Also in this past year, ‘flexibility’ has been key. For YERUN, the more flexible ways of working with partners from across Europe have meant more collaboration and more activities. Supported by a new ambitious strategy, we have welcomed four new members, kicked off seven new groups, and launched new awards and activities. Overall, it has been a very rich year for YERUN, in which we have further strengthened the voice of young research universities in co-shaping European policies in education, research and innovation.

All this would not be possible without the extraordinary engagement of the many YERUN colleagues working with us from the four corners of Europe, in a spirit of openness in sharing knowledge, insights and resources, courage to challenge ourselves in becoming better at a personal and institutional level, and partnership in joining forces to advance altogether the role of young research universities in Europe. For that, we are very grateful to all our members, the founding ones, and the new generation that joined us in the course of 2021, making this year a very special one.