Through the SHARE Academic Network (STEP CHANGE HIGHER ARTS RESEARCH + EDUCATION), the European Higher Arts Education sector delivers a systematically coordinated STEP CHANGE in realising an EU-wide integrated enhancement of 3rd cycle creative education. The 3rd cycle in higher arts education is the essential education and research bed for the creative industries, a key fast growing sector in Europe. The EU wide systemic enhancement of the third cycle, generates the essential core human capital, cultural wealth, innovation and content development (across the visual and performing arts, music media, and cultural heritage) that underpins creative economy growth. An authentic, innovative and creative knowledge society needs a new generation of skilled and entrepreneurial creative practitioners capable of tackling complex problems, providing creative leadership and original thinking by building upon deep competencies in their disciplines. PhDs, Graduate Schools and Research Centres for the arts have already emerged from the Bologna Process inclusion of the 3rd cycle and the emphasis on research. Increasingly, arts research underpins innovation in all spheres of life, providing a framework for key issues - sustainability, technology, cultural diversity/ social cohesion and change. Operating at the intersection of culture, education, research and innovation, SHARE creates a EU-wide ecosystem for enhancing the research base of creative industries; builds a flexible European collaborative infrastructure attuned to divergent regional needs; and enables competitive access to national and European Research Funding programmes. The SHARE coalition of 35 active partners, across Europe and Turkey, mobilises existing arts research networks: 1. graduate schools, research programmes and centres seeking world leadership in 3rd cycle arts education; 2. peer community of artist-researchers and supervisors originated in the Erasmus Network Artesnet; 3. network of art schools in the process of setting up 3rd cycle programmes and 4. European League of Institutes of the Arts -ELIA , connecting with all art schools in Europe and active in European forums in Culture, Education and Research.