EUTOPIA-TRAIN is an ambitious research initiative launched by the EUTOPIA Alliance, a network of six universities that has been awarded an Erasmus+ ‘European Universities’ pilot project. It brings together Goeteborgs Universitet, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, CY Cergy Paris Université, Univerza v Ljubljani, Universitat Pompeu Fabra and University of Warwick, in fostering the emergence of a challenge-driven knowledge-creation community and capitalizing on their joint potential to promote innovation and societal impact. EUTOPIA-TRAIN aims to extend its challenge-led educational model to the development of its research and innovation (R&I) activities and tackle two main challenges: (1) to integrate pan-EUTOPIA research and innovation communities and (2) to open up EUTOPIA research communities and structures to society, business, students and policy-makers. Three cross-cutting objectives will be targeted: • Developing R&I Synergies and Delivering a joint Research Strategy • Mutualizing Resources and Tools • Defining a shared R&I Policy. These objectives will drive the activities in six key areas: • Developing a strategy for delivering the EUTOPIA R&I agenda and sharing knowledge with stakeholders • Developing a cross-institution innovation strategy and supporting engagement with business • Mainstreaming Open Science and engaging with citizens and society • Developing a joint Human Resources strategy, and supporting the skill development and mobility of researchers • Setting up a EUTOPIA grants, legal and innovation office • Setting up joint research governance and management structures. Combining top-down and bottom-up approaches, the initiative will support the institutional transformation of the EUTOPIA Alliance in synergy with its education dimension. It will also build up EUTOPIA research capacity in both human and technical resources, disseminate and co-create policies for European Universities and contribute to the development of the EU R&I performance.