Research and innovation

The aim of this initiative is to encourage, establish and support collaborations in the field of research and innovation. Thematic Networks have been established that follow the five ENLIGHT thematic areas. These networks will identify and promote common interest areas for research.

Thematic networks are supported by the Research Support Office (link to the ENLIGHT European website) (network of people that work at existing grant offices at the partnering universities).

The ENLIGHT collaborations are boosted by several additional tools that enable:

• Identifying the common interest areas - Digital R&I Observatory on the ENLIGHT European website.
• Helping to identify possible collaborators: Digital matching tool
• Forming research teams with a goal to apply for external grants: Seed funding & initiation grants (link to ENLIGHT European website).
• Encouraging young researchers to join the network: R&I Prize for early career researchers
• Helping researchers with writing and submitting the proposals: Support kit (link to the ENLIGHT European website).

Contact

Martha Middlemiss Lé Mon, coordinator for the thematic networks.
Marta Cocos, ENLIGHT RISE-coordinator.

Access to world-class digital research infrastructure is a cornerstone of a competitive R&I agenda. This initiative focuses on tools and services that allow researchers to turn big data into scientific breakthroughs. More specifically, the aim is to enhance connections with European digital infrastructures (e.g. the recently launched European Open Science Cloud). Some of the activities conducted witin this initiative are:

• Digital research infrastructure mapping & roadmap for sharing and connecting.
• Case Studies on Connecting with European Infrastructures for R&I.
• Map of existing initiatives, tools and methods to describe, analyze, or reinforce the DI/AI policies.
• White paper for a responsible DI&AI Development Index.

Contact

Margaretha Andersson, Coordinator for Digital Infrastructure and Artificial Intelligence.
Marta Cocos, ENLIGHT RISE-coordinator.

The aim of this initiative is to develop a supportive structure for talent development and career guidance. All ENLIGHT partners have either obtained or are applying for an HRS4R label, the new standard for career management and quality within EU. To develop attractive career frameworks for researchers this initiative organizes activities to support early career development within the alliance. These include networking, mentoring and leadership training.

In line with the support of young researchers, this hub assesses the way we conduct research(er) assessment systems. It also proposes several innovative solutions that better reward diverse and engaged career paths. Some of the activities conducted in this hub are:

• Organization of networking events for early career researchers
• Early Career Academic Leadership training
• Working together on issues connected to research assessment and providing practical recommendations.

Contact

Camilla Maandi and Anders Waxell, Coordinators for research assessment activities.
Rabbe Hedengren, Coordinator for early career leadership activities.
Marta Cocos, ENLIGHT RISE-coordinator.

The ENLIGHT alliance gathers a strong knowledge community composed of highly competitive, entrepreneurial universities, increasingly networked with businesses and society. The aim of this initiative is to map and support academy-industry partnerships within and across ENLIGHT partners. This will be achieved through different mapping activities, as well as organization of networking events. Some of the activities conducted in this hub are:

• Organization of Academy Industry Meeting (AIM) days
• Mapping of academy-industry partnerships related to UN-SDGs & ENLIGHT flagship challenges
• Formation of an ENLIGHT Innovation Network
• Developing recommendations on gaps and opportunities in the market for skills & innovation

Contact

Jenny Nordquist and Anna Grönberg, Coordinators for University-Industry collaboration.
Marta Cocos, ENLIGHT RISE-coordinator.

This hub aims to enhance the interaction between societal actors, education, research and innovation. These actors involve: students, academic staff, companies, business incubators, governments, policy makers, and civil society actors in each region. The aim is to organize a wide range of interactions to mobilize meaningful engagement on all sides. Some of the activities conducted in this hub are:

• Series of outreach events.
• Survey of existing civil society engagement tools and projects in R&I and teaching.
• Action plan to sustain ENLIGHT engagement activities with civil society.
• Final report on experiences, learning and recommendations.

Contact

Sepideh Razavi, Coordinator for outreach activities.
Marta Cocos, ENLIGHT RISE-coordinator.

The objective of this hub is to improve Open Science support practices among ENLIGHT partners. This should be achieved by developing common approaches for assessing open science efforts, recognizing excellence in doing so and by training support staff and researchers on how to engage with the public and make their results accessible. The partners will also develop and implement joint actions in order to raise awareness, and to transform the way researchers and other stakeholders create, store, share, and review research outputs. Some of the activities conducted in this hub are:

• Report: Open Science Status Quo & Opportunities
• Open Access & Data Management Starter Kit for Researchers
• ENLIGHT joint Open Sciences principles

Contact

Marta Cocos, ENLIGHT RISE-coordinator
Christer Lagvik, Coordinator for open science within ENLIGHT RISE

This initiative is devoted to creating a comprehensive methodology and tools for measuring the long-term impact of ENLIGHT on people, communities, institutions, and systems at large. In parallel it explores the frontiers of a common R&I agenda and analyze the regulatory, administrative, social, and other barriers encountered within ENLIGHT. Some of the activities conducted in this hub are:

• Web-based tool that acts as an alive repository of international best practices on R&I impact assessment and measurement.
• Digital toolkit for (self-)assessment of impact of R&I agendas.
• Report on the different workshops, encounters, webinars, surveys, interviews, etc. collecting and analyzing the barriers, challenges and opportunities to implement impact-driven R&I agendas.
• FOREU2 reports: #1 Report on practices and measures to ensure the mainstreaming of gender dimension in R&I long-term strategies; #2 Collection of 24 case studies on progress made in the implementation of R&I long-term strategies.

Contact

Nhils Forslund, Coordinator for impact assessment activities.
Marta Cocos, ENLIGHT RISE-coordinator.