QuantERA has published a new report summarising its approach to capacity building and the strengthening of excellence in less research-performing countries across successive editions of the Programme.

The report provides a comprehensive analysis of how capacity building (the so-called widening dimension) has evolved into a systemic and embedded element of QuantERA’s Programme design, governance and project implementation. It draws on evidence from QuantERA I, QuantERA II and the early phase of QuantERA III, covering, among others, the instruments applied in the organisation of joint calls, activities related to visibility and advocacy for widening, as well as monitoring data and insights from QuantERA-funded projects.

The analysis shows that research partners from Widening Countries are increasingly and substantively involved, reflecting growing research competitiveness and deeper integration within the European quantum ecosystem.

As Prof. Ticijana Ban (Institute of Physics, Zagreb, Croatia) notes:

“Strengthening scientific excellence in the Widening Countries is crucial for fostering a Europe without borders and gaps. Spreading of excellence across the entire European Research Area should play a major role in evaluating the long-term impact of individual funding programmes.”

The findings confirm that QuantERA has developed a coherent and progressively maturing approach to capacity building, contributing to reduced disparities in participation, stronger leadership roles for Widening Countries and more inclusive collaboration patterns across Europe. At the same time, the report highlights persistent challenges, underlining the need for continued alignment and targeted support at European level.

The report was prepared under Task 6.3 “Spreading research excellence across the European Research Area”, led by the National Science Centre (NCN, Poland), and authored by Dr Kamila Twardowska (NCN).

More information on how QuantERA supports capacity building is available in the Spreading Excellence section.