Media Kit

Introduction to Alliance4Life

Alliance4Life is a bottom-up initiative uniting twelve leading life science institutions and universities from eleven Central and Eastern European countries. Our mission is to bridge the innovation gap in European health research and innovation by fostering collaboration, enhancing governance, and transforming institutional cultures.

Established in 2017, Alliance4Life was formalized in 2019 through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by founding members at Vilnius University. This formalization marked our commitment to creating a lasting impact on human welfare through improved research and innovation.

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Member Institutions

Alliance4Life comprises the following institutions:

CEITEC Masaryk University (CEITEC MU), Czech Republic
International Clinical Research Center, (ICRC), Czech Republic
Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (BMC SAS), Slovakia
Medical University of Łodz (MUL), Poland
University of Zagreb School of Medicine (UZSM), Croatia
University of Tartu (TU), Estonia
Vilnius University – Faculty of Medicine (VU), Lithuania
Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis (LIOS), Latvia
University of Ljubljana (UL), Slovenia
Semmelweis University (SU), Hungary
Medical University Sofia (MUS), Bulgaria
Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest (UMFCD), Romania

These institutions collaborate to enhance research excellence and innovation across the region.

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Key Initiatives and Projects

Alliance for Life Sciences Project

Launched in 2017 under the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme. It aimed to bridge the research and innovation gap between Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries and their Western counterparts by fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and developing policy recommendations to improve research performance. This project established a strong foundation for cooperation among leading life science institutions in the CEE region and set the stage for future initiatives.

about project

Alliance4Life_ACTIONS Project

Launched in 2021, the A4L_ACTIONS project focuses on raising the institutional profiles of our members to attract and retain international talent. It aims to provide optimal operational frameworks, including improved research management, and addresses challenges inherited from the communist era that were neglected during the political transformation in the CEE region.

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Alliance4Life_BRIDGE Project

Initiated in March 2024, the A4L_BRIDGE project is a four-year endeavor enabling partners to implement 16 work packages. These focus on modernizing research careers, fostering collaborations among partners, and engaging with industry, policymakers, and patient organizations.

about project

Focus Groups

Focus Areas: Alliance4Life operates through seven Focus Groups, each dedicated to a key domain:

Science Evaluation
Research Ethics & Integrity
Human Resources & Mobility
Grants and Research Funding
Core Facilities and Big Data
Knowledge and Technology Transfer
Science Communication
Data

These groups serve as interactive platforms for sharing best practices, developing strategies, and creating training modules.

more about focus groups

Achievements and Milestones

Notable Events

Formalization of Alliance4Life

On October 4, 2019, founding members signed the Memorandum of Understanding at Vilnius University, establishing Alliance4Life as a permanent structure.
Launch of A4L_ACTIONS Project

In May 2021, we commenced the A4L_ACTIONS project, building upon previous successes to further our mission.
Launch of A4L_BRIDGE Project

On March 18, 2024, representatives gathered in Brno to initiate the A4L_BRIDGE project, marking a significant step in our collaborative efforts.
Conference in Brussels

On December 12, 2023, Alliance4Life hosted a conference titled "Widening Instruments – Participants' View" at the Permanent Representation of Estonia to the EU in Brussels. The event highlighted Alliance4Life's contributions to Widening measures and offered recommendations for shaping future EU Framework Programmes.

Publications

Alliance4Life Declaration

A foundational document outlining our commitment to redefining science policy and promoting innovative research.

see declaration
WIDENING Position Paper

Issued in 2019, this paper provides recommendations for Horizon Europe, reflecting our role in shaping EU research and innovation policy.

see position paper