Broadening participation and strengthening the European Research Area

There are opportunities here for actors to upgrade their research and innovation system. This makes individual countries stronger and allows the EU as a whole to develop together, which is in line with the political objectives of the European Research Area.

There are also efforts to reform and improve the European Research and Innovation System (ERA). Policy reforms at national level will be strengthened and mutually complemented by the development of EU-level policy initiatives, research, networking, partnerships, coordination, data collection and follow-up and evaluation.

Efforts are being made to:

• to strengthen the knowledge base for research and innovation policy, for a better understanding of the different dimensions and components of national and regional research and innovation systems, including drivers, impacts and associated policies
• foresight activities, to anticipate emerging needs and trends, in coordination and co-creation with national authorities and forward-looking stakeholders
  support to policy makers, funding bodies, research implementation organisations (including universities) or advisory groups working on the European Research Area and related policies
• support for synergies between research and innovation policy and programme and higher education, in particular towards a modernised higher education sector, benefiting from targeted changes in higher education, research and innovation
  to strengthen research careers, to ensure that research and innovation talent benefits from attractive careers, and that a highly qualified workforce can move freely