You can find all the information about the YEAR activities in 2018 from the new Annual Report 2018.

Since its creation, the YEAR Network has intensively worked to support the career of young researchers from our member institutions by promoting the development of their professional skills and facilitating the international cooperation and exchange of knowledge among them. With this purpose in mind, the network also bridges the generation gap between researchers in Europe; fosters excellence in industrial research and technology; and gives voice to young researchers at European Commission level regarding policies that directly affect them.

After 10 years and numerous success stories, 2018 has been a time for revising our vision, critically analysing our activity plan, the way the network is internally managed and the strategy followed during this period. The aim; to revamp our vision and mission, as well as our short‐ and long‐term strategy according to the present challenges of the European Research Area, guaranteeing the growth and sustainability of the network. According to that, young‐researcher‐oriented activities will still be our main focus, indeed an intensive activity agenda is already planned for 2019. The ever
successful annual conference, workshops and webinars will be organized as well as new interesting proposals. Additionally, a team within the board will be in charge of boosting our external relations with two main objectives in mind. On the one hand, to reinforce the collaboration with other young researchers networks and maintain the collaboration with European Commission level giving voice to young researchers and, on the other hand, to enhance the network visibility and bring new members.
Finally, internal management has been addressed in terms of efficiency and network sustainability.

Apart from several internal activities regarding YEAR vision and strategy, 2018 has also brought a new edition of our Annual Conference. Co‐organized and sponsored by AIT, it gathered more than 50 young researchers in Vienna for a two‐day workshop on innovative ideation focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Public Engagement. The Social Weekend offered young researchers the networking time prior to the conference creating the adequate collaboration environment for the
workshop and making this event unique. Also a webinar on experiences in the creation of successful spin‐offs gave our young researchers an insight in other ways of knowledge transfer, specifically, in the challenges that the creation of an innovative company entails.

At consultancy level, YEAR network remains part of the Open Science Policy Platform (OSPP) that has extended its mandate until 2020. Our role here is particularly notable as YEAR Network is the only young researchers network that has representation in the platform.