Periodic Reporting for period 2 - RRI-LEADERS (LEVERAGING LEADERSHIP FOR RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN TERRITORIES)
Reporting period: 2022-07-01 to 2023-12-31
RRI-LEADERS explored the relevance of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) for the territorial governance of the municipalities of Sofia (Bulgaria) and Thalwil (Switzerland), the Region of Western Macedonia (Greece) and the city of Sabadell (Spain). Conceived as a multi-stage co-creation process with engagement of Quadruple Helix stakeholders, RRI-LEADERS leveraged skills and capacities of territorial actors to elaborate future-oriented, sustainable, and RRI-embedding policy action plans, called Transformative Outlooks (TOs). Incorporation of the main principles of the RRI approach into the territorial policymaking process makes it anticipatory, inclusive, reflexive, responsive and well suited to administer a sustainable and resilient territorial policy development, focused on the public interest.
Objectives:
• to facilitate the adoption of RRI within territorial governance
• to promote innovative, inclusive and responsive multi-actor approach
• to provide an evolutionary perspective on the future of RRI in territorial policy and governance
Each territory worked in a specific policy area:
• Region of Western Macedonia: energy transition
• Sofia Municipality: support to innovation, digital transition and new skills, youth employment and entrepreneurship, and sustainable urban development
• Municipality of Thalwil: energy transition, focused on reducing fossil fuels and total energy consumption
• City of Sabadell: innovation in active ageing
Objectives:
• to facilitate the adoption of RRI within territorial governance
• to promote innovative, inclusive and responsive multi-actor approach
• to provide an evolutionary perspective on the future of RRI in territorial policy and governance
Each territory worked in a specific policy area:
• Region of Western Macedonia: energy transition
• Sofia Municipality: support to innovation, digital transition and new skills, youth employment and entrepreneurship, and sustainable urban development
• Municipality of Thalwil: energy transition, focused on reducing fossil fuels and total energy consumption
• City of Sabadell: innovation in active ageing
Stages of the co-creation process:
Stage 1: RRI audits in the four territories encompassed mapping of territorial R&I stakeholders, using two data-collection methods: semi-structured interviews & focus groups (90 interviews, 49 focus group participants), which resulted in a database of stakeholder profiles and identification of good RRI practices. Participatory workshops (64 participants across the four territories) were organised to reach a common understanding on the relevance of RRI keys (Research Ethics, Open Access, Public Engagement, Gender Equality, Science Education) and AIRR dimensions (Anticipation, Inclusiveness, Reflexivity and Responsiveness) for the selected territorial policies. Workshop participants proposed recommendations to local policy and decision-makers on integration of RRI-AIRR in future municipal/regional policymaking and strategy development. These findings were further verified through additional focus groups organised in each territory (16 focus groups, 123 participants).
Stage 2: Expert-based Delphi survey in participating territories, which was informed by the RRI audits and mobilised 122 experts from the four territories. Main objective was to reach a consensus among participating experts about feasible and realistic solutions to identified policy challenges. Round 1: participants identified the main barriers to a successful integration of RRI-AIRR approach into territorial development, and proposed solutions. Round 2 and Round 3: experts evaluated barriers, solutions and identified good practices. World Cafés (80 participants) with stakeholders were organised to discuss and prioritise Delphi survey results, which formed the basis for developing a Transformative Outlook for each territory.
Stage 3: Drafting of Transformative Outlooks and citizen review panels. Results of Stage 1 and Stage 2 were used to develop the first draft of TOs, which are future-oriented action plans for integrating RRI-AIRR framework into territorial policymaking. They demonstrate how RRI-AIRR can be taken up as a policy framework in different territorial contexts and applied to issues where science, technology and innovation require multi-actor approaches combined with a shared awareness of the future. After drafting the TOs, Citizen Review Panels were organised to review and validate the TOs’ objectives and actions.
Stage 4: Endorsement of Transformative Outlooks, the final stage of the co-creation process, was a form of recognition of TO by territorial stakeholder and the respective territorial governance body and its integration into the territorial policy agenda. Endorsement process included a series of online and in-person meetings in Sofia, Sabadell, Thalwil and the Region of Western Macedonia.
Important achievements of the project include:
• RRI reviews in the project partners’ organisations, which resulted in recommendations for further integration of RRI into organisational policies and practices.
• Three Policy Learning Workshops for sharing good RRI-related practices from each territory.
• Vision for Responsible Territorial Policymaking proposes a pathway towards transformative changes in territories to help them meet the challenges of sustainable development.
• Elaboration of policy recommendations for integrating the RRI-AIRR framework into territorial policymaking processes.
• Final project conference “Territories as leaders in Responsible Research and Innovation” on 19 Oct 2023, Committee of the Regions, Brussels. 61 onsite participants and 116 viewers online. It featured presentations on the achievements of the four territories in RRI-LEADERS, as well as the experience of the projects RIPEET, WBC-RRI.NET TetRRIS, and ENTRACES.
Three scientific articles, focused on the results and experiences of the project partners during the implementation of RRI-LEADERS, were developed and submitted to peer-reviewed e-journals.
Stage 1: RRI audits in the four territories encompassed mapping of territorial R&I stakeholders, using two data-collection methods: semi-structured interviews & focus groups (90 interviews, 49 focus group participants), which resulted in a database of stakeholder profiles and identification of good RRI practices. Participatory workshops (64 participants across the four territories) were organised to reach a common understanding on the relevance of RRI keys (Research Ethics, Open Access, Public Engagement, Gender Equality, Science Education) and AIRR dimensions (Anticipation, Inclusiveness, Reflexivity and Responsiveness) for the selected territorial policies. Workshop participants proposed recommendations to local policy and decision-makers on integration of RRI-AIRR in future municipal/regional policymaking and strategy development. These findings were further verified through additional focus groups organised in each territory (16 focus groups, 123 participants).
Stage 2: Expert-based Delphi survey in participating territories, which was informed by the RRI audits and mobilised 122 experts from the four territories. Main objective was to reach a consensus among participating experts about feasible and realistic solutions to identified policy challenges. Round 1: participants identified the main barriers to a successful integration of RRI-AIRR approach into territorial development, and proposed solutions. Round 2 and Round 3: experts evaluated barriers, solutions and identified good practices. World Cafés (80 participants) with stakeholders were organised to discuss and prioritise Delphi survey results, which formed the basis for developing a Transformative Outlook for each territory.
Stage 3: Drafting of Transformative Outlooks and citizen review panels. Results of Stage 1 and Stage 2 were used to develop the first draft of TOs, which are future-oriented action plans for integrating RRI-AIRR framework into territorial policymaking. They demonstrate how RRI-AIRR can be taken up as a policy framework in different territorial contexts and applied to issues where science, technology and innovation require multi-actor approaches combined with a shared awareness of the future. After drafting the TOs, Citizen Review Panels were organised to review and validate the TOs’ objectives and actions.
Stage 4: Endorsement of Transformative Outlooks, the final stage of the co-creation process, was a form of recognition of TO by territorial stakeholder and the respective territorial governance body and its integration into the territorial policy agenda. Endorsement process included a series of online and in-person meetings in Sofia, Sabadell, Thalwil and the Region of Western Macedonia.
Important achievements of the project include:
• RRI reviews in the project partners’ organisations, which resulted in recommendations for further integration of RRI into organisational policies and practices.
• Three Policy Learning Workshops for sharing good RRI-related practices from each territory.
• Vision for Responsible Territorial Policymaking proposes a pathway towards transformative changes in territories to help them meet the challenges of sustainable development.
• Elaboration of policy recommendations for integrating the RRI-AIRR framework into territorial policymaking processes.
• Final project conference “Territories as leaders in Responsible Research and Innovation” on 19 Oct 2023, Committee of the Regions, Brussels. 61 onsite participants and 116 viewers online. It featured presentations on the achievements of the four territories in RRI-LEADERS, as well as the experience of the projects RIPEET, WBC-RRI.NET TetRRIS, and ENTRACES.
Three scientific articles, focused on the results and experiences of the project partners during the implementation of RRI-LEADERS, were developed and submitted to peer-reviewed e-journals.
• RRI audits of the four territories established a baseline of current practices and policy developments with a potential to integrate RRI keys and AIRR dimensions in the chosen policy areas, including the potential benefits and negative aspects of such integration.
• Systemic categorisation of 166 territorial stakeholders was made according to the following criteria: (i) stakeholders with high levels of interest in relation to RRI in practice; (ii) stakeholders with high levels of experience in RRI, (iii) stakeholders with high levels of power, and (iv) stakeholders with high levels of influence on RRI in practice.
• A three-round Delphi survey for a better integration of the RRI-AIRR approach into territorial development was conducted in the four territories, with the participation of 122 experts.
• Transformative Outlook for Western Macedonia, aiming at making the energy transition in the Region more responsible, sustainable and democratic.
• Transformative Outlook for Sofia Municipality, presenting policy objectives and actions for the policy areas of support for innovation, digital transition & new skills, youth employment & entrepreneurship, sustainable urban development.
• Transformative Outlook for the Energy Transition in Thalwil addressing the municipal role model behaviour in the building and construction sector, strengthening stakeholder networks, communication, increasing recycling and circular economy services, and supporting sustainable mobility.
• Transformative Outlook for the Innovation in Active Ageing in Sabadell, with objectives and actions outlining the necessary steps towards the policy area Innovation in Active Ageing.
• Methodological guidelines for the organisation of citizen review panels.
• Vision for Responsible Territorial Policymaking, which proposes a pathway towards transformative changes to meet the challenges of sustainable development.
• 10 policy recommendations for integrating the RRI-AIRR framework into territorial policymaking processes, targeting territorial policymakers as well as national and EU-level institutions.
• Systemic categorisation of 166 territorial stakeholders was made according to the following criteria: (i) stakeholders with high levels of interest in relation to RRI in practice; (ii) stakeholders with high levels of experience in RRI, (iii) stakeholders with high levels of power, and (iv) stakeholders with high levels of influence on RRI in practice.
• A three-round Delphi survey for a better integration of the RRI-AIRR approach into territorial development was conducted in the four territories, with the participation of 122 experts.
• Transformative Outlook for Western Macedonia, aiming at making the energy transition in the Region more responsible, sustainable and democratic.
• Transformative Outlook for Sofia Municipality, presenting policy objectives and actions for the policy areas of support for innovation, digital transition & new skills, youth employment & entrepreneurship, sustainable urban development.
• Transformative Outlook for the Energy Transition in Thalwil addressing the municipal role model behaviour in the building and construction sector, strengthening stakeholder networks, communication, increasing recycling and circular economy services, and supporting sustainable mobility.
• Transformative Outlook for the Innovation in Active Ageing in Sabadell, with objectives and actions outlining the necessary steps towards the policy area Innovation in Active Ageing.
• Methodological guidelines for the organisation of citizen review panels.
• Vision for Responsible Territorial Policymaking, which proposes a pathway towards transformative changes to meet the challenges of sustainable development.
• 10 policy recommendations for integrating the RRI-AIRR framework into territorial policymaking processes, targeting territorial policymakers as well as national and EU-level institutions.