Horizon Europe - WIDERA - Destination: Reforming and enhancing the European research and innovation system

Destination: Reforming and enhancing the European research and innovation system The guiding policy framework of this destination is the Communication "A New ERA for Research and Innovation"52, the Council Recommendation on the Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe (Pact for R&I) 53 , and the European Research Area (ERA) Policy Agenda (2025-2027) 54 . The funded actions will strengthen the ERA by promoting the freedom of movement of researchers, scientific knowledge, and technology and by providing new evidence for better-informed policymaking. More details on the ERA policy framework are in the introduction to the WIDERA work programme 2026-2027. The EU Member States, Associated Countries, R&I stakeholders, and the Commission work together to implement the ERA. This process is steered by the ERA Policy Agenda, which identifies specific ERA Actions (time-limited initiatives) and Structural Policies (long-term policies) designed to tackle concrete challenges faced by R&I communities in Europe. This work programme is designed to support this process. The funded actions will build knowledge and capacities at the level of institutions and ecosystems to adopt reforms and practices in line with the ERA Policy Agenda, thereby contributing to the implementation of the ERA. The destination will be implemented in synergy with the European Higher Education Area and the European Education Area, especially in relation to R&I careers and institutional changes in universities and research organisations. Several call topics and other actions will also contribute to the implementation of the European framework for research careers55 . The destination includes two calls with 13 topics in total as well as other actions, targeting a wide range of R&I stakeholders, e.g., universities, research performing and funding organisations, research evaluation agencies, networks of researchers, publishers, industry and start-ups, policymakers, local authorities, and public bodies. The effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines is encouraged under this destination, including the involvement of SSH experts, institutions, and the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, to enhance the societal impact of project activities. The ERA Platform showcases results from Horizon Europe-funded projects, making them available to a wide range of stakeholders to facilitate progress in ERA policy areas. Applicants are encouraged to consider these results as well as propose new tools, resources, and visual material that can be featured on the platform. All topics in the 2026 and 2027 ERA calls are organised around four pillars, designed to enable the funded projects to strengthen R&I capacities across four complementary dimensions while addressing selected ERA Actions and Structural Policies. The table below summarises this approach, making it easier for applicants to choose their preferred policy area and type of activity. Each call topic title refers to its corresponding pillar. 2026 and 2027 ERA calls: pillar structure Pillar I: Institutional changes for ERA Pillar II: Ecosystems for ERA Type: coordination and support actions Focus: capacity building and support to foster adoption of ERA policies/practices within institutions. Activity types: providing tools, resources, training, services, and policy advice. Policy areas: • Equity in open science • Inclusive gender equality • Research assessment reform • Research ethics and integrity • Open access policies Type: coordination and support actions Focus: building and reinforcing networks and partnerships to foster broad uptake of ERA policies/practices. Activity types: exchanging knowledge and practice, networking and cooperative actions. Policy areas: • Research ethics and integrity • Environmentally sustainable science • Knowledge valorisation • Open science practices • Research careers Pillar III: Citizens and science in ERA Pillar IV: New knowledge for ERA Type: coordination and support actions Focus: connecting R&I with citizens and other stakeholders. Activity types: implementing and promoting participatory approaches, such as citizen engagement and citizen science. Policy areas: • Trust in science • Knowledge valorisation • Citizen and societal engagement Type: research and innovation actions Focus: creating new knowledge that supports design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and practices. Activity types: conducting analyses, developing and testing new methods and practices. Policy areas: • Reproducibility in research • Research ethics and integrity • Inclusive gender equality • Research careers • Global approach to R& Proposals under this destination should set out a credible pathway to one or several of the following expected impacts: • Effective and sustainable structural institutional changes aligned with the ERA priorities; • Sustainable ecosystems established around the ERA priorities through enhanced cooperation, coordination and alignment; • Increased trust in science and alignment of R&I with society’s needs; • Strengthened evidence base for advancing the implementation of the ERA; • Increased reproducibility, trustworthiness and transparency of scientific research; • A more open, equitable and inclusive research and innovation ecosystem; • A research ethics and integrity ecosystem continually enhanced with robust methodologies that encourage benefit sharing and prevent ethics dumping; • Systemic reform of research assessment through the recognition of the diverse outputs, practices, and activities which maximise the quality and impact of research; • Improved research careers and mobility, based on the European framework for research careers, fostering knowledge flows and career interoperability across sectors and countries; • Stronger translation of R&I results into society and economy; • Enhanced gender equality and inclusiveness, leading to research excellence and more innovative, socially relevant, and economically impactful outcomes; • Increased uptake, effectiveness and impact of environmentally sustainable research; • More resilient and future-proof R&I policies and long-term strategies with effectively integrated strategic intelligence and strengthened foresight communities; • A more strategic, coherent, and evidence-based approach towards cooperation with China in the area of science, technology, and innovation.