With a renewed interest in nuclear energy and the scientific challenges related to the nuclear fuel cycle, the need for radioecological expertise is increasing world-wide. Concurrently, education related to radioecology has steadily declined, leading experts are approaching retirement, and funding for radioecological research is at a minimum in many European countries. To face this challenge and avoid further fragmentation, nine leading organisations propose to establish a Network of Excellence in radioecology, called STAR. The goal is to efficiently integrate important organisations, infrastructures, and research efforts into a sustainable network that contributes to a European Research Area in radioecology. To achieve this, a Joint Programme of Activities will be implemented covering integration and sharing of infrastructures; training, education and mobility; knowledge management and dissemination; as well as three key research themes (integrating human and non-human radiological risk assessments; radiation protection in a multi-contaminant context; ecologically relevant low-dose effects). The coordinator, IRSN, is one of the largest radioecological research institutes in Europe with an excellent record in large project management. Three STAR partners are members of the High Level Expert Group on Low Dose Risk Research, ensuring that STAR will provide effective links to the wider community of low dose risk research. STAR will interact with other European and international research institutes in radioecology, radiobiology and ecology to produce the best research for addressing the key scientific challenges in radioecology. To address stakeholders’ needs and policy questions, a strong link with end-users will be achieved via dedicated workshops, conferences and advanced dissemination tools. STAR will promote integration, networking and scientific excellence to benefit human and environmental radiation protection.