In 2022, under the scope of EELISA InnoCORE (EELISA INNOvation and COmmon REsearch Strategy), a group of experts in EU projects and policy-making from each EELISA partner institution joined forces to address key European policy challenges. This collaboration led to the creation of the EELISA Policy Liaison Board (PLB). One of the PLB’s major milestones was the development of a position paper on Horizon Europe, highlighting the important role research managers play in advancing science, research, and innovation within universities.
This realization has led to the recent creation of ERMI – the EELISA Research Managers Initiative, a new EELISA Community designed to foster collaboration between research managers across EELISA institutions. In this interview, we explore the origins, mission, and future of ERMI, as well as its impact on strengthening research management within EELISA and beyond.
Q. The EELISA PLB concluded that research managers play a crucial role in European higher education, but could you share the details about this role and how can this figure impact research at institutional level?
A. Research Managers support coordinate and oversee research activities. Their role spands to different functions that include handling project management, grant writing, ensuring funding, ethics compliance, or innovation support.
In the European Research Area, they drive collaboration and efficiency. How we envision this role for EELISA, is as key driver for collaboration, enhancing research impact and funding success.
A survey conducted by EELISA (Network for Talent and Innovation Ecosystem Team) revealed an unexpected finding: despite the evolving role of Research Managers, 46% of respondents still identified as academics, highlighting the ongoing challenge of fully distinguishing and recognizing this profession as separate from academia.
Q. Today’s research landscape is increasingly complex. What are the key challenges researchers face, and how do research managers address them?
A. Securing funding is one of the most difficult tasks for researchers, alongside administrative burdens, networking, managing interdisciplinary collaborations, and ensuring societal impact. Research managers support this process by helping to write strong proposals and align projects with institutional and European priorities.
Managing research projects involves complex administrative tasks, including financial oversight, reporting, and compliance with regulations such as data protection and ethical guidelines. Research managers streamline these processes, reducing the burden on researchers.
Interdisciplinary and international collaboration are essential but challenging, due to differences in institutional policies, funding structures, and cultural approaches. Research managers facilitate these partnerships by coordinating networks, fostering communication, and ensuring alignment with shared objectives. They also play a pivotal role in regarding data management, helping others comply with Open Science principles, protect sensitive data, and optimize data sharing for greater impact.
Finally, by developing knowledge transfer strategies, research managers help researchers demonstrate the societal relevance of their work.
Q. In this context, how can the EELISA ERMI Community help research managers enhance their work?
A. The complexity that has flooded the research process in recent years has forced researchers to be familiar with many different tasks outside their investigation, and diminishing the impact of their work.
Given this context, EELISA Project Officers have been working together for years, to develop better collaboration with each other and even offer joint support services. Thus, the EELISA Community ERMI is to serve as a bottom-up forum for EELISA research managers where they can analyse their professional needs, exchange good practices, and propose and organise joint actions, including training and networking activities to enhance research and innovation within EELISA partners.
The ultimate aim of ERMI is to foster a culture of excellence among EELISA research managers and help them improve their skills and competences.
Q. What are the long-term goals and vision for ERMI in shaping the future of research management in Europe?
A. Building on EELISA innoCORE achievements, EELISA will pool infrastructures and services and will connect researchers and research managers in order to develop and set up joint projects, establish networks of EELISA-labelled laboratories and faculties.
The support this goal, the ERMI Community will establish a stronger, more cohesive, and professionalized research management ecosystem across Europe. Its long-term vision focuses on enhancing the recognition, capacity, and impact of research managers within the European Research Area (ERA).
A key goal is to create a sustainable framework for research management by defining standardized competencies, promoting professional training programs, and facilitating career pathways. This will ensure research managers are equipped with the skills to navigate an evolving research landscape, support interdisciplinary projects, and optimize funding opportunities.
As a result, it will help EELISA contribute to the implementation of relevant actions of the European Strategy for Universities ans the developing a network for talent and a shared innovation ecosystem.
Rossella Raso
Rossella is a Research Manager with over eight years of experience at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa, Italy, where she work as a Technologist (High Professional level). She has a background in Biomedical Engineering and holds a Ph.D. in Automation, Robotics, and Bioengineering. Her work focuses on research management and innovation, bridging the gap between the scientific (and creative) soul of research and administrative compliance. She enjoy contributing to projects that drive meaningful progress and claims EELISA for sure is on the top of her list!
