connected 28 facilities to share expertise. Eight Seed Projects were selected to drive bottom-up research initiatives in the second half of the project.
The Open Science expert group formulated a series of recommendations, including proposals for continuous improvement that may extend beyond the scope of the EDUC Alliance.
A research assessment report on Czechia, Hungary, and Ukraine will feed into the Atlas of Assessment by providing detailed country-specific information in their profiles. The work of the EDUC-WIDE expert group has also prompted partner institutions to join CoARA.
Through internal research calls—such as Seed Projects and Access to Research Infrastructures—the project promotes interdisciplinary research on global challenges, and advances open, cross-border collaboration through shared infrastructures and data.
A co-leadership model is being implemented to strengthen institutions in Czechia, Hungary, and Ukraine, enhancing their capacity to take on leading roles in Horizon Europe and broadening their access to excellence.
A research assessment report on Czechia, Hungary, and Ukraine will feed into the Atlas of Assessment by providing detailed country-specific information in their profiles. The work of the EDUC-WIDE expert group has also prompted partner institutions to join CoARA.
Through internal research calls—such as Seed Projects and Access to Research Infrastructures—the project promotes interdisciplinary research on global challenges, and advances open, cross-border collaboration through shared infrastructures and data.
A co-leadership model is being implemented to strengthen institutions in Czechia, Hungary, and Ukraine, enhancing their capacity to take on leading roles in Horizon Europe and broadening their access to excellence.