Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PATTERN (Piloting open and responsible Activities and Trainings Towards the Enhancement of Researchers Networks)
Reporting period: 2024-05-01 to 2025-04-30
In the last years, the need to equip researchers with the skills needed for an interoperable career in academia and beyond has emerged as a central priority of the EU European Research Area (ERA) policy underlining the importance of developing and contributing to an open labour market for researchers where there are no barriers to their mobility and where they can enhance their training and career opportunities. In this context, training of European researchers plays a pivotal role to ensure the excellence of EU research and innovation. However, while research institutions and universities have always paid a lot of attention to training aimed at developing the technical and scientific competences of their researchers, it is only recently that they have better embraced their institutional responsibility in supporting the professional development of their researchers beyond academia, by acknowledging the relevance to train them on transversal and generic skills (transferable skills) that can help smoothen this transition.
Based on these needs, the PATTERN project focuses on training researchers at all stages of their career on those skills related to research ethics, public engagement and social responsibility that are easily transferable between work contexts, thus enabling intersectoral mobility and knowledge transfer. In particular, the project aims at promoting the practice of Open and Responsible Research and Innovation (Open RRI) by developing and piloting training activities for researchers with the ultimate goal of strengthening their transferable skills and empowering Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and research organisations to embrace a transformative process to improve the excellence of the science conducted, the capacity within the ERA to tackle societal challenges and the interaction between science and society.
To address the identified needs and by aligning with the challenge of deepening the ERA, PATTERN results will contribute to define the state of the art on Open RRI trainings for researchers and to develop and pilot new training modules and curricula creating new knowledge, fostering diffusion of knowledge and Open Science and strengthening human capital in R&I. At societal level, the project’s results will contribute to the empowerment of HEIs and research organisations to start a transformative process to strengthen the uptake of R&I in society. Furthermore, PATTERN will contribute with its innovative platform using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create personalised learning paths for researchers and increase digitalisation.
Based on these needs, the PATTERN project focuses on training researchers at all stages of their career on those skills related to research ethics, public engagement and social responsibility that are easily transferable between work contexts, thus enabling intersectoral mobility and knowledge transfer. In particular, the project aims at promoting the practice of Open and Responsible Research and Innovation (Open RRI) by developing and piloting training activities for researchers with the ultimate goal of strengthening their transferable skills and empowering Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and research organisations to embrace a transformative process to improve the excellence of the science conducted, the capacity within the ERA to tackle societal challenges and the interaction between science and society.
To address the identified needs and by aligning with the challenge of deepening the ERA, PATTERN results will contribute to define the state of the art on Open RRI trainings for researchers and to develop and pilot new training modules and curricula creating new knowledge, fostering diffusion of knowledge and Open Science and strengthening human capital in R&I. At societal level, the project’s results will contribute to the empowerment of HEIs and research organisations to start a transformative process to strengthen the uptake of R&I in society. Furthermore, PATTERN will contribute with its innovative platform using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create personalised learning paths for researchers and increase digitalisation.
During the first 28 months of project implementation, PATTERN realized and completed several activities contributing to different main achievements. In order to contribute to the consolidation of knowledge, the mapping of the existing learning opportunities was realised and led to the identification, analysis and quality assessment of more than 500 resources on Open RRI such as training activities, modules and models of training and platforms by highlighting gaps and potentials and serving as a basis for the development of PATTERN training modules on the 8 transferable skills (Open Access; FAIR data management; Citizen Science; Research Integrity; Gender, non-discrimination and inclusion; Dissemination and Exploitation of results; Science Communication; Management and Leadership).
Furthermore, the project mapped and analysed more than 200 existing policies at European, national and institutional level on trainings on Open RRI for all stages of researchers that fed the Report on the “State of the art analysis: mapping of the policy landscape for learning opportunities for researchers on Open RRI”. The policy mapping and analysis, together with the results emerged from the 2 Open Studio cycles carried out, led to the development of 2 Policy Briefs gathering policy recommendations for relevant stakeholders and decision-makers. The project has also launched the podcast series “Scoping Open RRI” aiming at further disseminating project results and policy recommendations.
Most importantly, the project developed 14 personalised training plans on the 8 transferable skills and tested them through the 1st Learning Cycle carried out in the pilot organisations. To make training modules freely available to any researchers and interested parties, the project set up its digital ecosystem consisting of 2 main platforms (Projects + OpenPlato). During the 1st Learning Cycle, 60 training activities were delivered by the PATTERN consortium and 1800+ researchers were reached and engaged. Moreover, so far, the PATTERN digital ecosystem has registered 2500+ unique users and 33'900+ total visits.
Furthermore, the project mapped and analysed more than 200 existing policies at European, national and institutional level on trainings on Open RRI for all stages of researchers that fed the Report on the “State of the art analysis: mapping of the policy landscape for learning opportunities for researchers on Open RRI”. The policy mapping and analysis, together with the results emerged from the 2 Open Studio cycles carried out, led to the development of 2 Policy Briefs gathering policy recommendations for relevant stakeholders and decision-makers. The project has also launched the podcast series “Scoping Open RRI” aiming at further disseminating project results and policy recommendations.
Most importantly, the project developed 14 personalised training plans on the 8 transferable skills and tested them through the 1st Learning Cycle carried out in the pilot organisations. To make training modules freely available to any researchers and interested parties, the project set up its digital ecosystem consisting of 2 main platforms (Projects + OpenPlato). During the 1st Learning Cycle, 60 training activities were delivered by the PATTERN consortium and 1800+ researchers were reached and engaged. Moreover, so far, the PATTERN digital ecosystem has registered 2500+ unique users and 33'900+ total visits.
In the long-term, PATTERN results are expected: i) to increase alignment of HEIs training program to the Open RRI policies and contents and improve the science conducted in the organisation; ii) to increase number of researchers benefitting from improved transferable skills, leading to greater employability and career prospects; iii) to improve engagement and cooperation of researchers with stakeholders thanks to the new transferable skills acquired; iv) to increase alignment of HEIs’ strategies and policies with societal needs, expectations and values; v) to improve the overall effectiveness of EU research and innovation funding; vi) to improve use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tailor learning paths of researchers and increase digitalisation of HEIs.