The aim of this document is to provide an overview of the activities and progress of the ARENA Research Unit during the first 6 months of its establishment, from June to December 2023. We will briefly review all the guidelines and plans developed by the Coordination Team, such as the Knowledge Transfer and Outreach Plan, the Data Management Plan and the Communication and Engagement Plan. There will also be an overview of the progress and deliverables of the project. We will briefly present the efforts made by ARENA for its early career researchers to provide them with the necessary networking opportunities, organization of workshops, and further development of soft skills.