FOREU4ALL Workshop 4 to Explore the Potential of Shared European Research Infrastructures

• The fourth transversal workshop of the FOREU4ALL Community of Practice will take place on 28–29 October 2026 at the University of Poitiers, France.
• Hosted by the EC2U Alliance, the event will focus on how European Universities alliances can accelerate access to and the sharing of research infrastructures across Europe.
• Building on a mapping exercise involving more than 60 alliances, the workshop will bring together research and innovation coordinators, research infrastructure managers, researchers as well as industry and European Commission representatives to analyse current practices and co-develop recommendations for future cooperation.
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The FOREU4ALL Community of Practice, which connects European Universities alliances across Europe, will hold its fourth workshop on 28 and 29 October 2026 at the University of Poitiers, France. Hosted by the EC2U Alliance, the two-day event will explore how European Universities alliances can strengthen cooperation, expand access to research infrastructures and promote their shared use across Europe.

The workshop, entitled “Open and Shared European Research Infrastructures: The Accelerator Role of Alliances of European Universities”, has been co-organised by the FOREU4ALL Topical Groups on Research and Innovation (R&I), IT and Digitalisation, Library and Open Science, and Regional Innovation Ecosystems.

The event will bring together a diverse range of stakeholders, including research and innovation coordinators from European Universities alliances, research infrastructure managers, early-career and senior researchers, industry representatives, and representatives of the European Commission. With 120 attendees expected in Poitiers and remote access available through a hybrid format, the workshop will ensure broad participation from across the European Universities initiative.

From Mapping to Action: Exploring Shared Research Infrastructures

As part of their work co-developing approaches to making research infrastructures more accessible, sustainable and effective, the topical group on Research and Innovation established a dedicated sub-group on the Sharing of Research Infrastructures (ResInfra). During the first half of 2026, the sub-group conducted a mapping exercise to gather information on existing practices across European Universities alliances, collecting input from a total of 62 alliances. The workshop will provide an opportunity to present the initial findings and examine them collectively with experts and stakeholders.

The workshop will also offer a practical, collaborative setting for participants to assess current approaches to sharing research infrastructures and explore opportunities for future cooperation.

The programme will feature parallel breakout sessions designed to identify different models and best practices for sharing research infrastructures. Participants will explore three complementary dimensions: political and financial orchestration, covering management, legal and financial frameworks, and cooperation within and between alliances; digital orchestration, focusing on processes, tools, automated workflows, metadata harvesting and data management; and opening orchestration, addressing content and usage, Open Access, digital resources, OpenAIRE collections, and access for industry and external partners.

The full programme is available here. Further information can be found on this website.

The event is the fourth in a cycle of eight face-to-face transversal workshops taking place between December 2025 and July 2028. These workshops provide a forum for deeper discussions across European Universities alliances and topical groups, bringing together alliance representatives, external experts and key stakeholders to encourage knowledge exchange, strengthen cooperation and stimulate innovation in European higher education.

About FOREU4ALL and the European Universities alliances

Launched in 2019, the European Universities alliances are a flagship initiative of the European strategy for universities, encompassing 73 European Universities all across Europe.

FOREU4ALL provides a collaborative and supportive platform where all alliances come together to share good practices, exchange experiences, and strengthen cooperation. The community fosters a deeper collaboration by facilitating learning, joint initiatives, and the dissemination of results – enhancing knowledge, skills, and effectiveness of the entire higher education sector.

🔗 Official website: https://www.foreu4all.eu/

About EC2U

The European Campus of City-Universities (EC2U) is a European University Alliance that brings together universities and their surrounding communities to foster collaboration in education, research and innovation. Through its transnational campus, EC2U promotes mobility, interdisciplinary cooperation and the development of solutions to shared societal challenges.

The University of Poitiers, France, is one of the member universities of the alliance and will host the fourth FOREU4ALL transversal workshop.

🔗 Official website: https://www.ec2u.eu/