Nowadays research of NIR ceramic laser materials doped with rare earth ions is focused on pumping of Er3+,Ho3+,Yb3+ energy levels with 980 nm cheap laser diodes for obtaining stimulated Fig.1 PL excitation, emission spectra. emission in the NIR range [1]. However, cooperative upconversion, cross relaxation and excited state absorption to the upper states hinder laser generation from the lowlying states. Therefore, in this work the attention is focused on intercenter transitions which may take place when the upper energy states are excited. This study will help to find an efficient co-dopant sensitizer facilitating an increase in the emission efficiency from the level 4I11/2 of the Er3+ ion. With this aim in mind the steady state photoemission (PL), photoexcitation (PLE)(Fig. 1) and the time resolved PL (Fig. 2) of the Y2O3:Er system were examined in the VIS spectral range. Taking into account the position of the excitation maxima, the material was selectively pumped with λem 522 and 655 nm for population of the manifolds 2H11/2, 4F9/2, which usually participate in the up-conversion processes when excited with 980 nm. PL decay was detected under pumping of the levels 2H11/2, 4F9/2 and cannot be characterized by a single exponent. Also depending on the concentration of the Er3+ ions the effect of luminescence quenching was observed (Fig. 2). Based on the results obtained the energy transfer mechanisms have been suggested (Fig. 3). The performed analysis of these mechanisms suggests that further work should be directed Fig.2 Kinetics of PL decay. at the use of transition metal impurity ions as codopant sensitizer ones, which is efficient in some cases [2]. Their strong interaction with the lattice vibrations may suppress antistokes processes in Y2O3:Er.