The biomedical research institutes from the Tarragona, Girona and Lleida provinces have a very similar nature and structure in the context of the Catalan health and research system. They are associated with universities, reference hospitals and other healthcare centres in their respective regions and bring together a population with similar characteristics, dispersed geographical distribution and environment. Collaboration is paramount, not only among Institutes, but also with other European entities from similar sized-regions in order to achieving effective solutions for the existing societal social and health challenges.

In 2017 the IISPV, IDIBGI and IRBLleida leadership team joined forces through the CATIONS agreement to foster collaboration among the three international units. The fluid collaboration between the technical staff of the three centres resulted in the successful organisation of several training activities, including the first Joint Scientific Retreat in November 2017. In 2019 the three Institutes created a Consortium and in 2019 they were awarded the GO_EUROPE grant (PERIS SLT008/18/00177).

The GO_HERO (Health European Research Offices) lays down an internationalisation process for all three centres based on the centralisation of resources in a new virtual promotion unit (HERO Office), engaging not only the staff from the three existing units but also newly recruited members. The impact of the GO_HERO program will be significant and sustainable, as it will allow the three Institutes to become benchmarks in our strategic areas at European and international level. Finally, as a consequence of this international exposure, it will reinforce Catalonia’s positioning in the European biomedical and clinical landscape.