Excellence through equity
By Liselotte Højgaard and Harriet Bulkeley
The complex and interconnected challenges facing our world make a compelling case for strong, equitable and long-term international research collaboration. Scientific questions do not stop at borders, and neither does the search for answers. Yet as research becomes increasingly global, an important question demands greater attention: how can international collaboration remain not only excellent, but also fair?
This issue of the ERC Magazine explores why equity has become an essential dimension of frontier research. It is no longer enough to ask whether collaborations produce outstanding science. We must also ask who defines research questions, who owns data, whose knowledge is recognised, and who ultimately benefits from the results. Excellence and equity are not competing ambitions; they reinforce one another by building the trust on which lasting scientific partnerships depend.
The launch of the new ERC Plus instrument on 2 June 2026 reflects Europe's commitment to strengthening frontier, curiosity-driven research while remaining open to outstanding talent from around the world. First announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her “Choose Europe” speech at the Sorbonne in May 2025, ERC Plus is designed to support exceptionally ambitious projects with the potential to transform - or even create - entirely new fields of research. Like all ERC funding, it is firmly anchored in scientific excellence and research freedom, giving researchers the independence and long-term support needed to pursue bold ideas.
Investing in frontier research is also an investment in society's future. ERC-funded projects have demonstrated significant downstream impact, with around 46% contributing to patent applications. Such outcomes illustrate how curiosity-driven research often becomes a powerful engine for innovation, opening new pathways for innovation and economic development.
But ambitious science also depends on the conditions under which it is conducted. 'International collaboration flourishes when it is built on trust, mutual respect and shared responsibility. These are not abstract ideals; they shape how research questions are framed, how partnerships are formed and how knowledge is created.
The articles in this issue examine these questions from a range of perspectives. Doris Schroeder, one of the architects of the TRUST Code, introduces a practical framework for equitable research partnerships, while lawyer and ethics expert Pamela Andanda explores the values that should underpin international collaboration. Together, they argue that fairness, respect and shared responsibility are not simply ethical aspirations but essential foundations for scientific excellence.
Other contributions demonstrate how these principles are applied in practice. They follow researchers navigating highly polarised political debates, building long-term partnerships between European and African institutions and working alongside Indigenous communities where trust, dialogue and mutual learning are fundamental to successful research. Astrophysicist Marijke Haverkorn and South African science diplomat Daan du Toit examine another dimension of equity by asking who gains access to the world's largest radio telescopes and how major scientific infrastructures can remain globally inclusive.
These articles illustrate that equity is not an additional consideration once excellent science has been achieved. It is a condition that enables excellent science in the first place.
The values embodied in the TRUST Code – which is now integrated into the European Commission proposal for the next Horizon Europe Regulation - resonate strongly with the ERC's own commitment to research integrity, scientific excellence and academic freedom. By adhering to the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity and supporting fair and transparent evaluation procedures, the ERC seeks to foster an environment in which international collaboration is both scientifically ambitious and ethically robust.
Science advances through openness: the exchange of ideas across disciplines, cultures and borders. The launch of ERC Plus reflects Europe's ambition to push the frontiers of knowledge even further. Achieving that ambition, however, requires research partnerships based on trust, fairness and shared responsibility. As this edition of the ERC Magazine demonstrates, equity is not separate from excellence – it is one of its foundations.
Harriet Bulkeley is a Member of the ERC Scientific Council
Liselotte Højgaard is Vice-President of the ERC Scientific Council