RECAP: ERA_FABRIC at the RSA Annual Conference 2025

📍 Porto, Portugal | May 9, 2025

The ERA_FABRIC project made a strong appearance at this year’s RSA Annual Conference in Porto, bringing fresh insights, data, and bold perspectives on shaping the future of Europe’s Research and Innovation landscape. Three high-impact presentations showcased how we are defining, evaluating, and operationalising the ERA Hub model – a key instrument to foster place-based innovation and regional excellence.

🔍 What did we present?

🗺️ Framing the ERA Hub concept

Lorenzo Dorato (ART-ER) introduced a comprehensive framework that conceptualises ERA Hubs as multi-dimensional innovation ecosystems. Drawing from 15 real-life case studies across Europe, he highlighted key features such as:

Directionality
Multi-level governance
Horizontal integration
Co-creation and sustainability as core drivers

These ecosystems, while diverse, all showed alignment with the vision of a renewed European Research Area.

📊 Measuring ecosystem readiness

The team from Warsaw University of Technology, led by Krzysztof Mieszkowski, demonstrated a novel conformity assessment model based on survey analysis and expert input. Using AHP and SEM, they gauged how partner regions measure up against an “ideal” ERA Hub. The result? A clear roadmap for regions aspiring to align with the ERA vision.

🧠 A Theory of Change in action

Francesco Molinari brought a policy innovation twist by presenting a Theory of Change (ToC) approach, enriched by Collective Intelligence and Contribution Analysis. This method grounded policy design in stakeholder-driven evidence and continuous iteration.

🎓 The role of universities in strengthening ERA Hubs

Ntorina Antoni (Eindhoven University of Technology, Switzerland) emphasized the transformative role of universities as regional catalysts. Her presentation examined how academic institutions—through research, talent pipelines, and transdisciplinary collaboration—can actively anchor ERA Hubs and foster long-term innovation ecosystems that are inclusive, resilient, and responsive to regional challenges.

🧩 Why does this matter?

These presentations showed how ERA_FABRIC is not just a theoretical endeavour—it is actively bridging research, innovation, and policy to enable real transformation at regional, national, and EU levels. As we transition into the testing phase, the project is setting the stage for a new generation of interconnected, place-based innovation hubs across Europe.