- The webpage was a core instrument to inform about activities of ERA-CVD and to share data and knowledge with the research community, the funded researchers, stakeholders and the general public. A specific partnering platform for scientists was established and enabled potential applicants to find collaborators worldwide and thereby increased the potential for researchers to form or join transnational consortia.
- ERA-CVD contributed to streamline national, regional and international practices in organizing research funding. Based upon experiences made within other ERA-Nets knowledge obtained on funding procedures, submission system, evaluation and selection process were used to organize research funding among ERA-CVD partners. The experience of partners who have been in charge of the management of the Joint Call Secretariat in other ERA-Nets was exploited to efficiently and in a short timeframe set up a highly competitive selection process based upon a common international peer-review board.
- ERA-CVD activities did support capacity building. It had a positively impact on the quality of translational cardiovascular research and the efficiency of the translational research process. On the long run, the capacity building activities are expected to accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into novel and more effective and selective interventions in prevention, diagnosis and therapy, as well as their evaluation in the clinical setting.
- The close collaboration with the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), the European Heart Network (EHN) and voluntary health organizations did enable more accurate definition of specific needs and gaps in CVD research on one hand and broad dissemination of research outcomes on the other hand. Thus, indirectly, ERA-CVD did contribute to the improvement of health care and patient’s wellbeing.
- to increase the excellence in research stystems from competition and collaboration among scientists it is crucial for public authorities, research-funding agencies, public and private research institutes and universities to support the exchange and work across borders. Creating and promoting opportunities for cooperation with the best scientist and research infrastructures in the world was a major aim of ERA-CVD. Through its funding, ERA-CVD did support exchange and training of young scientists, clinicians and post-docs in the diverse fields of cardiovascular research (e.g. JTC specifically dedicated to young scientists and two symposia).
- ERA-CVD and its activities and publications did support the preparation of the new European Partnership ERA4Health and a first joint transnational call in 2023 (Topic: “Research targeting development of innovative therapeutic strategies in cardiovascular disease, CARDINNOV”) well as on national level to demonstrate and validate the need of CVD research and the priorities identified by the survey.
