YUFERING is a key initiative of the YUFE Alliance, dedicated to fostering a more collaborative, impactful, and socially responsible approach to research and innovation. Its activities focus on improving and streamlining research and innovation (R&I) practices within the alliance.

YUFERING (YUFE Transforming R&I through Europe-Wide Knowledge Transfer) was launched by the 10 partner institutions under the Science with and for Society (SwafS) subprogramme of Horizon 2020. The total project budget was EUR 2,000,000, with EUR 100,000 allocated to Nicolaus Copernicus University.

YUFERING positions research and innovation as one of the strategic pillars of the YUFE Alliance. The project aims to harmonize strategies and practices in research and innovation among partner institutions, mirroring the unified approach adopted in the field of education.

Specific goals of the project include:

• Defining and implementing a YUFE programme for socially engaged research and innovation.
• Acting as a catalyst for reverse knowledge transfer and its application in society.
• Promoting visibility, dissemination, and recognition of talented individuals and research teams across Europe.
• Making open science the “new normal” by developing a YUFE Open Science Strategy.
• Creating and enhancing shared structures, mechanisms, and infrastructure to support research within YUFERING partner institutions.
• Expanding the impact on the scientific community and society through cross-cutting activities in socially engaged research and innovation.

In line with this vision, the YUFE Alliance through YUFERING will define actions and recommendations for a model research and innovation system, knowledge transfer, and socially engaged science.

YUFERING has enabled the alliance to explore synergies with other European University initiatives in addressing common research and innovation challenges. It has also facilitated the development of solutions aimed at the deep transformation of all university missions. The progress made and the models developed will benefit all higher education institutions and have a tangible impact on society and economies across Europe.