PANERIS was implemented to strengthen neuroscience research and innovation capacities in Widening Countries through international collaboration, researcher mobility, institutional capacity building and strategic networking. During the 24-month implementation period, the consortium established frameworks for cooperation among research-performing organisations, European research infrastructures and innovation ecosystems, supporting the integration of the participating institutions into the ERA.
The project implemented all planned technical work packages and delivered the expected scientific and capacity-building outputs. A joint internationalisation strategy was developed and implemented, accompanied by the mapping of neuroscience research infrastructures, stakeholder ecosystems and funding opportunities. Capacity building was supported through specialised training in proposal development, research management, Open Science and HRS4R implementation, benefiting more than 70 research support professionals. In parallel, institutional guidance and best-practice recommendations were developed to strengthen human resource management and internationalisation strategies.
Researcher mobility and knowledge exchange were strengthened through 24 Short-Term Scientific Missions, enabling early-stage researchers to access complementary expertise, advanced methodologies and research infrastructures across the consortium. These activities were complemented by four Summer and Winter Schools, providing advanced training in neurodevelopment, neurodegenerative diseases, addiction research, computational neuroscience and transferable skills. The collaborative activities supported the preparation of six joint scientific publications, three of which had been accepted for publication by the end of the project, and contributed to the development of new collaborative research proposals.
The project also strengthened cooperation with major European research infrastructures and networks, including EBRAINS and EATRIS, and expanded the consortium's collaboration ecosystem to more than 450 organisations, including over 300 new institutions from more than 30 countries. These activities increased institutional readiness for future participation in European research programmes and supported the development of long-term collaborative partnerships.
Overall, PANERIS delivered the planned technical and scientific activities, strengthened institutional research and innovation capacities, enhanced researcher skills and mobility, and established sustainable frameworks for continued scientific collaboration, joint proposal development and participation in the European Research Area beyond the project's lifetime.
