Experimentation and exchange of good practices for value creation (HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-01-05)

Projects are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:

• Value creation and transfer to the economy and society by increased interlinkages and cooperation between knowledge valorisation actors (academia/research; industry/SMEs; public administration/policy-makers and society/citizens);
• New solutions to societal and economic challenges by stronger uptake and deployment of research results, including through the involvement of citizens and civil society;
• Improvements of structures, strategies, practices and skills for knowledge valorisation through sustainable reforms and new initiatives in line with ERA Policy Agenda action 7.

To emerge stronger from the pandemic and address the challenges we are facing, such as climate change, and enable the twin transition, Europe needs to translate available scientific knowledge and research results to innovative solutions, including technological as well as non-technological and social innovations, in the market, in society and for better policy making. To bring existing good practices in knowledge valorisation to support value creation across Europe, we need more experimentation, peer learning and testing of new models as well as trying out good practices in different environments.

Replication and adaptation of best practices is a powerful way to support the design, implementation and evaluation of knowledge valorisation investments and measures that enhance the quality and extent of knowledge uptake at all levels. It involves identifying and taking inspiration from best practices developed across Europe, engaging in an exchange of experiences with peers and connecting to new partners, as well as driving and supporting the set-up of new measures or the reform of existing ones. Cross-border transfer of best practices in knowledge valorisation is challenging because the corresponding strategies, initiatives or tools need to be adapted to a different context and legal and financial framework and take into account skills and competences.

Researchers can play an important role in engaging citizens and communities through creative interactions. This can contribute to making research results more adapted to the needs of citizens and communities, and strengthen the uptake of research by society benefitting both the research communities and the citizens as users and co-creators.

Proposals should address at least one of the following challenges:

1. Innovative ways to strengthen channels of valorising knowledge and research results, in particular targeting activities in the field of academia–society collaboration. Within the scope of the topic are schemes and incentives for researchers to engage with society that promote the uptake of research results. This can include means to incentivise researchers to engage with society, contributing to a stronger translation of research results to the economy and society through better adaptation to citizens’ needs and collaboration with industry. The experimentation will highlight what works well and under what conditions and what are the barriers and opportunities in the academia-society interaction;
2. Transfer of best practices in knowledge valorisation, in the area of ‘academia-industry/SME linkages’ or ‘quadruple helix-based innovation’, i.e., involving academia/research; industry/SMEs; public administration/policy-makers and society/citizens in an ecosystem approach. Consortia are expected to involve partners that implement one or several best practices and partners that plan to introduce a new practice or reform an existing one. The action will lead to tangible change in some or all participating entities, be it at strategic and/or investment level and/or through the implementation of new or adapted instruments, tools, guidelines, trainings etc. The action can also help develop and prepare knowledge valorisation projects and investments that receive support from the European cohesion policy or the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Inspiration for best practices can be found in the repository on the EU Knowledge Valorisation Platform.

The action should facilitate the sharing of experiences and lessons learned from the experimentation or transfer of best practices, develop policy recommendations and links to other relevant actions.

Horizon Europe has a new level of ambition – to maximise the impact of the European Union’s research and innovation funding for European science, the economy and the wider society. It marks a paradigm change in the design of the European R&I framework programmes (FP) from an activity-driven to an impact-driven programme. Coupled to this ambition is the relaunch of the European Research Area (ERA) as described in the Commission Communication “A new ERA for Research and Innovation” (COM/2020/628 final of 30.09.2020).

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of R&I cooperation to provide solutions to society’s most demanding needs. With the priority on delivering Europe’s recovery as well as on the green and digital twin transitions, a new level of ambition, linking R&I better with the economy, and with education and training, is needed to match these challenges and put scientific knowledge to work.

The new ERA calls for deepening existing priorities and creating new initiatives by strengthening the mobility of researchers and the free flow of knowledge and technology, to improve access to excellence, boost market uptake and prioritise investment and reform. Working together has been the philosophy of the ERA since its launch; however, the green and digital transitions and the COVID recovery call for more and closer cooperation between the Commission, the Member States and stakeholders. They require the setting of new priorities, launching ambitious joint initiatives and developing common approaches between policies.

To address these requirements, Destination 3 of part 11 of the Horizon Europe work programme will support efforts to reform and enhance the European R&I system. Destination 3 is built around four strands corresponding to the four objectives set out in the ERA Communication:

1. Prioritising investments and reforms in research and innovation;
2. Improving access to excellence, progressing towards excellence across the whole EU and striving for stronger research and innovation systems;
3. Translating R&I results into the economy to meet the digital and green transition objectives, and boost the resilience and competitiveness of our economies and societies;
4. Deepening the ERA, to further progress the free circulation of knowledge and to ensure an upgraded, efficient and effective R&I system.

The principle of excellence, meaning that the best researchers with the best ideas that offer the best solutions to the societal challenges obtain funding, remains the cornerstone for all investments under the ERA.