Commitments and Principles

Our Vision

“As a European research infrastructure, EBRAINS serves the scientific community and aims to promote the public good” — from the EBRAINS Ethics and Society Vision.

This vision guides how we conduct research, build infrastructure, and collaborate as a community.

Our Commitment

EBRAINS is committed to creating a collaborative culture that:

Respects individual dignity and diverse perspectives
Provides equal opportunities to contribute and lead
Addresses systemic barriers to participation
Holds everyone accountable to shared values
Continuously improves our practices

Core Principles

At EBRAINS, diversity and inclusion are essential to our scientific mission. As a pan-European research infrastructure bringing together:

Multiple scientific disciplines
Diverse national and cultural contexts
Different career stages and expertise levels
Various institutions and research traditions

In such diverse teams inclusive practices produce better research, more innovative solutions, and stronger collaborations across disciplines and cultures.

We therefore interconnect Ethics, Equity, gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion to EEEDI as guiding principles:

Ethics: Moral principles governing our conduct in research and collaboration
Equity: Recognizing different needs and providing tailored support
Gender Equality: Ensuring equal opportunities regardless of gender
Diversity: Celebrating the variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences
Inclusion: Ensuring everyone feels welcomed, valued, and able to contribute

European Resources and Alignment

EBRAINS aligns with and builds upon established European Frameworks and Principles:

Research Integrity

Following the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity, which emphasizes:

Reliability in ensuring the quality of research
Honesty in developing, undertaking, reviewing, reporting and communicating research
Respect for colleagues, research participants, society, ecosystems, cultural heritage and the environment
Accountability for the research from idea to publication

Science Europe: Equality, Diversity, Inclusion

Science Europe provides comprehensive resources on creating inclusive research environments, including:

Policy frameworks
Best practices
Assessment tools
Case studies

European Gender Equality Strategy

EBRAINS supports the European Strategy for Gender Equality , which sets out objectives and actions for a gender-equal Europe. Additionally, you find more on European Commission: Gender Equality

Good Governance Principles

EBRAINS governance follows European principles of good governance, which include:

Openness: Sharing information transparently with all stakeholders
Participation: Involving stakeholders in decision-making
Accountability: Taking responsibility for actions and decisions
Effectiveness: Achieving strategic results efficiently
Coherence: Ensuring consistent and aligned actions
Representation: Ensuring diverse and fair representation in leadership

These principles are detailed in the European Commission’s White Paper on Good Governance (2001) .

Responsible Research and Innovation

EBRAINS embraces Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), an approach that anticipates and assesses potential implications and societal expectations about research and innovation. This means:

Anticipation: Thinking about potential impacts before they occur
Reflection: Critically examining our assumptions and practices
Inclusion: Engaging diverse stakeholders in research processes
Responsiveness: Adapting to new knowledge and societal needs

Continuous Improvement

These principles are not static. EBRAINS is committed to:

Regularly reviewing and updating practices
Learning from the community
Adapting to evolving European and international standards
Sharing lessons learned