GGP-ACE – ERIC Preparatory Phase - Generations & Gender Programme

Background

GGP-ACE (Activation, Consolidation, Expansion) is the next step in the Generations and Gender Programme's journey towards becoming a permanent European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC). Building on the groundwork laid by GGP-EPI (Horizon Europe infrastructure grant, 2017-19) and GGP-5D (Horizon Europe preparatory phase grant, 2022-26), the project will bring GGP to full implementation as GGP-ERIC and secure its operation as a sustainable, world-class research infrastructure (RI) for the study of population and family dynamics.

The project is named after its three strategic dimensions:

Activation: turning the governance structures, frameworks and strategies developed during the preparatory phase into working systems, including an operation-ready Central Hub linked to National Nodes.

Consolidation: formally establishing GGP-ERIC and securing its long-term financial sustainability and resilience.

Expansion: engaging new countries, forging cooperation agreements with international and strategic partners, and broadening GGP's scientific scope, services and user communities.

Involved Parties & Stakeholders

The GGP Central Coordination Team, hosted at NIDI-KNAW (the Netherlands), coordinates GGP-ACE together with partners from 16 countries across Europe: Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom.

Consortium: KNAW-NIDI (coordinator), INED (France), SGH (Poland), BiB (Germany), HDRI (Hungary), Bocconi University (Italy), OEAW (Austria), University of Zagreb EFZG (Croatia), Masaryk University (Czech Republic), Tallinn University (Estonia), Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania), Statistics Norway (Norway), CSIC (Spain), Stockholm University (Sweden), University of Lausanne (Switzerland), University of Southampton (UK) and University of Latvia (Latvia).

Project Objectives

GGP-ACE pursues six specific objectives:

Establish the operational capacity of the GGP infrastructure (WP2 and WP3)

Consolidate and future-proof GGP's digital and methodological architecture (WP2, WP3, WP5, WP6)

Secure a sustainable and transparent legal, governance and financial framework (WP1 and WP4)

Foster impactful engagement with national nodes, stakeholders and societal actors (WP2, WP3, WP5, WP6)

Solidify GGP's position as a scientific leader (WP2, WP5, WP6)

Expand and deepen the integration of national and international partners, including other SSH research infrastructures (WP5 and WP6)

Project Progress

WP1: Project Coordination and Management (Led by KNAW-NIDI)

Ensures smooth cooperation between partners, timely delivery of outputs, and compliance with financial and administrative requirements, including quality, risk and data management.

Planned outputs:

Data Management Plan (initial version and final update)
Quality and Risk Management Plans

WP2: Scientific Leadership and Innovation (Led by EFZG)

Keeps GGP at the cutting edge of demographic and family research by fostering an open, responsive and policy-relevant scientific agenda. WP2 opens a structured, community-wide discussion on the design of the next survey round (GGS-III) and strengthens support for data users.

Planned outputs:

GGS-III data collection scenarios: an evidence-based comparison of options for future data collection, assessed for comparability, inclusion, cost, ethics and feasibility
GGP User Guide: a comprehensive guide to GGS-II covering data access procedures, key variables, mode effects and weighting
Underused Data Insights: concise data papers and review pieces highlighting underused data and new research directions
An annual user feedback survey

WP3: Methods and Technical Implementation (Led by INED)

Delivers the methodological rigour, interoperability and FAIR alignment needed for high-quality, longitudinal, cross-nationally comparable data, and ensures compatibility with the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) and other SSH RIs.

Planned outputs:

Feasibility assessment of the GGS-III data collection scenarios
Upgraded GGP Data Portal with improved usability and navigation
Tool to access the GGP Knowledge Graph, enabling users to navigate machine-readable GGP data, including through AI-enabled applications
Improved FAIRness of GGP data and paradata

WP4: Operational and Strategic Engagement (Led by KNAW-NIDI)

Builds the governance, legal and financial foundations of GGP-ERIC. WP4 finalises the preparatory measures for launch, converts commitments into official membership, and puts the management systems in place for the ERIC's operation.

Planned outputs:

Legal and administrative establishment of GGP-ERIC, the General Assembly and the official launch event
Formal commitments from founding members
Financial reporting and risk management systems aligned with ERIC requirements
Annual Activity Reports (2026 and 2027)
5-year work and financial plan, complemented by a 10-year strategic outlook

WP5: Expansion and Integration (Led by Masaryk University)

Deepens GGP's integration in the European RI landscape by consolidating national participation, welcoming new countries and strengthening cooperation with other SSH RIs such as SHARE, ESS and CESSDA. WP5 also develops a more systematic approach to diversifying funding beyond membership contributions.

Planned outputs:

Support for national consortia and inclusion in national research roadmaps
Two regional workshops (North-Eastern Europe and South-Central Europe)
The GGP Users Conference and a hands-on training workshop
Engagement guidelines and best practices for national nodes
Outreach Activity Report

WP6: Knowledge Mobilisation Laboratory (Led by OEAW)

Acts as the project's interface with the outside world, strengthening GGP's brand and communicating GGP data and insights to researchers, policymakers, civil society, educators and the wider public.

Planned outputs:

GGP-ERIC branding and a dedicated GGP-ERIC website
Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication (DEC) plans
Dashboard for journalists and policymakers
Policy briefs, infographics and videos, and participation in science nights and open days

Expected Results

GGP-ACE will deliver three Key Exploitable Results:

GGP User Toolkit (Activation): a user guide for GGS-II and a Knowledge Graph tool that lower the barrier to using GGP data. The project aims to grow the user community from about 6,000 registered users to 9,000–10,000.

Institutional Sustainability – GGP-ERIC (Consolidation): the governance structure and legal entity of GGP as an ERIC, with long-term financial stability.

Capacity-Building and Engagement Guidelines (Expansion): guidelines and policies to strengthen communication between national nodes and stakeholders, and offering a transferable model for other research infrastructures.

GGP-ACE – ERIC Preparatory Phase

Background

Involved Parties & Stakeholders

Project Objectives

Project Progress

WP1: Project Coordination and Management (Led by KNAW-NIDI)

WP2: Scientific Leadership and Innovation (Led by EFZG)

WP3: Methods and Technical Implementation (Led by INED)

WP4: Operational and Strategic Engagement (Led by KNAW-NIDI)

WP5: Expansion and Integration (Led by Masaryk University)

WP6: Knowledge Mobilisation Laboratory (Led by OEAW)

Expected Results

Key Milestones