How to Establish a National Node

This guide is for Full Member institutions establishing an officially recognised EBRAINS National Node. Full Members are expected to establish a node; Associate Members should instead see Node in Formation.

Before you start: your institution must be an activated Full Member. See Apply for membership.

Overview

1. Appoint a National Node Leader

The Node Leader is responsible for:

coordinating national activities related to EBRAINS;
facilitating communication between national stakeholders and EBRAINS;
representing the National Node within the National Node Board and related coordination structures;
supporting dissemination of EBRAINS activities, opportunities and strategic priorities at national level.

Depending on the national structure, the Node Leader may coordinate either a single institution, or a broader national consortium involving universities, research centres, hospitals, infrastructures or other stakeholders.

2. Demonstrate the national and institutional mandate

The institution leading the node must demonstrate an appropriate institutional and/or national mandate to coordinate node activities. That mandate may originate from:

the institution itself;
a consortium of national stakeholders;
a ministry or governmental authority;
a national roadmap or strategic initiative;
another recognised national coordination structure.

The purpose of the mandate is to ensure that the node leadership has sufficient legitimacy and support at national level, that the node can effectively coordinate national stakeholders, and that the node reflects a coherent national approach to participation in EBRAINS.

Depending on national context, supporting documentation may include institutional mandate letters, ministry endorsement letters, memoranda of understanding, consortium agreements, or references to a national infrastructure roadmap.

3. Sign the National Node Agreement

The agreement is signed between the Full Member institution and EBRAINS AISBL, and formalises:

recognition of the National Node within EBRAINS;
the role and responsibilities of the Node Leader;
the principles of collaboration and coordination;
communication and visibility expectations;
the relationship between the node and EBRAINS governance and operational structures.

It also provides the governance framework under which the node operates within the wider EBRAINS ecosystem.

4. Submit the National Node Plan

The Full Member institution submits a National Node Plan describing the national coordination structure and planned activities, based on a template provided by EBRAINS and adapted to each node’s organisation and requirements.

The plan may include:

participating institutions and stakeholders;
governance and coordination structure;
national priorities and objectives;
planned activities and initiatives;
engagement with ministries or national authorities;
contribution to EBRAINS services, projects or strategic priorities;
communication and dissemination activities;
long-term development perspectives.

5. Complete operational onboarding

Following formal establishment, the node is integrated into the EBRAINS operational ecosystem so it can participate in cross-national coordination.

For what onboarding covers and what the node gains access to, see National Node onboarding.

After establishment

An officially established Full Member National Node participates in the National Node Board, operational coordination meetings, and strategic discussions concerning national coordination activities. Nodes may contribute feedback, recommendations, strategic input and national perspectives on the evolution of EBRAINS activities and priorities.

EBRAINS in turn supports the node’s visibility through dedicated webpage integration, communication support, dissemination activities, participation in community initiatives, and coordination with the EBRAINS communication team.

Getting help

For questions at any stage of node establishment, contact andriani.vodena@ebrains.eu or info@ebrains.eu.