On 22 October 2026, COST hosted a conference on the role of networks in European research, at the Residence Palace in Brussels.
More than 100 researchers, policymakers, high-level speakers, experts, and other stakeholders from across Europe gathered to explore the latest developments shaping the future of European research and innovation, with a particular focus on the European Research Area (ERA) and the next Framework Programme (FP10).

At this decisive turning point for European research policy, research networks can drive scientific excellence, strengthen Europe’s global competitiveness and accelerate its capacity to innovate. This set the tone for the event, which was opened by COST President: Prof. Åse Gornitzka.
“Today's conference raises an important question: what role can research networks play in shaping Europe's future research and innovation landscape?

For over 50 years, COST has brought researchers together across countries, disciplines and career stages, creating opportunities to exchange ideas, build trust and turn shared scientific interests into lasting collaborations.
COST provides a springboard for European research collaboration and funding, demonstrating that scientific excellence does not happen in isolation. It flourishes when people and ideas connect, and when researchers have the freedom and opportunities to explore new directions together.
This conference highlights what COST networks are already achieving across Europe, and the even greater contribution they can make to the future of European research and innovation.”

How do networks help advance European science?
In her speech Manuela Gomes TENET COST Action Chair advocated “cultivating excellence through connectivity”, thereby addressing the problem of fragmentation. Her key message in this context was that “European science possesses immense intellectual wealth but is historically prone to national and institutional silos”. She emphasised the need to overcome fragmentation in research and to continue bringing researchers and innovators together through collaborative networks, highlighting their essential role in achieving ambitious research goals and delivering meaningful benefits to society.

“I strongly believe that synergies between European funding programmes are essential to advancing science, consolidating research teams, and fostering lasting collaborations. My experience coordinating an ERC project alongside an EC Twinning project has demonstrated their complementary role in strengthening research capacity and creating opportunities for researchers at all career stages. COST Actions are particularly valuable in connecting expertise across countries and disciplines, building inclusive research communities, and promoting knowledge exchange, mobility, leadership, and professional development. TENET COST Action has further reinforced my conviction that collaboration is a powerful driver of scientific progress and a rewarding source of shared purpose. Sustained support for ambitious fundamental research, combined with programmes that facilitate networking and resource sharing, is essential to addressing societal challenges and advancing science for the benefit of society." Manuela Gomes, Professor of Bioengineering at the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. University of Porto.

Empowering the next generation of researchers

Early career researchers are vital to Europe’s research and innovation future, yet sustainable career paths remain challenging. The COST Cross-Cutting Activity (CCA) on supporting the career development of young researchers had a central place in this panel discussion. Speakers, all parts of this CCA network, highlighted the need for stronger coordination, better mental health support, and skills development, including more effective communication to help researchers navigate careers both within and beyond academia. Europe enables researcher mobility but struggles to retain its talent. The CCA aims to bridge these gaps, strengthen support networks, and turn mobility into lasting opportunity.

“At the European level we have amazing programmes, like the MSCA and COST, that bring the best out of researchers and institutions, by bringing them together. But sustaining Europe’s research competitiveness cannot rest on project-based funding alone. We need to encourage the spread of best practices beyond our projects, which means working together with research performing organisations, regions and member states who in turn need to invest in their R&I ecosystems.”
Annelies van de Ven policy officer at the Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture of the European Commission, MSCA Unit.

Diversity as a Driver of Excellence and Innovation in European Research

Speakers highlighted diversity, inclusion and equality as cornerstones of stronger European research ecosystems. While progress has been made, including on gender balance, diversity must go beyond representation to become a driver of research quality and innovation. Building trust, bridging perspectives and fostering collective ownership are essential to embedding lasting cultural change across research networks.

“Networks such as the Coimbra Group create the trust needed for their members to address complex challenges through a diversity of perspectives, lead bold cultural transformations and build collective ownership of the changes needed in research culture”. Emmanuelle Gardan Director of the Coimbra Group Brussels

“As the EU institutions prepare a first-ever ERA Act and negotiate the next R&I Framework Programme (FP10), they have a unique opportunity to more boldly recognise diversity as a driver of excellence in research and to fully embed, wherever relevant, the principles of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment” Mrs Gardan adds.

“Diversity does not compete with excellence. When properly enabled, it becomes one of the ways excellence is created. Research excellence is not produced by researchers alone, but by the wider ecosystem that enables research to happen. Research managers are part of that ecosystem: we do not simply administer requirements; we help create the conditions in which diverse people, knowledge and institutions can contribute and thrive. Investing in research-management capacity is therefore investing in the capacity of the European research system itself.”
Andreja Zulim de Swarte, European Association of Research Managers and Administrators (EARMA)

COST research networks provide a strong foundation for embedding diversity, inclusion and shared leadership. Building trust and putting people at the centre strengthens research quality, impact and community cohesion. Looking ahead for FP10, priorities include fair access to leadership and greater opportunities for all. Integrating the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment will be key to unlocking the transformative potential of this movement and accelerating progress.

"COST is one of the few European funding programmes for researchers that is community-driven and inclusive by design. This strengthens the human-centred nature of academic work and working environments, which is in high demand these days." Dr Gábor Kismihók Head of Lab Learning and Skill Analytics, TIB Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology; Action Chair of Researcher Mental Health (ReMO) COST Action

COST Actions in action
COST Actions showcased how research networks can drive evidence-informed policymaking in a dedicated poster session, while five participants shared their insights on what FP10 must deliver to empower successful networks and maximise their impact.

Dr Adna Ašić, CardioPhrama GENET Action Chair highlighted how networking builds lasting partnerships, seed funding fuels research and innovation with tangible economic impact and widening must go beyond opening doors to foster research leadership. Tackling complex health challenges also requires stronger collaboration across disciplines.

CliMent Network, represented by Dr Chiara Cadeddu, the Action Vice Chair focused on how small mobility grants can deliver outsized impact and connected networks multiply opportunities. For FP10, the priority is clear: bridge networks and projects to turn collaboration into lasting research impact.
Early career researchers were central to the OneHealthBlastocystis network with dedicated training and scientific missions to support connecting people with a common goal more than learning techniques, adds Dr Anastasios Tsaousis, the Chair. FP10 should fund the full research chain networks: “Fund the science that explains a field, alongside the work that applies to it.”

Dr Andreia Freitas, BeSafeBeeHoney Action Chair, pointed out that the greatest legacy of a COST Action is not a report or publication, but a community that continues to collaborate long after funding ends. She underscored the power of human connections and called on FP10 to sustain these networks as a lasting driver of European research and innovation.

This session concluded with Prof Fernanda Rollo, chairing the SHiFT network by emphasizing the gap of the architecture of knowledge: “Climate transformation depends not only on better data or better models, but on broader knowledge architecture.”

ERA and FP10: Looking Towards the Next Steps

To close the day with a long-term vision, leading voices from the European R&I community, Jean-David Malo (European Commission), Amanda Crowfoot (European University Association) and Dr Brigita Serafinavičiūte, Research Attaché at the EU Permanent Representation of Lithuania, joined the discussion on the future of European research and innovation, highlighting the need to recognize research networks as a cornerstone of Europe’s R&I ecosystem.

Why an ERA ACT?

While researchers, knowledge and value increasingly cross borders, persistent fragmentation continues to hinder European competitiveness. Speakers stressed the need for stakeholder consultation to shape an ERA Act with strong political and institutional support. The priority is to strengthen collaboration, align investment in strategic R&I domains, and uphold ERA values including scientific freedom to drive Europe’s collective innovation capacity.

“Europe’s future competitiveness depends on a genuinely integrated European Research Area, where researchers, knowledge and technology can move freely across borders. Future policy tools should help reduce fragmentation, strengthen excellence and create the right framework conditions for research careers and knowledge circulation. Networks are essential to making this vision real: they connect people and institutions, spread good practice and help turn shared ambitions for the ERA into practical results on the ground”. Jean-David Malo Director of ERA and Innovation, DG Research and Innovation

The European University Association also strongly supports the new ERA Act. Research networks are essential to Europe’s R&I ecosystem. Speakers called for stronger mechanisms to build connections, assess their added value and ensure their long-term sustainability while they remain relevant in the European R&I landscape.

The message was clear: Europe needs a more efficient, coherent approach. The ERA Act is expected by the end of 2026.

“Research networks play an important role in the European Research Area. The continent has a wealth of such networks, and a priority going forward should be to strengthen connections between them, to build on their complementarities and to ensure they reinforce one another. Making ERA and the next Framework Programme fit for purpose means creating the conditions for Europe's distributed research excellence to be connected, mobilised and translated into scientific advances.” Amanda Crowfoot Secretary General of the European University Association

Additional information
The full programme and speakers’ biography
European Research Area (ERA)
European Research Area (ERA) Act
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
The COST Cross-Cutting Activity (CCA)