What Icorsa does

ICoRSA (International Consortium of Research Staff Associations) is a non-profit membership consortium headquartered at 27 Cork Road Midleton, Co. Cork, Ireland, that unites national and institutional research staff associations worldwide to advocate for better research careers, researcher mobility, gender equality, and responsible research and innovation in international policy forums. Founded as the global voice for research staff and postdoctoral scholars, the organization serves member associations including UKRSA, IrishRSA, UCCRSA, ITARSA, CAPS, and numerous other national bodies, and provides functional benefits through policy advocacy, global networking, and participation in EU-funded projects. The organization does not develop proprietary technology products; its outputs are advocacy statements, joint policy submissions, conferences, and EU project deliverables.

Revenue is generated through two streams: recurring membership fees paid by research staff associations that join the consortium, and project-based funding from EU Horizon initiatives including SECURE, SECURE2, RRING, and OPUS, in which ICoRSA is a consortium partner alongside organizations such as MCAA, Eurodoc, and various European universities. As of 2025 the organization is governed by a 7-member board led by Chair Dr Mikey Creane (elected December 2025, succeeding founder Chair Dr Gianna Avellis), with a small operational team including a Project Manager dedicated to SECURE2. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on direct outreach to national research staff associations for membership recruitment, the Annual General Meeting, and recurring participation in high-profile international venues such as the World Science Forum and UNESCO General Conference.

ICoRSA holds NGO official partnership (consultative status) with UNESCO since June 2022 and affiliated membership with the International Science Council since September 2022, and has signed MoUs with MCAA, Eurodoc, Vitae, the Young Academy of Europe, and Science Europe, forming a dense advocacy ecosystem. Its international footprint spans Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia through member associations and event participation.

Name

Icorsa

Legal name

International Consortium of Research Staff Associations

Website

https://icorsa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ICoRSA is a non-profit membership consortium headquartered in Cork, Ireland, that unites national research staff associations worldwide to advocate for better research careers, mobility, gender equality, and responsible research through UNESCO, ISC, and EU Horizon project participation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research Advocacy and Policy Membership Organization

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations (81393)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Standards Development & Standardization Bodies (BPADANAA)

Keywords

• Research advocacy
• Researcher associations
• Policy advocacy
• Researcher mobility
• Responsible research

Headquarters

HQ city

Ringaskiddy

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: ICoRSA generates revenue through membership fees from research staff associations that join the consortium. Member associations benefit from advocacy representation, networking opportunities, and access to EU project collaborations.
2. EU Horizon project funding: ICoRSA participates in EU-funded Horizon projects including SECURE, SECURE2, RRING, and OPUS. These projects provide funding for the organization's activities, research, and staff positions. The organization is a consortium partner in multiple Horizon projects.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ICoRSA is a membership-based international consortium that connects research staff associations worldwide and advocates for better research careers, mobility, and gender equality in international policy. It serves member associations through representation at UNESCO and the International Science Council, joint policy statements, networking opportunities, and participation in EU-funded Horizon projects (SECURE, SECURE2, RRING, OPUS) focused on sustainable research careers.

Product overview

ICoRSA is a membership organization (the International Consortium of Research Staff Associations) that provides advocacy, networking, and professional development for research staff associations globally. It does not offer commercial technology products or services. The organization operates through membership programs, EU-funded research projects (SECURE, SECURE2, RRING), policy advocacy initiatives, and global conferences such as the World Science Forum.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• UNESCO NGO official partnership (consultative status) achieved in June 2022
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• International Science Council (ISC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022ICoRSA has been an official member of the International Science Council since September 2022 in the capacity of an affiliated member. ISC harnesses the universal language of science to convene scientific expertise on issues of major concern to science and society through its global membership of natural and social sciences and humanities.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022ICoRSA has held NGO in official partnership with UNESCO (consultative status) since June 2022. The partnership enables ICoRSA to contribute to international policy discussions on research careers, scientific freedom, and responsible research. ICoRSA participates in UNESCO sessions at World Science Forum and engages with UNESCO working groups on science and scientific researchers.
• Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICoRSA and MCAA have a signed Memorandum of Understanding recognizing their shared goals and defining ways to support each other. Both organizations are consortium partners in 2 Horizon projects. MCAA represents researchers who have benefited from MSCA funding, spanning all career stages and scientific disciplines, and provides a forum for debate on science policy.
• EurodoccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEurodoc (European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers) and ICoRSA have a signed MoU defining collaboration channels. Both are consortium partners in 2 Horizon projects. Eurodoc represents doctoral candidates and junior researchers at European level in matters of education, research, and professional development.
• VitaemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVitae is the global leader in supporting the professional development of researchers. ICoRSA and Vitae have joined forces in many activities including Horizon project partnerships, event participation, and mutual organizational support. Vitae supports UK Research Staff Association, which is one of ICoRSA's first members.
• Initiative for Science Europe (ISE)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerISE is an independent association bringing together European learned societies and scientific research organizations. ICoRSA collaborates with ISE on science policy advocacy and European Framework Programme discussions.
• RESAVERminorOthersRESAVER (Retirement Savings Vehicle for European Research Institutions) is a multi-country, multi-employer occupational pension fund for researchers and employees in the research and academic sectors across Europe. ICoRSA maintains awareness of RESAVER as a relevant initiative for researcher social security.
• Research MattersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICoRSA joined the Research Matters campaign as an official partner, supporting its open letter calling for increased investment in research across European funding systems.
• ANSO (Alliance of National and International Science Organizations)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerANSO is a non-profit international scientific organization founded in 2018 with 75 members including national academies, universities, and research institutions. ICoRSA made contact with ANSO at UNESCO ICNGO conference, exploring potential collaboration on Belt and Road science initiatives.
• Young Academy of Europe (YAE)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICoRSA collaborates with YAE on joint events and policy statements, including organizing World Science Forum sessions and issuing joint statements on EU visa strategy for research and innovation.
• SECURE2 ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICoRSA is a consortium partner in SECURE2 (Sustainable Careers for Researcher Empowerment 2), a Horizon Europe project focused on implementing the European Research Career Framework. The project involves research organizations across Europe including University of Rijeka, University of Cyprus, University of Lisbon, PLOCAN, UEFISCDI, and ADOC.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Science Council (ISC): Global non-governmental organization bringing together natural and social science bodies. ICoRSA has been an ISC affiliated member since September 2022, giving it observer-level engagement with the broader global science-governance ecosystem.
• Science Europe: Association of European public research-funding and research-performing organizations. ICoRSA collaborates with Science Europe's ISE initiative on Framework Programme advocacy, making it a broader incumbent in European research-policy representation.

Direct peers

• Young Academy of Europe (YAE): Pan-European academy of outstanding young researchers and scholars. YAE co-organizes World Science Forum sessions with ICoRSA and co-signs policy statements (e.g., EU Visa Strategy), serving an overlapping early-career-researcher advocacy niche.
• Vitae: Global leader in supporting professional development of researchers, supporting UKRSA (one of ICoRSA's first member associations). Vitae collaborates with ICoRSA across Horizon projects, events, and mutual member support, making it a directly comparable researcher-support organization.
• Global Young Academy (GYA): Global voice for young researchers across all disciplines and countries, with a mission closely parallel to ICoRSA's global research-staff representation. GYA provides a comparable international advocacy platform for early-career scientists.
• Eurodoc (European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers): European-level association representing doctoral candidates and junior researchers on education, research, and professional development matters. ICoRSA and Eurodoc are co-signatories on joint statements (e.g., EU Visa Strategy) and consortium partners in the same Horizon projects (SECURE, SECURE2), directly serving overlapping constituencies.
• Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA): Global alumni network for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions researchers spanning all career stages and disciplines. MCAA holds an MoU with ICoRSA and both are consortium partners in SECURE2, with overlapping missions around researcher careers, mobility, and science policy advocacy.

Emerging players

• European Platform of Women Scientists (EPWS): European platform advocating for gender equality in science, currently presided by Dr Lucia Martinelli who also sits on the ICoRSA Board. EPWS is thematically adjacent to ICoRSA's gender equality work group and serves a comparable advocacy constituency on a specific policy axis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ICoRSA_News
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/icorsa1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Icorsa