FRAMEWORK — Building a Shared Fairness Framework for European Research
Once we have listened to researchers, the next step is to turn what we learned into a shared understanding of what “fair” actually means in practice. Work Package 2 (the GUIDE part of the project) creates a common framework — the ERA EDI Framework (European Research Area Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Framework)— that research institutions across Europe can use to make their careers more equitable, diverse, and inclusive.
What This Work Package Does
European research already has an important guide for integrity: the All European Academies (ALLEA) European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (ECoC). The ERA EDI Framework is designed to supplement that code — to sit alongside it and add a clear, practical focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion in research careers. In plain terms: the existing code explains how to do honest research; this new framework explains how to make sure everyone has a fair chance to do that research in the first place.
The framework is built on three ideas that run through the whole project:
- A human rights and human development approach — every researcher should have the real opportunity (not just the right on paper) to grow and contribute.
- Intersectionality — people’s experiences are shaped by overlapping identities and systems, not by one single label.
- A complexity perspective — career barriers are “wicked problems”: tangled, connected, and not solvable with one simple fix.
The project’s signature contribution. The link between the ERA EDI Framework and ALLEA’s European Code of Conduct is at the heart of BEYOND BARRIERS: it connects “how research is done honestly” with “who gets to do research fairly.”
What Comes Out of It
Work Package 2 produces three deliverables:
| Deliverable | What it is (in plain words) | Expected |
|---|---|---|
| D2.1 Glossary of terms | A plain-language glossary so that everyone — researchers, institutions, policymakers — uses the same words to mean the same things. | July 2029 |
| D2.2 Complexity analysis report | An explanation of why career barriers are complex and connected, and what that means for solving them. | February 2028 |
| D2.3 ERA EDI Framework | The shared fairness framework itself, ready for institutions and policymakers to use. | August 2028 |
Who Leads It
This work package is led by the University of Oslo (UiO), the project coordinator, which brings expertise in research ethics, open science, and fair research careers. It runs from September 2026 to July 2029.