Research and Innovation performance across European countries remains uneven, with "Widening countries," lagging behind the EU average in key innovation metrics. These disparities are influenced by factors such as insufficient scientific infrastructures, limited access to international research networks, and challenges in talent retention and institutional reforms. Addressing these gaps is essential to strengthening Europe's global leadership in R&I and ensuring a balanced, inclusive, and competitive research ecosystem. The Unite!WIDENING project is designed to accelerate this process by fostering long-term cooperation among European Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), enhancing research excellence in Widening countries, and facilitating institutional reforms to bridge the innovation divide.
The project builds on the foundation of the Unite! Alliance, a transnational network of HEIs across Europe. This project will strengthen ties between academia, industry, and local innovation ecosystems, ultimately contributing to the goals of the European Research Area (ERA).
The Unite!WIDENING project is expected to deliver transformative changes in multiple dimensions:
- Enhancing Research Excellence in Widening Countries: By fostering deeper cooperation with high-performing countries like Sweden, Finland, France, and Germany, the project will elevate the research capabilities of Portugal and Poland, ensuring their integration into the broader European R&I landscape.
- Boosting Global Competitiveness and Visibility of European HEIs: The establishment of an S&I Skills Academy will enhance research and innovation skills in Widening countries, strengthening Europe’s critical mass in key fields such as the green transition and digital transformation.
- Institutional Reforms and Capacity Building: The project will implement structured reforms in research management, human resources, and institutional policies, empowering HEIs in Widening countries to become active contributors to European R&I advancements.
- Strengthening Research Careers and Knowledge Circulation: By improving training programs and fostering collaboration across sectors, the project will create more attractive and sustainable research careers, aligning with European policy priorities and increasing innovation output.
- Accelerating the Digital Transition: The expansion of the Unite! digital campus framework will enable researchers in Widening countries to access shared resources and research infrastructures, streamlining collaboration across borders.
- Enabling Open Science: The project will enable the implementation of Open science practices following the outcomes of high level discussion forums between widening and non widening countries.
- Supporting ERA Policy Implementation in HEIs: The project will contribute to the broader ERA objectives by promoting best practices, fostering institutional transformation, and developing new collaborative models that can be extended to other Widening countries in the future.
By addressing these important aspects, Unite!WIDENING will help bridge the innovation gap within Widening and non-Widening HEIs in Europe, ensuring that all Member States, regardless of their current RD&I performance, can contribute to and benefit from a more integrated, competitive, and sustainable European research ecosystem.
