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Research Support Officers

Working Group

Chair: Jutta Schloon

Dr. Jutta Schloon is a Senior Research Advisor at the University of Bergen’s Division for Research and Innovation. She provides comprehensive pre-award services to researchers seeking European funding and large national grants, with a particular focus on the Social Sciences and Humanities. In addition, she coordinates the Trond Mohn Research Foundation-UiB Career Program for young researchers. Jutta holds a PhD in Literary Studies and has an academic background in German Studies, French Studies, and Business Administration. Her extensive international experience spans both the academic and cultural sectors, having worked in Germany, Switzerland, France, and Norway.

Jutta began her career in research management as a scientific coordinator for a Collaborative Research Centre at the University of Freiburg, Germany, before relocating to Norway in 2013.

Vice-Chair: Annett Margull

Annett Margull is Head of the Research Funding Office within the Service Centre for Research and Transfer at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany. She leads the university’s research funding services, with responsibility for the strategic development and optimisation of research support processes and services that enhance the research environment for researchers, university staff, and institutional stakeholders.She has more than 20 years of professional experience in research support, research funding, research management, and research evaluation across national and international funding programmes. She is actively involved in national and international networks and initiatives that foster the professionalisation of research management and the exchange of good practices across the European research landscape.Annett holds a degree in Engineering. Before joining Friedrich Schiller University Jena, she worked at a non-university research institute and as a project manager in industry, gaining experience in applied research and industrial innovation.

Working Group Focus

Research is a core priority embedded within the institutional strategies of each member of the Coimbra Group (CG). Together with education and innovation, research is critical to addressing not only national and European challenges, but also global challenges. CG provides a unique and valuable forum for its members to influence European research and innovation policy and to share and develop best practice in research support through the mutual exchange of ideas and experience.

The increasing complexity of the research landscape, research policy, research programmes and funding, and, in particular, the European Union’s Framework Programme, underscores the rationale for greater and enhanced cooperation in research. This is underpinned by the individual experience of each member university in such programmes, which collectively provides an important platform from which to share experiences, inform best practice, and shape policy.

The Research Support Offices (RSO) of our universities are important enablers of research, providing support for researchers and institutions in the development and delivery of their research objectives and strategies. The RSO Working Group brings together representatives from the Research Offices of all 42 CG member universities, with a total of 60 colleagues involved. Additionally, the institutions regularly choose to send experts to the topical meetings.

The RSO WG aims to explore, develop and share intelligence on common areas of interest while, at the same time, making provision for enhanced communication and the exchange of ideas/experience across the different levels of experience.

Through its core areas of activity, the Research Support Officers Group seeks to:

  • Support the Executive Board in shaping research policy through the development of position papers on European research policy, and through increased interaction with similar networks and national stakeholders for joint advocacy purposes.
  • Share best practice and experience in research management and support.
  • Promote knowledge exchange through the exchange/hosting of research support staff.
  • Synergise with other CG Working Groups to add value and support their objectives relating to research and innovation.

Priorities for 2026 – 2029

  • Research advocacy: with a strong focus on the European research and innovation landscape, actively monitor and interpret systemic shifts in funding priorities. Strengthen coordinated advocacy through European and national networks to ensure that the voice of universities is reflected in the design of FP10, including safeguarding the role of collaborative research and SSH.
  • Research policy: develop a structured approach to analysing and anticipating European research policy developments, including FP10, the MFF, and related initiatives. Build internal capacity to interpret key trends. Translate these developments into institutional strategies and communicate them effectively to researchers and leadership, including both risks and new opportunities.
  • Training for research support officers: continuous professional development – developing and enhancing the skills base around the professional support of research and research leadership – through exchanges, hosting arrangements and training events aligned with specific themes.
  • Sharing best practice in research management and research support: strengthen mechanisms for the systematic exchange of best practice across institutions, with a focus on adapting to new funding realities. This includes sharing approaches to ERC/EIC support, MSCA strategy, and effective pre-award and post-award processes under lump-sum funding.

Recent highlights since September 2025

  • Study visits to Brussels (March 2025 and March 2026)
    The WG organised two study visits to Brussels, hosted at the premises of national liaison offices (Norwegian and German), ensuring direct access to European Commission insights while enabling structured knowledge exchange and transfer across participating institutions. These visits provided first-hand insights into the preparation of FP10, including shifts towards competitiveness, the strengthening of the ERC/EIC, risks to SSH, changes in evaluation systems, and new instruments. The outcomes have directly informed institutional strategies and internal guidance.
  • Webinar on research security (November 2025)
    The WG organised an online session dedicated to research security with the participation and input from John Westensee (Aarhus University), to address the growing importance of this topic in the European context. The discussion highlighted increasing geopolitical pressures, the need for structured risk assessment of international collaborations, and the expectation that research security requirements will increase significantly in FP10. The session also provided concrete institutional examples, including the screening of partnerships, internal compliance processes, and integration of security across HR, legal, IT, and research management.
  • Active contribution to European policy discussions (ongoing):
    Members have actively monitored and contributed to debates on FP10, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), and the future of EU research funding. Through engagement with other European networks and consultations, the WG has strengthened the visibility of research support perspectives and university needs.

Ongoing / Forthcoming activities 2026 – 2027

  • Monitoring and interpreting the launch of FP10 and its first Work Programmes.
  • Strategic positioning towards ERC, EIC and MSCA.
  • Adapting to new funding models (including lump-sum funding and beyond).
  • Artificial Intelligence in research support and evaluation.
  • Research security and responsible international collaboration.

Forthcoming activities 2027 – 2028

  • The future of collaborative research and SSH positioning.
  • Evolution of research evaluation and support services.
  • Projects’ applications focused on best practices in research management and research support to strengthen collaboration and training networks.
  • Preparation, together with the Executive Board, of the Coimbra Group’s 6th High-Level Seminar on Research Policy, (to be hosted by Uppsala University in the fall 2027.

Forthcoming activities 2028 – 2029

  • Mid-term reflection on FP10 implementation.
  • Strategic diversification of funding sources.
  • Mature integration of AI and digital tools in research management.
  • Strengthening the role and professionalisation of RSOs.

Contact person at the CG Office: Stefania Parnici (parnici@coimbra-group.eu)